Major Writing Assignment

Prompt - Literary Analysis

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Instructions Here:
Topic. For this writing assignment, you will be selecting a reading from the stories we
have read in class to conduct a Literary Analysis. This is the opportunity for you to apply
knowledge you will learn about creating a topic, analyzing a piece of literature, and
conducting research based on the skills you will learn to create a knowledgeable Literary
Analysis.

Rhetorical Situation. You’re submitting a piece for publication to a literary journal of

your choosing. Using prior knowledge and experiences with conducting research, you’ve
been asked to respond to the below prompt:

Themes serve as underlying messages the author attempts to convey in his or her
piece of literature. Oftentimes, this is done through the means of a character.
Select one reading we’ve covered in this module and analyze a key character from
that work. How do his or her actions represent the author’s underlying message?
Provide evidence from one primary source and at least two secondary sources.

Specifics. You must include, at minimum, all of the following:

● ~1200-1500 words
● Thesis statement/main claim
● MLA citations (Works Cited and in-text citations)
● You will have 1 primary source (the source that you are analyzing) and 2
secondary sources (one of your sources should be an academic article and one of
your sources should be an online resource such as a website, blog, or review).

Research. For this assignment, you will be required to do research. Firstly, you will be
assessing and analyzing a primary source–this is the main story that you choose to write
about. Secondly, you will be finding at least two secondary sources (one of your sources
should be an academic article and one of your sources should be an online resource such
as a website, blog, or review). You will need to search the web, the library, and any
library databases to find these sources. This also means that you will have a works cited
page and will be required to include in-text citations where you use information, quotes,
or other materials from another author.
Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)
1. Rhetorical Situation and Genre
a. analyze, compose, and reflect on arguments in a variety of genres,
considering the strategies,claims, evidence, and various mediums and
technologies that are appropriate to the rhetorical situation
2. Research
a. compose a research-based academic argument in one of various
mediums and technologies by identifying, analyzing, evaluating, and
synthesizing sources, which must include secondary sources
3. Writing as a Process
a. use multiple approaches for planning, researching, prewriting,
composing, assessing, revising,editing, proofreading, collaborating, and
incorporating feedback in order to make your compositions stronger in
various mediums and using multiple technologies
4. Grammar and Usage
a. improve your fluency in the dialect of Standardized Written American
English at the level of the sentence, paragraph, and document

Reflections. According to Purdue OWL, reflection is “a process where students describe

their learning, how it changed, and how it might relate to future learning experiences.”
Taking this concept into account, along with your literary analysis, you will write a
reflection accounting for your approach to the project. In no less than 350 - 500 words,
answer the following questions. Be sure to abide by MLA formatting guidelines.

1. Briefly describe your main argument or analytical focus. Is your argument strong?
How so? How could you improve your argument?

2. What kind of evidence (primary or secondary sources) did you use to support your
analysis? Was it effective? How could you enhance your use of evidence to
strengthen your argument?

3. How well does this paper demonstrate your strengths as a writer?

4. How confident about this paper are you? Why?

5. What challenges did you face during this assignment and what did you learn from
the process? How might your experience with this Literary Analysis project inform
future writing projects?

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 5 Week Sequence Calendar
Weeks 3-7
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Week 3
Read: (OER) “Understanding the Rhetorical
01/29/24 Situation”
Read: “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins
Gilman.
Free Write: Why is Literature Important?
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unm/detail.acti
Introduce MWA 1: Literary Analysis
on?docID=5443984
Or
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1952/1952-h/1952-h.
htm
Read: (OER) “Literary Analysis: What is it?”
01/31/24 Presentation: Introduction to Literary Analysis Watch:
Discuss “The Yellow Wallpaper” in class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syNE9Sfv96E

SWA 1: Group Literary Analysis Exercise: Read: (OER) “Writing A Literary Analysis.”
02/02/24 “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Week 4
Read: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington
Affect vs. Effect | Comma Queen | The New
Irving
Yorker
02/05/24
How to Use Quotation Marks
Ambiguous Headlines Exercise

Read: The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Practice grammar elements from Monday
Brief discussion of Sleepy Hollow
02/07/24
Student Example for Literary Analysis on pgs.
65-82

Brief discussion of The Canterville Ghost Read: (OER) “The Writing Process” & “Strategies
02/09/24 Compare and contrast Sleepy Hollow and The for Writing”
Canterville Ghost

Week 5

Writing Process Discussion Submit MWA1 Draft to the Discussion Board by

02/12/24
Feedback Group Activity 11:59 pm
02/14/24 Peer Review - Day 1 Submit Peer Review Comments by 11:59 pm

02/16/24 Peer Review - Day 2 Submit Peer Review Comments by 11:59 pm

Week 6
Read: (OER) “Why is Research Important?”
Free Write: What does it mean to use effective
02/19/24 Read: “Little Snow White” by Jakob and Wilhelm
research?
Grimm, translated by Margaret
Research Presentation: What is research?
Hunt.www.storynory.com/snow-white
Presentation: History of Snow White and Read: (OER) “Preliminary Research Strategies”
02/21/24 Introduction to Research Topics w/ Grimm Homework: Research and find a Grimm Fairytale of
Fairytale your choice
“Little Snow White” small group discussion
Free Write: What was your research process
for the Grimm Fairytale homework
02/23/24 Read: (OER) “Modifying your Research Plan”
SWA 3: Discuss research and Grimm Fairytale
choices in small groups
Week 7
Read: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by
Finish up any Research Discussions
02/26/24 Gabriel Garcia Marquez
SWA 4: Free Write

Discuss “A Very Old Man with Enormous

02/28/24 Wings” Catch Up Day

03/01/24 Outcome and Revision Discussion MWA 1: Literary Analysis Due by 11:59pm
 Lesson Plan 3
ENG 530 - Teaching Comp 1120 - Claire Baalke - Week 5 & Monday, 2/12/24
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OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

This class period will be dedicated to focusing on writing as a process and preparing for
peer review. In preparing for peer review, students want to think about how best to give
and receive feedback and especially then how to take the feedback they are given and
incorporate it into their revision plans. Hopefully this lesson will also encourage students
to think about how they can now apply what they learned in Week 4 on Grammar and
Usage.

EDUCATION STANDARDS/OBJECTIVES

● Writing as a Process
a. use multiple approaches for planning, researching, prewriting,
composing, assessing, revising, editing, proofreading, collaborating, and
incorporating feedback in order to make your compositions stronger in
various mediums and using multiple technologies

ACTIVITIES
We will discuss the OER texts: “Writing as a Process,” and “Strategies for Writing” with
emphasis on assessing, revising, editing, proofreading, collaborating, and incorporating
feedback. Then, students will be broken up into 4-5 groups, giving each group a short
paragraph to review. As a group, the students will be asked to identify what is working or
not working in the passage they are given and then to rewrite the paragraph while
thinking about how they would give that feedback to the author of the piece. We will
then come together as a group and talk through each passage.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
● Reminders - Review where we are at in the semester, what to expect in peer
review, and what each student needs to do to complete peer review.
● Discussion of Writing as a Process
● Feedback Activity
 Short Writing Assignments
ENG 530 - Teaching Comp 1120
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SWA Grading Standard

These Short Writing Assignments will be assessed on a Labor-Based Grading contract to
be established with students at the beginning of the semester. This process will have an
emphasis on effort over quality with the intention of encouraging and facilitating
students’ experience and engagement with language. Labor and effort will dictate the
nature of the grade over the quality of outcomes.

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SWA PROMPT 4:
After reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ “The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” write
about what you notice about this story (themes, characters, tropes, literary devices, etc).
What stands out to you after learning about literary analysis for the last several weeks?
Do you think what you notice about this story is different now than it would have been if
you tried to analyze this story in Week 3? Why and for what reason?

GOALS
● This SWA is meant to start the process of reflection for students as they reflect and
look back on what they have learned about literary analysis.
● This assignment also asks students to do a final short literary analysis to express
their skills and what they have learned so far in this sequence.
● Hopefully, this SWA will also spur students to think more in-depth about the
process they went through to analyze their chosen story for their literary analysis
as we move into the outcome discussions for this sequence.

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