Paper Assignment

General

Within the broad topic of this class and the particular focus indicated on the syllabus for each paper assignment ...

• Pick a topic interesting to you that might be manageably handled within the page limit.
• Think about that subject; review the readings from class; read some additional material about the subject in other on-line or print sources.
• Write an interesting, accessible paper about what has changed in your understandings as a result of your review.
• The paper should make it clear at the outset what its point is, provide in the middle material that supports that point, and end by showing how the material taken together does so, and what new questions that in turn raises.
• It is courteous to make attributions to sources for ideas that were useful to you. Such attributions may also provide useful guides for readers who want to further explore related issues. It is essential to make attributions and use quotation marks in any case where you use strings of words (sentences, paragraphs) that were originally written by others. This should be restricted to situations where you explicitly wish for some reason to call attention to how some particular person said something. In general, you should say things in your own words, since the process of creating words is an important part of thinking.

Papers need to be submitted both as hard copy and electronically. First write your paper as you normally would, using any word processing program, but avoid complicated formatting (tables, lists, elaborate fonts/styles). List citations alphabetically at the end. Items in that list should be cited by parenthetical references in the text.

When you have completed writing your paper as you normally would,

• Print off a copy for delivery to your instructor's mailbox (Anne's students should bring theirs to English House; Paul's should take theirs to Park Science Building.)
• Make a second version of the paper by saving the original paper as "TEXT ONLY" and giving it some distinctive file name on your computer. This version will have lost some formatting characteristics (hence the requirement above), and is the version you will submit electronically.
• Go to Serendip's Exchange.
• Log in with your username and password.
• Go to "create content," and select "blog entry."
• Title your paper, and under the category of "student webpaper," select "Evolution and Literature Webpaper."
• Copy from the text only version of your paper on your computer the text and reference list and paste it into the "body" window.
• Use the "preview" button to see how your paper will appear when posted. Check to be sure paragraphs are separated by an empty line and that there are no "funny" characters in your text.
• Make needed corrections. Repeat "preview" and correction until you are satisfied.
• Click on the "submit" button.

Enjoy the opportunity to share your perspectives not only with others in the class but with the world at large. And remember you are contributing to an ongoing conversation, not providing the last word (even your own) on any subject.

Stay calm!--and e-mail pgrobste@brynmawr.edu or adalke@brynmawr.edu if you have any problems.