ENGL1406.B0 and .C0
Second Writing Assignment
Research Paper, part one
Due November 30, 2015
For this assignment you are required to teach yourself about the authors of the two novels we will read for 1406 this year. Learn as much as you can about Timothy Findley and Hans Fallada. Write as though the following were true:
- You and only you have been assigned the task of researching these two authors so that you can inform the rest of the class about them.
- What interests you is likely to interest the rest of the class.
- The rest of the class has read many but not all of the same novels, plays, short stories, poems, and non-fiction you have read, so you can make some comparisons to other authors you have read, but you might have to remind your readers about those other authors. You are not required to make such comparisons; it’s just a suggestion.
- Be sure to include at least some information about the novels we will read for class written by each author.
- You can choose to discuss both authors at the same time (e.g. a paragraph on “birth and early years” followed by one on “education,” etc.) or you can choose to discuss them separately (part of the paper sub-titled “Timothy Findley” the other part sub-titled “Hans Fallada”). Whichever model you choose be sure your paper has a title that is communicative and at least a little bit imaginative. Section headings are to be regarded as sub-titles, not as titles. And regardless of the model you use, your paper must have an introduction and a conclusion.
Aim for four, maybe five, pages in length.
Laws for this assignment:
- Be sure to use the resources of Acadia’s Vaughn Memorial Library in addition to any on-line resources you use. Failure to consult printed resources for this assignment will result in a grade reduction of 20%.
- Obviously, the bibliography of your paper will generate a significant portion of your grade, so MAKE SURE you correctly format every source you include therein. Any paper that includes only online sources will be graded out of 40% rather than out of 100%.
- Do not include a title page. If you do I will grade your paper, THEN deduct 10%.
- Your title should be centered at the top of the first page, and it MUST be printed in the same size and style of font as the rest of your paper. It must NOT be enclosed in quotation marks. Your name should be on the next line below the title. Break this rule, and I’ll grade your paper, THEN deduct 10% from the grade you would otherwise have earned.
- Put page numbers on every page AFTER the first page: that is, from page 2 onward. Failure to do this will cost you 5%, after I’ve assessed a grade for the paper.
- Every mistake you could have caught through careful proofreading will earn the comment of “proofread” on your paper. When there are three such comments I will stop reading, and award a grade of 40%. THEN I’ll deduct 10% if you’ve included a title page, and a further 10% if you’ve failed to render your title and / or your name properly.
- If your paper does not have an introduction and a conclusion, I won’t read it and will assign to it a grade of not more than 40%.
- Your paper will be considered late if it is not submitted at the start of class on Monday, November 30. Papers submitted late during the class period will have 5% deducted from the grade they would otherwise have received. Papers submitted later that day will lose 15%. Papers submitted by December 4 will lose 40%, and no papers will be accepted after 12:30 PM on Friday December 4.