Compare and contrast Virginia Woolf’s “To The Lighthouse”

Research Paper

Compare and Contrast

Use the attached file as structure for this assignment!! That is what the professor is grading me on!!

This is a compare and contrast assignment. Select any two texts we have read throughout the semester for this comparative paper. In your comparison of elements from two texts you could look for similarities and/or differences. Your thesis should clearly mention both the texts and whether you think the elements under discussion are similar and/or different in both the texts. Given this is a comparative paper it is important you select a topic that will help you discuss two texts together based on comparison and/or contrast. That is, you could compare/contrast any of these elements in the two stories: style, theme, characterization, plot, multiple narrators etc. As you know from previous essays, you need to have a clear thesis which identifies the topic, position, and rationale for the claims. You will also need sub-topics that develop the thesis.

Structure of Comparative Paper
In writing comparative papers it is very important to keep in mind that your paper should NOT read like a list of items. That is, you should not devote the first half of the paper to one author and the second half to another author. Your thesis, as I mentioned above, should clearly discuss both the authors. Moreover, every paragraph should be organized around a sub-topic (and not around a particular author) that will help you discuss the two authors in the same paragraph. This way you will not only have a flow in the paper but also avoid merely summarizing the two books.

Guidelines
Your short paper should be 10-12 pages (minimum 3500 words), typed, 12pt., double spaced, Times New Roman, with 1 inch margin on all sides. You will need to print the total word count (not characters) at the end of the essay. You need to include Works Cited page using MLA format. You are expected to demonstrate critical thinking and close reading of the texts. In other words, these are analytical/exploratory papers and not mere summaries of the novels. The papers should be carefully proofread.

The paper is due on 16th December 2020 by 11:59 (midnight). These papers are due via Blackboard. I will provide directions for upload. Papers that are submitted late will be penalized. For every day the paper is late, the final grade will be reduced by one whole letter grade. Thus, if the paper is late by more than 3 days it will receive a fail grade. It is also important that after submission of the paper you are available via email till you see your final grades.

Plagiarism is a serious offense which will be penalized. The syllabus details the type of penalties.

Paper Grading Criteria

Criteria for Evaluation
Total Percentage 100 (90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79%=C).
Comprehension
Does the writer have a clear understanding of the author’s plot, ideas, styles, perspectives, etc.?
Has the writer clearly presented this to his/her readers in order to facilitate their comprehension of the novel?

25%
Analysis
Is the writer providing a summary of the novel (merely reproducing the plot events) or critically analyzing the story?
Does the writer have a thesis statement?
In the analysis, is the writer providing arguments based on evidence or merely his/her gut reaction to the novel?
Is the writer providing good explication of the argument, that is, working with examples, quoting passages and elaborating upon them, closely reading the text, etc.?
Is the writer working with strong and sophisticated ideas, or is s/he merely restating ideas already present in the novel?

25%
Organization
Is the paper organized around a single broad topic, or is the writer jumping randomly from one topic to another?
Is there order within and across paragraphs using transitional devices?
Is the paper organized like an essay around a focused and clearly stated idea that is presented with a flow, or does the paper read like a list of items?

25%
Grammar and Style
Does the writer have a demonstrated control of grammar mechanics at the level of words and sentences?
Is the writer’s word choice effective, clear, and focused?
Is the writer’s tone formal, balanced, and appropriate?

25%