Research Essay

For a passing score or higher on this assignment, attend with care to every direction below and to the
features of a strong paper detailed in the table on the back of this sheet.
1. Length: 6-page minimum with Times New Roman twelve point font, exactly double spaced,
except for the single-spaced Works Cited, which should not be on a separate page unless it
naturally happens that way.
2. Topic and primary sources: yours to determine, based on two passages from the Donne class
anthology and related to discussions we have been having this term. Along the way, be sure to
use as evidence for your claims at least two literary devices and at least one definition from
the Oxford English Dictionary that you cite. You may, and for an A paper should, refer to
additional works by Donne from the anthology. These primary sources are the backbone of
your argument.
3. Secondary Sources: 3 secondary sources, minimum. At least 2 secondary sources must be
from the class annotated bibliography with the 3rd from the FGCU library or FGCU library
databases. You may use more sources than the minimum, but be sure to cite each, and they
should each be critical, scholarly sourcespeer reviewed and widely disseminated. These
sources will help you create larger and more complex context for your main claims (from 2
above). When citing these sources, you must quote lines from all three of your secondary
sources, and at least one of the passages you quote from each must be from a part of the
article not already quoted in the annotated bibliography.
4. Create a larger and more complex context for your paper by way of theoretical discussion.
The rationale for that context appears in the literary theory book by Culler. What theoretical
approach(es) will you use? Be intentional about it. (note: should you wish to join the MA
program in English here or elsewhere, use theory that is informed by Donnes historical
context as the bedrock for this paper, alongside close reading; you may, on top of that use
another approach or two, but the recommendation for historical context is because for the
study of early modern literature and culture, the historical context is currently considered
most generally useful/necessary/standard. Using it will make the paper more viable should
you want to use it as a writing sample or something.)

Category
Thesis
Statement

3 Exceeds
Thesis is clearly
written and engages a
complex idea or aspect
of a text within a
specific and rich
context

2 -- Meets
Thesis is clearly
written and engages
an important idea or
aspect of a text
connected to a
specific context

1 Does N
Thesis is not clearly developed and essay
of a text for analysis or does not

Developmen
t

Deep and complex

ideas supported by
rich, engaging, and
pertinent details from
primary and secondary
sources; evidence of
analysis, reflection and
insight; balance of
textual reference and
analysis
Essay is well organized
and includes
sophisticated
transitions from one
idea to the next that
build support for the
main point
Includes several
reliable sources
directly connected to
analysis of ideas; all
textual citations are
accurate and Works
Cited page is accurate

Deep idea
development
supported by
elaborated, relevant
details; textual
references may
slightly outweigh
analysis

Unelaborated idea development; mini

references to literary

Essay is organized
and includes clear
transitions from one
idea to the next

Essay is not clearly organized and/or doe

idea

Includes some
reliable sources
connected to analysis
of ideas; most textual
citations are accurate
and Works Cited page
is mostly accurate

Includes sources, but not of acceptable q

analysis of ideas; textual citations an

Coherence

Research
Citations

Grammar,
Punctuation,
Mechanics
and Spelling

TOTAL
Score
5-7
8-12
13-15

Virtually no errors in
grammar, punctuation,
mechanics, or spelling

Minor errors in
grammar,
punctuation,
mechanics, or
spelling that do not
impede reading

Category
Does Not Meet Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds Expectations

Category
____Thesis Statement
____Development
____Coherence
____Research Citations
____Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, Spelling
____Total

Substantial rrors in grammar, pun