One-Page Papers

          Grading of one-page papers: 25% of total grade.   You will write five one-page papers during the quarter, each of which will reflect on the primary reading for the day it is due.   These papers may be single or double spaced, the font size may be as large or small, and the margins as wide or narrow, as you wish.   My only restriction is that your words may not spill over to a second page.   You will read these papers to the class, and you will bring multiple copies so that all of your colleagues can follow along with you as you read.   You may include material from the "First List" and "Second List" bibliographies (see buttons on the left) for these papers, but doing so is not required.   You should write these papers with the aim of provoking discussion afterwards.

            Try to not take on too ambitious a project--avoid pursuing the big idea that explains the entire text: stay away from grand interpretations.   After all, your essay is only one page long.   What can can successfully accomplish in so short a piece of writing?   Try to embrace a topic narrow enough that you can reach closure with it in one page.

            It would be best to perform a close reading of a passage, or several passages, in the text assigned for the day your paper is due.   Mine the passage(s) for all it/they are worth.   Remain focused on gender as a theme.   Since we have all recently read the text, do NOT devote one or two paragraphs to textual summary.   Your paper will need is a good, clear, simple thesis statement, one articulated in the first paragraph so that everyone in the class can focus on your point.   Spend some time crafting this thesis.   Find a passage (or two or three) that captures what you think is an important theme, one that impinges on the issues under consideration in the course.   Launch as quickly as possible into your thesis and perform a close reading of the passage so that you adequately defend this thesis.   Use the passage as evidence to persuade the class to accept your point of view.

            By the way, you do not need to include the quoted passage in paper--just give us the act, scene, and line numbers, and we will read the passage (if necessary) before you begin reading your paper.

            In scheduling the one-page papers, we will begin with Clarissa and move backward from there to the beginning.




Back to top

Back to main page





Site designed and produced by
D. Christopher Gabbard
  last modified: 09/25/00