1500 words précis paper

English 1C—Mr. Jones
Research Project—Overview & Paper 2

THE PROJECT. This project entails two papers, one that sets up the other.

● Paper 2 is an expository essay that I call a précis paper. In the introduction, you will present an
aspect and an unassigned text; the body consists of exactly four focused, template-structured
body paragraphs about four core sources that you hope to use later in your argument essay. Like
any paper, this one ends with a sensible conclusion. You can find information and the template in
the 1ABC Précis Papers core file.

● Paper 3 is an essay that argues about one key hidden message that the text conveys to modern

American readers about an aspect in society. To support your interpretation, this paper uses the
same sources as Paper 2 (you will need to replace them if they do not work out).

● That is, Paper 2 introduces the topic but FOCUSES ON THE SOURCES THEMSELVES; Paper 3

reintroduces the topic and FOCUSES ON YOUR ARGUMENTS, using the same sources (and others)
to support YOUR POINTS. Use Paper 2 to prepare for Paper 3.

You may choose any unassigned text (not necessarily science fiction) that has a plot (you can choose a
film, novel, weighty short story, graphic novel, single television episode, and so on). For definitions (text,
aspect, and so on), see Lecture 1 on Blackboard.

Missing sources or quotations incur a large penalty; papers with no 4-5* sources will receive a zero.

* * * * *

PAPER 2—Précis Paper (200 points). Write a formal, creatively titled expository essay (do not argue!) of
1500 words or more (but not much more) and exactly six paragraphs, covering in any four core
sources (no form of your text can count!) that you plan to use later in your Paper 3 argument. Passing
essays need these elements:

1) an introduction of 250-350 words; expect to reuse most of it on Paper 3. Give plot summary for the
text, definitions of any key terms, context/historical background for the aspect, and an expository
thesis statement that connects the text, aspect, and scholarship or research without mentioning any
authorities by name.

2) four starred (UCR) authorities (two scholarly, two others; see the Source Types core file):
• one 5* e-source—make sure all 5* sources come from the A-Z databases, not the UCR catalog
• one 4* e-source—not a whole book but an article or a chapter (make sure you access 4* sources

through the catalog and not through the A-Z database list, and note that you need a “real” chapter
or article, not a foreword, introduction, preface, overview, conclusion, or afterword).

• one other e-source of 2, 3, 4, or 5 stars (remember that if you choose a book, focus on a chapter)
• a fourth starred e-source (a 1-5* article or chapter)—OR I will allow you to use any assigned or

posted critical article on our Blackboard site (but you cannot use a lecture or core file).

3) for each source, one paragraph that strictly follows the précis template. Missing sources incur heavy
penalties (or I return the paper ungraded). The template requires one quotation per source; absent
quotations incur heavy penalties (or I will return the paper ungraded).

4) a short, sensible, expository conclusion that ties together the text and aspect (and maybe the
sources)

5) an MLA 8

th
-edition works-cited list (your grade will reflect the correctness and formatting of this list)

Source Authentication. In addition to a proposal, two homework assignments are strict prerequisites for
both Paper 2 and Paper 3. In other words, I do not make a move on either one of these papers until the
prerequisites have been completed to a certain degree of correctness.

These assignments require you to authenticate two sources—the required 5* source and the required 4*
source—by filling out forms and submitting pictures of certain records. Both homework assignments are
due on Friday, April 30, so make sure you start your research well in advance.

If you later replace one or both of the two authenticated sources, you will need to authenticate each
replacement with a new checklist and pics. Submit to the relevant homework folder, not the essay folder,
and notify me of the replacement.

You do not need to go through the authentication process for the other two core sources.

Submission. Paper 2 will go through peer reviews before you submit the final version.

I will assign you to a peer-review group that may or may not include some members of your classroom
group. You will submit a qualifying draft to this Blackboard Group; I will post the criteria in advance.

Once I have verified that your draft qualifies, I will assign two partners whose papers you will read, and
you will submit peer-review letters to the same Group. In return, two students will review your work. I will
post a file with the criteria for these letters.

By Friday, May 7 at 6:00 pm, submit a qualifying draft to your Blackboard Group. You will need both a
doc/docx and a PDF.

By Monday, May 10 at 6:00 pm, submit letters for your two partners to the same Group. Each letter must
be posted in a doc/docx and a PDF.

If you miss this deadline, omit a file, or submit an inappropriate draft, you can earn some points back by
submitting a qualifying draft and a self-review letter (both in a docx and a PDF) to the same Group by
11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 12. Do not submit just a letter, and do not submit a draft that does not
meet the draft criteria.

By Friday 5/14 at 11:59 pm, submit the final copy of your essay to SafeAssign. You will need both a
doc/docx and a PDF.