Student’s
Name_______________________________________
M.
Hall
English
1301 / 1302 / 2302
8
and 9 October 2012
Research Paper –
Rocks, Shoals, and a Time Line
We
may have to be flexible on this schedule, said flexibility solely at the
discretion of the instructor.
We
will also work on other projects while on the research paper.
At
least half of each class will be devoted to research paper drafts, questions,
and mutual aid. You must budget your time
carefully. Many of your classmates began
the research paper in August, as suggested, and some are close to completion.
1. Your research paper grade is 25% of your final
grade.
2. The grade for your research paper will be
based on the final draft alone.
3. Your research paper will be graded according
to the rubrics on the multiple handouts given you on the first day of class and
again shortly at midterm.
4. “But you said…” is
a null concept. Your instructor will not
make any promises or conjectures; he will make general suggestions when asked,
but they are not contractural. Your
instructor is not going to proof-read your paper; it is your paper.
5. “But you didn’t
tell me…” is another null
concept. You are responsible for all
class presentations and for reading the masses of material in the handouts, in
your 1301 text, on angryverbs.blogspot.com, and on Blackboard. English 1302 and 2320 students – your
successful completion of 1301 voids any excuses; the freshman MLA research
paper is a basic.
6. About the sample
research papers: your book contains an excellent specimen; further, you will read,
with the permission of the writers, numerous old papers – some of them quite
bad - from previous classes, some of them high school classes. Again, these are not contracts; high school
papers are not graded as rigorously and, indeed, your instructor may well have
missed an error. These papers serve
solely as an aid, and are not authoritative.
7. Downloading from
the ‘net – don’t. Even your befuddled
old teacher can work up a simple string search, and changing words around won’t
block a find. If you turn in work not your
own, you will be awarded an F for the class.
Please note that 5 November is the last Angelina drop day.
8. No excuses – three
months is more than enough time to write a 10-page MLA paper.
Time
Line - Have your instructor sign for these items both on your copy and on his:
1. Week of 15 & 16
October. Your topic and thesis statement
must be final by the end of class; you will not be permitted to change
them. Two months is enough time to make
a decision.
A. Topic____________________________________________________
B. Thesis
statement___________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
C. Instructor
signature________________________________________
2. Week of 22 and 23 October
or earlier. Share your pretty good, typed
(a few handwritten corrections are fine) first page in MLA format, complete
with title, and with your thesis statement at the very beginning.
A. ___Inadequate or
not submitted
B. ___Lookin’ good so
far!
C. Instructor
signature______________________________________
3. Week of 29 and 30 October
or earlier. Share your pretty good,
mostly complete, and typed (a few handwritten corrections are fine)
bibliography (aka works cited).
A. ___Inadequate or not submitted
B. ___Yes, this looks promising
C. Instructor
signature______________________________________
4. Week of 5 and 6 November
or earlier. Share your pretty good,
mostly finished, typed (handwritten corrections are fine) rough draft, complete
with bibliography, heading with sequential page numbering, and all other bells,
whistles, guts, and feathers.
A.___You are welcome to repeat the class in the spring
term.
B.___You probably have a winner here!
5. Week of 12 and 13 November. As usual, the first half of class will be granted
for working on your paper (which should not be necessary).
19
and 20 November. Submit research paper NLT
the beginning of your first class of the week for ten extra points.
27
and 28 November. Your official due-date;
submit your paper NLT the beginning of your first class of the week.
3
and 4 December. Your NLT at the beginning
of your first class of the week with a ten-point penalty. This is
the mercy; three months is enough time to write a paper, find a computer, buy
an ink cartridge, and retrieve your paper from your friend’s pickup truck in
Louisiana.
