- You will write a bio-critical essay on Claude McKay. It should be a professional essay for a savvy, academic audience, not an encyclopedia or wiki entry for generic consumption. So, you should write using your unique, well-informed voice as an authority on this author.
- The essay must be a minimum of 1000 words (3-4 pages) and organized and prepared as follows:
- Introduction, stating your topic and reason for writing on this chosen author
- Body paragraphs (3-4)
- a summary of the author’s personal life and literary life (who they are as a writer)
- a discussion of the author’s style, which may include how they use genre, language, symbolic meaning, and how they draw from their particular social/historical context, and what their impact was on the literary period
- a discussion of three of the author’s major works and themes
- Conclusion, stating your ultimate, informed and supported review of the author’s work.
- Citation and MLA format: Secondary sources are integrated through paraphrase or quotation. Sources are correctly cited both in-text and on the separate Works Cited page. Sources are appropriately used to support your statements and ideas. Do not let them speak for you; do not rely too heavily on other people’s words.
- Writing and Style: Sentence structure is syntactically correct. Standard conventions of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and mechanics are followed.
- A slide presentation will accompany your bio-critical essay. The presentation should be prepared as if it were to be used as a visual guide for a live oral presentation, delivered to an academic audience.
- The presentation should include 5-7 slides and provide the highlights or overview of your essay
- Two-three appropriately selected and complementary images are required
- Each slide should highlight a major component of your essay. You may wish to return to your outline’s main headings, which could translate well into slide headings.
- Example components for slides:
- Slide 1 – title slide with name and purpose of presentation
- Slide 2 – topic (author and works) to be reviewed
- Slide 3 – main idea of body paragraph with one supporting textual quotation
- Slide 4 – main ideas of additional body paragraphs
- Slide 5 – conclusion with a clear indication of why your review is valid
- Slide 6 – works cited (including images).
- Slides should be prepared with bullet points and succinct phrases (not full-length, wordy sentences).