Literary Criticism Research Essay: Honors, AP or IB

This is an essay that requires students to step beyond their normal ideas regarding research and research writing. It asks them to have a literary "conversation" with critics regarding a work of literature. Students need to form their own opinion on the work of literature, then use literary criticism to support it.

The assignment you are purchasing consists of 8 parts:
1. The assignment sheet with essay description and directions on construction as well as using Easy Bib
2. A Peer Review Sheet
3-4. Two rubric options
5-8. Two high level student examples on "Heart of Darkness" and two high level student examples on "Othello."

Before I begin this assignment in my classes, I spend a day discussing the types of literary criticism students will be reading through in order to choose their research. I ask them to think of the work of literature through a "filter" or "lens" since they don't need to consider every aspect of the work, but instead only what is within that "lens."

Please contact me if you have any questions regarding how I normally introduce literary criticism.