Papers should be approximately four to five pages
(1200-1500 words) in length. They should
be typewritten, double-spaced, with one-inch margins in a standard font. They are to demonstrate critical engagement
with the assigned reading, but will also be graded for organization, style, and
clarity of students’ own argument.
Spelling and grammar count. I want it to be in MLA format. Times New
Roman font size: 12
Be sure that your paper lays out your position
(thesis) in the opening paragraph —
i.e.: state what you are going to argue — followed by supporting
paragraphs in which you draw on information from the reading to build and
defend your view. In other words, your
response needs to be backed up by evidence drawn from the text with page number.
(Rachel Swarns’s The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the
American Catholic Church) evidence from the
It is your responsibility to ensure that all
quotations and paraphrased ideas are properly attributed. You may use any accepted method of
citation. Since no additional sources are
required for the paper, parenthetical documentation is fine. Papers without citations will not receive a
grade.