October 14th, 2020 
Important Characteristics
Pick a short story, poem, song, novel, film, work of art, or some other specific artistic endeavor (nonfiction and documentaries are not allowed) and provide an interpretation and analysis of the work. You can compare two short works if needed, but no more than two. No collected works like albums, poetry collections, short story collections.
Include a thesis statement at the end of the introduction. See Chapter 6.
Outside research is not allowed, so do not look up information about your works of art.
Your interpretation and analysis will need to sound logical and be supported with your own thoughts.
This essay will be just a taste of how to cite sources in your paper (We will dive fully into citing sources in the next essay).
In the introduction of your paper, you must include the name of the artist(s) and title of the work.
If you use the exact words from the work somewhere in your essay, you must put them in quotation marks.
The last page of your essay must contain a citation for the work where you provide the artists name, title, and other information that would be relevant to a person who would want to find the work for themselves.
Formal/typed Essay900 to 1300 words.
Audience
Assume your audience has not read/listened to the work you are writing about. Include background info to get the reader up to speed.
Helpful Tips
Think small–dont take on the world in a few pages. Please keep these characteristics in mind.
Try to avoid using I too much. I will likely appear in this essay, but try to keep sentences focused on the ideas you are writing about rather than yourself.
Make paragraphs in the body about specific points. Then, when developing content for the paragraphs, prove your point. Another way to think of it: in the body paragraphs make a clear point in the topic sentence then devote the rest of the paragraph to proving your point.
Keep control of your voice in this essay. If the writer sounds snarky, will the reader take the writers side? Not likely, even if the writer presents a compelling analysis.
Before writing, outline the points/claims you want to make in the essay to help determine the organization.
Think closely about your points. Can you write compelling support for them, likely a paragraph per point? Its the writers job to support the points. If you cant provide sufficient evidence, then find a new point.
Topics
The range is wide open, but please keep the project academic–college relevant.
Formatting your paper
Always title your papers but title pages are unnecessary.
Use 1 margins.
Remove extra spacing from between paragraphs (a Word default may add an extra space).
Use a size 12 font.
Number each page.
Double space.
Use align left rather than justify.
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