Marnie Ellis College Research Writing: Assignment 3

Need help setting up a Works Cited page in MLA?

Click here to review a paper sample from Purdue University.

Format and rules are clearly discussed.

For general help using MLA including how to cite sources and format a paper click on the MLA tab or click here.

Information is also available on citation generators and how to find MLA citation information for your Works Cited page using Academic Search Complete. 

Choose a particular place in The Little Stranger and make an argument about the nature, severity, and weight of the haunting in that scene. You will be writing a scence analysis but your focus will be on the uncanny and its uses here.

Your final essay should be 900 to 1200+ words with correct MLA documentation throughout.

Ask Yourself    

• What does it say about the nature of ghosts here? About the things that really haunt us, besides things that go bump in the night?
• About how our fears are constructed or play out? How scary is this scene really—for both you as a reader and the characters in the story—and why? 

It is best to choose a scene which leaves you with questions, one where there are multiple layers to examine and interpret. Your essay’s argument will talk about the role of that scene, both what is in fact happening (if that is in doubt) and why that scene is significant to the whole piece. 

Remember your argument–the thesis of your essay–is going to answer these questions.

• Does the thesis argue for the significance of your chosen scene?  How clear is the argument set out by the essay’s thesis?  What does your essay say about the attitude about the nature and severity of the haunting you see in this scene?  Are the claims easily linked to the thesis?  Do they need clarification?

• Is your reading of the scene convincing and interesting, and does it tie into the required topic?  How interesting are the questions you ask about the scene? Does your argument account for tensions and contradictions within the scene? How convincing and surprising are your conclusions? How effective is the essay’s overall organization?  Are all parts of the essay contributing to the argument, including the introduction and conclusion?

• Have you provided sufficient textual evidence to support your claims?  Have you shown how your examples back up your argument instead of requiring readers to draw conclusions on their own?   Does the essay avoid retelling the story and include only the pieces of information which relate directly to its argument?

• Have you avoided errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and documentation? Is your reflective statement informative and well-written?