Written assignments

Guidelines for written assignments
Guidelines for the shorter written assignments are in this PDF document.

Worth emphasizing: Remember to cite all information/ ideas gathered from elsewhere. We are not very concerned with your style/ method, as long as we can find the spot in the source should we need to.

Advised: Include an introductory paragraph that includes your thesis and a sketch of your argument for it. It is much easier to understand a paper that announces where it is heading at the start. Don't digress from the topic. Each body paragraph should make a distinct point and, if possible, should build on the previous ones. In a paper of this length, you should usually have 2-4 body paragraphs. Your concluding paragraph, if there is space for one, should summarize your arguments and show how they support your conclusion. However, priority should be given to considering objections to your argument.

Grading: All shorter written assignments are graded on a 20-point scale. Both 'argumentation' and 'organization writing' will be assessed; please see the rubric. Please also consult A Brief Handbook of English Grammar on Compass when writing your papers and when questions arise regarding proper usage.

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Assignments

Submissions should generally be 650-1000 words long (about 2-3 pages, but go by word count). Please double-space and submit your papers (on Compass) as Word documents; we will then comment on them and return the commented papers as PDFs on Compass.

Finally, consider consulting the Writers Workshop, an invaluable resource for writing help, with a draft of your assignment.

Late submissions are accepted up until a week after the due date (after which time, they will no longer be accepted), but will be penalized 10% per day (the first day beginning right after the due time). Please submit late assignments as normal on Compass.

Assignment instructions below are PDFs; click to download.