Your final exam is comprehensive
and consists of an essay.
That essay is about a subject into which every author’s opinion must be included and analyzed.
The essay must be summarized and make a verbal presentation from the summary answering the question:
What did I learn from the course and how?
For those of you who have written very little during the term, your final must be of an adequate length to demonstrate a depth of understanding of the authors, the discussions and site the web site material of Dr. Siry, where appropriate.
For those of you who have written extensively in the class, during the past thirteen weeks, this is a chance to read over my comments on your previous papers, applying them to this exercise and exercising your critical skills to answering the question. No passing essay can be less than six, typed pages [Arial or Times New Roman font, 12 point with one inch margins] and 23 lines to the page long.
All passing papers must have:
- Notation as to pages consulted in one of these forms consistently:
- Footnote
- Endnotes
- Or parenthetical references
- A list of sources sited
- Numbered pages and grammatically correct text.
All passing papers must be your own work and composed in your own words. You have to give credit when referring to other people’s phrases, ideas or direct quotes wherever used in the essay.
In addition, all passing papers will have: 1) explicit commentary on every author we have read, 2) demonstrating some comprehension of their thesis, themes and crucial examples, 3) not previously referred to by you, with respect to this topic.
Your disregard of any of the previous instructions can be a reason for you to fail the exam, by turning in a deficient essay.
On the day of the final the essay is due.
During the final exam period, you will present a rehearsed, five-minute summary of the essay’s findings with a title, brief introduction, evidence and examples, before making succinct concluding remarks.
Writing guide | Criteria used to grade writing | Grades explained
