Book Report Essay Assignment

This semester we are looking at the theme Rebels with a Cause.

Each student was asked to choose a book by or about a person or character who exemplifies what the writer considers a "rebel."  Use your character to illustrate your point. This essay will employ an extended analogy and use topical invention strategies along with the moves indicated in They Say (minimally 4).

Hopefully students have begun to read their books.

For each essay, students need to find three articles: a published book review or analysis, and for the author, see if there is something on the author in Literary Criticism, (on-line in the Library Database and in COA library (public libraries as well). Third, find an article that addresses one of the themes in the book. Include all of these sources in your works cited/bibliography page.

The essay will be 2-3 pages and in it you will summarize your book’s major themes and analyze them. If your author is the person you are profiling, talk about the person’s life and how it defines our topic, rebels. If the book is a biography, feel free to tell us something about the author and how he or she comes to know the person he or she writes about. (Avoid plot summaries.)

Abstract
The presentation is weighted heavily here, so prepare well, and please include an abstract which includes the title of the book, the key points you plan to make and any arguments you’d like us to consider. Bring in copies for each student. If a student does not have an abstract, he or she will not present. There are no make ups.

Respond to all my points listed above and you will be fine. If you want to more information see: http://www.ece.cmu.edu/~koopman/essays/abstract.html 

Book Report Due Dates:

Approval: Sept. 30 ___________

Essay Planning: IPS, Outline, Fast Draft, Monday, October 21__________

Peer Reviews: Wednesday, October 23__________ (bring 3-4 copies)

Reflection and Revision Plan: Thursday, October 24__________ (bring 3-4 copies, one for each reviewer)

Abstract due: Thursday, October 24__________ (bring in 3-4 copies for critique)


Essay Portfolio due via email Monday, October 28, 2013 by 1 p.m. _________Send to coasabirenglish1A@gmail.com 

Book Report Presentations: Tuesday-Wednesday, October 29-30, 2013

Grade is an “A “for all presentations or “-0-“ for opting out. The presentation is a quarter of the grade for this assignment