A Worn Path

Paper instructions

An argument about literature—800-900 words —Use the sample essays on the web page as models; however, remember that I require you to use proper MLA form to document quotes and write a works-cited entry. Because some of the sample essays were written before MLA rules changed, the citations may not be correct—make certain that your handbook has the latest MLA updates. Pay attention to announcements and emails because the proper format will be provided as the due dates for sources and for the essay approach.
Your essay must include specific examples and direct quotations from the story you chose (your primary source) and from an article from the library’s databases that will serve as a scholarly secondary source. Your objective is to find an aspect of the story that is worth writing about. As you read, ask yourself questions about the story that might help you generate good essay topics. With the points that you use from the story, you want to tell why the information is important and how the information proves your thesis. Make sure that your thesis is arguable and that you prove your thesis. As you write, make certain that you are truly analyzing the story, not writing a summary of the story’s events.

Your secondary source does not have to deal directly with your primary source: it can deal with the aspect of the primary source that you choose to consider (for example, if you are writing about Armand’s racism in “Désirée’s Baby,” you could find an article on interracial marriage before the Civil War). However, your secondary source must be a scholarly article from one of the GCSC library databases. Remember to submit the source by its due date. If the source is not submitted, ten points will be taken from the essay’s grade.

Look over the writing checklist on the course web page for other stylistic concerns. Keep in mind that the story is your focus.

This essay must contain proper in-text citations and a works-cited page. Secondary source materials must be submitted a week before the essay is due. Make certain that you post the required paragraphs on the discussion board. Not posting your paragraphs or submitting the source by the dates on the study schedule will result in your losing ten points from your essay’s grade.

Your essay must be original; no essay submitted for another course will be accepted for this assignment.

Make sure that you do the following in your essay:

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
Introduce the author and title of the story that you have chosen as the basis for your argument.

Your thesis must be an arguable statement that tells what you are going to prove about the story you have chosen. This statement must appear as the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. In order to make sure that your thesis is arguable, you might want to begin the sentence with because or although.

BODY PARAGRAPHS
Each aspect or element of your evaluation should be developed in a paragraph, with a topic sentence, explanation, and specific examples. Make certain that your explanation of the examples that you use from the story is always longer than the example. In other words, the bulk of the writing should be an explanation of how your examples prove your thesis. Double check all of the information you present to ensure that you are not writing just plot summary. Remember that your goal is to examine why events occur rather than retelling what the events are.

Be certain to include parenthetical documentation after each quotation from the story and after each idea that you borrow from a secondary source. Keep in mind that your secondary source must be a scholarly journal article from the library’s databases.

Make certain that you have your student identification number handy when you attempt to access the databases (given the nature of this particular essay, you might want to check Academic Search Complete, Literary Reference Center Plus, or JStor first when looking for information on a story).

We also have access to MLA citation guides on the library’s website at under the citation information.

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
Offer a well-developed paragraph that reflects all the evidence in your paper.

SET UP
Make certain that your essay follows the set up shown on the template.

Times New Roman twelve-point font must be used—check all parts of your essay from the header through the works-cited page to make certain that your font is consistent

One-inch margins on each edge of the page

Header (your last name and page number) half an inch from the upper right corner of each page

Heading on the first page in the proper order with the proper information

Double spaced with no extra spaces within the essay

Proper in-text citations used for quotations from the primary source (the story you have chosen) and any information learned from your scholarly secondary source (the article from the library’s database)—double check all class information to make certain your citations are correct

Look at the information on the writing checklist posted under course documents for stylistic help with composing your essay

A works-cited page at the end of the essay that cites the story and secondary source utilizing proper MLA citation