Literary topic
- The analysis of "The Bamboo Stalk" novel by Soud AlSanousi: It is a World literature course, so the teacher wants us to highlight the idea of the two cultures which are Philippine and Kuwait. In addition, she wants us to discuss the (theme/social problem/family relationship/ similarities and differences ) in these two cultures.
Organisation of the Term Paper
- Formulate a research question as a basis for your argument (you can also begin by making a claim or expressing a hypothesis).
- Develop an argument; this means, you need to interpret, explain and argue, rather than just summarise what others have said.
- Avoid simple plot summaries.
- Make sure that your paper is structured logically.
- Check that your sentences follow on from each other; this is, check for coherence.
- Avoid subjective statements. Instead support your interpretations with evidence from the text or arguments from scholarly background sources: "this phrase can be interpreted as xyz because ..." Remember the phrase "no evaluation without justification".
- Note that good papers move been general comments and specific discussions of details.
Language and Presentation
- Keep in mind that the standard of your English accounts for 50% of your mark.
- Check that your sentences are complete.
- Read your paper through carefully before submitting it so that you can avoid basic grammatical errors (agreement, tense inconsistency, spelling).
Quotations
- Quotations from literary works and scholarly background sources need to be identified by quotation marks.
- Give page numbers in brackets after quotations from individual literary works.
- Type out any quotation accurately (mistakes in your quotations are embarrassing).
- Remember that quotations need to be interpreted; this is, you need to explain why you quoted a particular passage. (Rule of thumb: your interpretation should be longer than the passage you have quoted.)
- You need to refer to at least 4 scholarly essays.
- All quotations need to be acknowledge appropriately.