Questions to ask of your paper
Bashō: ES/English 244
Basics
Assignment : Does the paper respond to the specifics of the particular assignment?
Focus : Does the paper focus sharply on a clearly stated issue or thesis throughout, rather than just be a discussion of a topic?
Structure : Is the structure such that each part is clearly related to the paper’s focus and flows logically from one point to the next?
Units of thought : Are the ideas pursued in unified paragraphs with one topic per paragraph?
Accuracy : Are the ideas analyzed accurately, showing a close familiarity with the texts?
Clarity : Are the ideas presented clearly and explained sufficiently?
Support : Is the thinking supported by evidence, argument, and external authority?
Critical Thinking
Probing : Does the paper go beyond explanation to probe ideas, analyzing them beyond the readings and class discussion? Does it consider complexities, ambiguities, and divergent interpretations? Does it examine assumptions, definitions, and categories?
Critical evaluation : Does the paper wrestle with problematics, critically evaluate ideas, and allow responses to the criticisms, offering further critiques, and so on?
Details
Correctness : Is grammar correct, with few typos and proper notes and bibliography?
Voice: Does the paper have an appropriate voice for the subject? Is it engaging and yet serious?
First draft: Was the first draft a complete and polished draft, rather than a rough draft?
Peer editing process : Did you do a substantial first draft, or was it a hasty rough draft? Did you seriously participate in peer editing papers?
Completion : Have you included first drafts and evaluation of peer editing with names on the drafts they edited? Have you turned it in on time?
This assignment
Close analyses of particular passages: hokku, travel journals, haibun.
Extensive use of primary sources . These are used to support and illustrate your interpretations (especially when a quotation is given). You should become familiar with the other sources on reserve and use them if they are relevant. You should use a wide variety as well as large number of primary sources: haiku, haibun, travel journals, aesthetic statements, etc.
Effective use of secondary sources . You have been assigned a number of different secondary sources, and others have been put on e-reserve. You should use these sources to support and illustrate your interpretations, to generate multiple possible interpretations, and as a foil for you to criticize. You should make use of all the secondary sources that are relevant to your paper.
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