Guidelines for Reader Response (To Kill a Mockingbird)

Below you'll find suggestions for your written response to To Kill a Mockingbird. As this is a formal piece of writing, please refer to the criteria (included below), provided on the class website, and given to you the first day of class. Although I will not require this piece to be typed, I highly suggest it. Criteria for hand-written papers remains that it must be legible, above all else, and double-spaced with writing on every other line (no writing on the backs of pages, either). Criteria for typed also remains that it must be double-spaced, Times New Roman font, size 12-point only. Both hand-written and typed papers require a work(s) cited page. No title page is necessary; include an MLA heading at the top, left corner of the first page. Correct format constitutes part of your percentage and grade for this assignment.

For your assignment, respond to the following prompt:

What is the purpose of education?

You should thoroughly develop a 500-1000 word, 5-paragraph essay seeking to answer this conundrum.

First paragraph should briefly introduce your topic, starting with an exciting and interesting attention getter. Consider starting with a quote (not necessarily from To Kill a Mockingbird) as long as it is appropriate for your topic. Consider your audience. Your introduction should end with your three part thesis, formatted similarly: The purpose of education remains to ___, ___, and ___ .

Your body paragraphs should follow the lead you established with your thesis, following the same order as your three subtopics.

Your conclusion should review the main points you made in your essay. Rephrase your thesis and include it in your conclusion.

Requirements:

Do not include any first or second person in this essay, unless it appears in a direct quote (and try to avoid those as well). An essay with an author statement ("In this essay, I will tell you..." "In the following paragraph, you will read about..." "I believe..." "I feel..." "I think...") will result in an immediate drop in a letter grade for the paper.

Spelling and grammar always count. Use formal, standard English. This is a formal essay, not a note, text message, or IM to a friend.

Include your word count after the last sentence in your final paragraph. Be honest.
Scout makes several references to education and her opinion of the formal system in the first part of the novel. Refer to To Kill a Mockingbird, either paraphrasing an event or directly quoting it (no longer than 2 sentences quoted, please) and include an in-text citation (Last Name page number). You are required to make mention of TKM in at least one of your body paragraphs. You may do more, if desired. Also consider using other sources, either read in this class or those you've read on your own, to help defend your answer to the prompt.

Include a Work(s) Cited page at the end of your paper. If it will fit on the bottom of your essay, you do not need to include it on a separate page. Do not include the work(s) cited in the word count.

In-class work time will depend on you. We will work on this Monday and your work ethic will determine the amount of time you receive tomorrow. We will not begin reading TKM again until next week, but I would still recommend bringing the book. We may do vocabulary from the book if working on a 500-1000 word essay is not enough to fill up a class period.

Rough draft due: Friday, April 20, 2007. Value: 150 points.
Final copy due: TBA.