Grading
Paper 1 Exploratory Argument 25%
Paper 2 Research Proposal + Annotated Bibliography 25 %
Paper 3 Major Research Paper 25%
Participation 25%
(Participation includes discussions, homework/reading responses, and peer review workshops.)
Exploratory Argument (25%) (3-5 pages)
To write fruitfully about the wild, we must first explore it! For this assignment, you will create a substantial, persuasive, and complex definition of βthe wild,β drawing on readings from class as well as independent research. What does "the wild" mean to you? Is there something specific within the term that sticks out to you, something you might want to interrogate further this semester?This first exploration will aid you throughout the course as you propose and develop a topic for your Major Research Paper related to the wild (as you have discovered it). Have fun with this!
Research Proposal + Annotated Bibliography (25%) (4-5 pages including 10 sources)
Large research projects never exist in a vacuum. For this assignment you will write a formal proposal for your Major Research Paper, demonstrating your familiarity with and thoughtful consideration of the topic you are proposing. In doing so, you will begin to think formally about the scope and organization of your larger argument, as well as the sources required to support that argument (evidenced in your annotated bibliography).
Major Research Paper (25%) (8-10 pages)
The culmination of your work this semester, this significant research paper will adhere to the conventions of academic discourse, display mastery of the rhetorical and stylistic skills discussed in class, and advance a coherent, complex argument on a topic related to the course theme that is supported by appropriate research and documentation