The task at hand is to present an analytical argument about your selected topic that provides supporting evidence from appropriately weighty and credible secondary sources. Your purpose is NOT to simply report on those sources—they are to be used as support for your own thesis. The audience for this essay is the academic community. You should assume your reader is familiar with the text, so avoid summarizing it and stick to analysis. It might help to think of your finished essay as the kind of secondary source that other people writing research papers would cite. Because academic writing should be as objective and impersonal as possible, avoid personal statements (“I,” “me,” “my,” etc.) and uses of the second person (“you”).

Sources and Documentation
• You must cite at least five weighty and credible secondary sources. Remember that these sources are like expert witnesses to help you make your case. Only reliable web sources (.gov or .edu) should be used unless you obtain prior approval. Literary works are primary sources, so the text about which you are writing does not count toward the source total.
• All sources must be properly documented according to MLA style—consult a writing handbook for information on documentation.

Format
The final essay must be at least 1500 words in length and must be submitted electronically (on the course website) as a Microsoft Word document. All essays must follow the conventions of formal academic writing in MLA style: double spacing, a standard font, 12 pt font size, standard margins, in-text citations, a Works Cited page, etc.

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