CRITICAL ESSAY
Your main assignment for this section is to write a short critical essay based on
one
of
the poems you've read for this module or another poem you've encountered elsewhere.
Whatever poem you choose, be sure that it's substantial enough to bear a critical
analysis. In other words, don't select a poem that's light, frivolous, and intended merely
to amuse or entertain.
Note: If you use a poem not included in this module, be sure to attach a
photocopy.
In preparing to write your essay, follow these steps:
Go through the poems, think about the ones that speak to you the most, and
select one that you'd like to write about.
Work again through first-, second-, and third-level responses to the poem in order
to decide for yourself just what it is you want to say.
Formulate a thesis statement. Try to move beyond a basic observation in order to
formulate a thesis that you can argue by citing aspects of the poem you're
considering.
Organize your ideas; try for at least three points in defence of your thesis, and
present each in a separate paragraph.
Draft your essay with an effective introduction, body, and conclusion.
Revise your work until you're satisfied with it.
Edit your revised work and produce a final, polished copy. Don't forget to
proofread.
Grading
You'll be asked to respond critically to one or more literary texts when you write your
Diploma Exam. You'll be getting more practice in this sort of writing in future modules,
but at this point it would help if you started to become familiar with the marking
guidelines on which the critical response on your Diploma Exam will be graded.
What follows is a close approximation of the marking guide that will be used by the
teachers who mark the critical essay in Part A of your English Language Arts 30-1
Diploma Exam (an exact duplication can't be guaranteed, because the guidelines are
altered slightly from time to time). You were given this guide in Module 3, but you
weren't asked to use it there.
Your response will be graded according to this
marking guide.
Thought and
Understanding
Supporting
Evidence
Form
and
Structure
Matters
of
Choice
Matters of
Correctness
Excellent
5
Ideas are insightful,
demonstrating a
comprehension of subtle
distinctions in the literary
text(s) and the topic.
Literary interpretations
are perceptive and
illuminating.
Support is explicit,
precise, and
deliberately
chosen to reinforce
the student's ideas
in a deliberate and
judicious way. A
strong connection
to the student's
ideas is
maintained.
An effective
arrangement of
ideas and/or
details
contributes to a
fluent,
controlled, and
shaped
discussion that
concludes
skilfully. The
unifying effect
and/or
controlling idea
is successfully
sustained,
integrated, and
coherently
presented.
