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Environmental Studies / English 243
Introduction to Nature Writing
PAPER ON TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS
In class we are reading and discussing some of the works and themes of Terry Tempest Williams. This paper is your opportunity to explore more fully and systematically the significance of her works and to go well beyond what we have discussed in class. It is also an opportunity for you to further refine your critical thinking and your writing skills.
The topic of the paper is very open. You are to analyze her writings concerning one very specific topic and issue. By focusing sharply on one well-defined topic, you will be able to go deeper than if you considered her work more generally. By framing the paper in terms of an issue, you will be able to engage critical thinking and write a more dynamic paper.
Examples of issues:
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How are her commitment to preserving wilderness and her commitment to engagement in politics related?
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How does Williams portray the desert in her writings? What metaphorical and spiritual meanings does it have?
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What is the nature and significance of Terry Tempest Williams’s “erotic” relationship with the earth?
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How are her relationship with family and her relationship with nature connected? What are the complexities and tensions in that connection?
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What “ecopsychology” is presented in her works? What kind of attitudes does she portray? What kind of states of mind seem to be obstacles to a right relationship with the earth? Do different text present different psychologies?
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What are the different aspects and dimensions of Williams’s spirituality? What are the complexities and tensions involved?
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What philosophy of nature does she articulate? What are the complexities and tensions in it?
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What literary techniques does Williams use? How and how much are they effective? How are they related to some of the main themes in her writings?
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What is the significance of female and the feminine in her writings? Are these developed in different ways in her works? Are there complexities and tensions?
Qualities of a successful paper
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Excellent comprehension of her writings.
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Focus on a single but complex issue that enables the paper to probe deeply.
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Sensitivity to complexities and tensions.
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Effective use of quotations to illustrate and support your analysis.
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Effective use of required or recommended secondary sources.
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Appropriate application of ideas and terms discussed in the course (e.g., ecofeminism, the Enlightenment, biocentrism/anthropocentrism)
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Clear and vigorous prose that communicates your thinking effectively.
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Proper grammar and spelling
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My expectations and suggestions for good papers are spelled out in detail in Barnhill's Friendly Writing Manual .
Things to avoid
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Simply repeating what was in the writings and class discussion.
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Presenting superficial analysis that is obvious to any reader.
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Offering personal responses that do not involve close analysis of the texts.
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Showing misunderstanding of the texts or ideas discussed in class.
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Lack of quotations or other references to the texts.
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Writing that fails to communicate your thinking.
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Writing that does not show respect to the reader or to the language.
Details
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Approximately five (5) full pages.
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One inch margins.
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Times New Roman 12 point, double spaced.
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Printing on both sides of the paper encouraged.
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Title and name at top of first page (no title page).
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Page numbers.
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Cite your sources using MLA format. Include work cited page. See Barnhill's Friendly Writing Manual for details.
Due:
See syllabus for due date of pre-writing and paper.
Late papers will be marked
They are due at the BEGINNING of class. Don't miss class in order to finish it later that day - it will still be late.
NOTE: The Writing Center can help you improve your paper and learn writing and thinking skills. Please consider using that resource. Because this paper comes at the end of the semester, I cannot give you an extension for working on the final draft with the Writing Center. Use their assistance during the writing process.
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