Writing Assignments:           Students will write a number of creative assignments in parallel with the critical writings completed per unit.  Creative writing will include their own poetry including a sonnet, a sestina, a villanelle, and an ode, and an imitation poem on T. S. Eliot; as well as other pieces throughout the year.  Students will also write several critical papers, including an explication of a poem, a short story, and a close reading of a novel, plus a research-based novel analysis.  These critical papers are based on close textual analysis of structure, style, social/historical values, as well as some use of literary theory. Papers need to be completed in the MLA Handbook style.  All papers must be typed and double spaced except for in class essays.  Papers must be proofread and edited carefully.  All other assignments need to be written legibly or are impossible to grade. In-class writing assignments will primarily be AP-based examinations, though there will be some in class writing as a basis for class discussion.    These in –class essays will be written regularly in class to stimulate thinking and thus thoughtful discussion, and focus on literary devices. Your papers will be examined for effective word choice, inventive sentence structure, effective overall organization, clear emphasis and excellence of arguments that area well supported with textual evidence.   I urge you to edit your papers.  We will be editing some papers, and rewriting and correcting most papers.  Though these editing seminars, grammar instruction, vocabulary, and other necessary skills will be taught as need dictates.  I give many comments on all papers, so please take some time to look at them before rewriting your papers.  I encourage you to vary sentence length and structure.  I will underline phrases that are particularly well-constructed and thoughtful and note any details I think you should work on.     MLA Resource   Purdue has a great MLA resource!  12_2BAP_2BWriting_2BRubric   Writing Rubric