Write an analytical or argumentative essay on a topic from the list of options below, avoiding plot summary (see nugget 1) and meeting each of the following requirements. Read each of these requirements very carefully, more than once.
- 7-9 pages in length, 2000 words minimum, 2700 words maximum (in the body of the essay, excluding headers, name, date, title, works cited entries, etc.).
- Your work must be formatted carefully and correctly, following MLA guidelines as outlined on my "simple stuff" web page. Papers not following these very simple conventions of formatting will be returned ungraded and will receive late penalties depending upon how many days it takes you to format them correctly.
- All quotations and other source material must be documented according to MLA guidelines as outlined on my "quotes and documentation" page. A works cited page is mandatory even if you cite only one novel.
- Options 1 and 3 only: You are not required to incorporate research into this paper as you will be with paper 2, but you may if you wish bring in quotations and other support from secondary sources of legitimate scholarly criticism or commentary so long as you do not get your “research” from the world wide web. In fact, you should most emphatically not consult any world wide web pages outside of our course materials while preparing your paper. For Option 2, you may not consult any materials beyond those posted on my website or in D2L for this course.
- Macon students
must submit the final draft in both hard copy (printed on paper) and in digital form submitted via the Dropbox for the assignment in D2L. Cochran and Warner Robins students do not need to turn in a printed hard copy—submit your papers via the D2L Dropbox only.
- Paper proposals: as a graded assignment, you are to turn in a paper proposal in the form of a topic sentence outline beginning with the literal question your essay will strive to answer, followed by each body paragraph's complete topic sentence as it will appear in the essay itself, and ending with a thesis statement that a) answers the question you are addressing, and b) ties together the primary points in your topic sentences. The question you raise for this outline should be a literal question—an interrogative sentence ending in a question mark, not merely a statement of what your topic is. You may submit your topic sentence outline early in the body of an email message—that is, it’s not necessary to send the outline as an attachment. For full explanation of a topic sentence outline, including examples, see the paper proposal assignment page.
Topics:
Option 1: Watch a detective-centered film or television show of your choosing and analyze how it follows some of the various narrative patterns or tactics we have observed in the literary detective fiction covered to this point in the class (through Agatha Christie). The essay does not have to be a straight comparison and contrast, but you should refer to and offer quotations from both the literature we’ve read and from the film or show you watch, with a minimum of five quotations from the literature and five from the video source. You will need to exercise great care in choosing the film or TV show: while it need not be a classic “whodunit,” it must, of course, contain key elements of detective literature we have noted thus far in the courseOption 2: Describe the most essential features of classic detective fiction and offer illustrations from our readings in Poe, Collins, and Doyle, totaling at least twelve quotations at a minimum. Essentially you will be defining the genre with this option, and your definition must be purely your own. That is, consulting secondary sources—even fully legitimate and scholarly sources—is strictly forbidden with this topic.
Option 3: Discuss the portrayal of life in or near the margins of society, focusing on the detective and/or the criminal in any work or works we have read thus far (through Christie). You will need to define the “margins” you are examining, of course, and you should aim to explore what commentary the author(s) seem to offer about the society depicted more generally through the characters’ experience with crime or criminals occupying these marginal spaces. Include at least ten quotation from work or works you address.
I
encourage you to seek my help with your paper outside of class. If my
office hours don't mesh with your schedule, let me know, and we'll
make other arrangements. You may reach me by phone during office hours if you are not on the Macon campus.
Tips:
- Offer concrete evidence (i.e. quotations) to support every one of your major assertions.
- Make every body ¶'s topic sentence answer the topic sentence outline question directly.
- Avoid plot summary: see nugget 1; introduce all quotes: see nugget 3.
- Sweat the details: see the "Golden Rules," "Nuggets," "Simple Stuff," and "Quotes & Documentation" pages and proofread carefully.