The Senior Project

Inspiration: Colossians 3: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him....And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

Goal: Compose the best work of your life.  Become better prepared for college writing.

Rubric: Take-Home Essay Expectations
 
Prompts: Choose A or B below:

A. Explore an enthralling theme of your design that links two significant fictional texts with three (or more) relevant secondary sources. 

• You need at least two major texts from an MVC course and at least three secondary sources.  
• Two of those three (or more) secondary sources must be from a scholarly (peer reviewed) journal.  You will have to research, but you can get what you need at Google Scholar.  Better yet, visit a local library.  Best, visit a college or university library. 
• One of those three (or more) secondary sources must be the Bible.  How does God's Word inform the subject you've chosen?
• You may (but you are not required to) annotate any sources you wish.  
• Your essay structure will
• Introduce your theme, two major texts, and thesis in paragraph one. 
• Treat the theme in each text in separate paragraphs following.  
• Include significant quotation.
• Continue onto a comparison of the way the themes emerge or reflect in each text (now you will treat both major texts in the same paragraphs). 
• Bring in relevant supporting secondary sources in all body sections. 
• I. Introduction
• II. Text #1 and Theme
• III.  Text #2 and Theme
• IV. Comparison of Texts and Theme
• V. Conclusion

• Format: Seven pages or longer in the format you will use most for your major in college (if in doubt, then MLA). 

B. OR Compose the greatest work of your life on your own terms (for example, write and edit your first novel; publish in a journal that will advance your college aspirations).  It must represent a parity of rigor and scope to option A above.   You will also include research similar to option A above; the difference is that you will need to include four sources rather than three, since you will not necessarily be able to use readings from our course (if your self-directed project does not lend itself to research, I will assign a separate research assignment to you).

Step 1, due Feb. 5:  Compose a typed, one-page proposal for your senior project (research paper or otherwise). 

• Explain how your project relates to our course work and will help prepare you for your college work.
• Format: Whatever you will be using most for your major in college (MLA. Chicago, APA, etc.). 
• Aim to make this the best work of your life. 

Due dates:

• Proposal, Feb. 5:
• First Evidence of Work: Feb. 19
• Halfway: March 19
• Full RD: April 16
• Full FD: April 23

Resources:

I. Student Examples

• A Number of Good Examples as a .pdf
• Matt Gaubatz (.doc); this is in a RD form.

II. Please read this overview of the basics from Purdue University on argumentative writing.