Due Date: October 26th (4:00 pm)
Value: 15%
Length: 4 pages (1-pg. outline; 3-pg. first draft)
Submission format: MS Word document Submission on Quercus and emailed directly to Peer
Review Partner
Instructions
For this assignment you are asked to apply the skills we have covered in lecture and workshop to
produce (1) a final outline and (2) a first draft of your argumentative paper. The First Draft should
build upon your outline, though it does not have to follow it exactly (to provide room for revision
and adjustment during the writing phase). Both must address an original topic you have formed
about our primary text, David Chariandy’s novel Soucouyant.
A) Outline
• Your “final outline” should follow the format discussed in week 5 lectures, modeled on the
structure presented in the Final Outline Example.
• This outline requires you to formulate an essay topic that is thought-provoking, interesting,
and focussed as per the criteria discussed in week 3 lectures.
• This outline also requires you to formulate a thesis statement that includes (1) a claim and (2)
significance.
• The thesis statement included in your outline should form the basis for, but does not have to
be identical to, the thesis statement in the first draft (to provide room for revision,
modification, and adjustment, if necessary).
• The thesis statement in the outline does not require the strategy part of the thesis
statement (the strategy will be included in your first draft and it should concisely integrate 2-3
of the claims presented in the outline; see below).
• The outline should present 4 claims that are complete, grammatically correct sentences,
arranged in logical sequence. *Only 2 – 3 of these claims should be developed in the first
draft.
• The claims should be accompanied by a brief explanation for how the claim will be
supported, and point form descriptors of evidence with page numbers clearly identified (see
Final Outline Example for format). The descriptors do not have to be in complete sentences.
• The outline should include more examples for each claim than are finally included in the first
draft.• The outline should conform to the following structure, with each part labeled accordingly:
1. (A) Topic:
(B) Questions:
(C) Thesis Statement:
2. Argument
Claim 1:
Support with…
– Evidence
– Evidence
– …
Claim 2
Claim 3
Assessment Criteria:
Your first draft and outline will be graded together. The first draft is the most integral part
of this assignment. You will receive feedback on the draft itself (not the outline).
However, the outline will be assessed for completeness and accuracy. Incompleteness
and/or inaccuracy will result in marks deducted from the total. The outline should
contain the following:
Topic: a thought-provoking, interesting, and focused topic
Question(s): One or more questions that present the topic as a question to be answered by the
thesis statement
Thesis Statement: A specific, precise, arguable, demonstrable, and confident thesis statement that
includes (1) an argumentative claim and (2) the significance
Claims and evidence: four argumentative claims that support the thesis statement, with evidence and
page numbers identified
Logical Sequence: claims are arranged in logical sequence
Mechanics and Style: correct grammar, sentence structure, word choice, and punctationB) First draft of the Argumentative Essay
Format & Layout: MLA 8th edition. Ensure that you follow all formatting and layout rules.*
Length: 3 pages minimum, 4 pages maximum
• This is a polished draft of your work. It should reflect the criteria for essay-composition
covered in lectures (see also First Draft Rubric).
• You are required to formulate a thesis statement and argument that addresses the topic
proposed in your outline.
• It should have an introduction. This introduction should include a hook, a transition, and an
argumentative thesis that contains an original claim, an effective strategy, and an answer to a
“so what” question (the significance).
• It should have two to three body paragraphs corresponding to the claims presented in the
outline (it may have one less paragraph than there are claims in the outline).
• It does not require secondary research. A secondary source may be used for the hook, but
none is required. Moreover, the paper should be focussed on your own original analysis and
should not rely on critical sources to advance your interpretation.
• It should meet the requirement of 3 full pages, excluding works cited.
• It should include a works cited page that properly cites the novel (and any other source you
cite or consult) in MLA 8th edition format.
• It should follow the MLA 8th edition style and format.*
• See “First Draft Rubric” for assessment criteria