1. ENG 102 – Bolton
Essay Assignment 2: Drama – Historical Studies
Important Dates and Requirements
Draft Due to TurnitIn for PeerMark: Friday, June 22 (by 11:59 pm)
Peer Review Must be Completed By: Monday, June 25 (by 11:59 pm)
Paper Due to Instructor: June 28 (by 5:00 p.m.)
Length: 2000-3000 words*
Sources Required: Four—the play itself and three additional sources that come
from the library databases)*
Submission Methods: Hard copy (to me), electronic copy to TurnitIn
* Essays that are too short, too long, or don’t meet the source requirements will receive half credit.
Note: You will also be required to turn in additional work that you complete as part of the writing
process—see rubric page for details.
This is the ―research paper‖ of the semester—a historical reading of one of the plays we read and
discussed in class. Follow these guidelines when constructing your essay:
You must write on either Death of a Salesman or Hamlet (essays on other plays will receive a 0)
o Death of a Salesman takes place in America in the 1940s (World War II era)
o Hamlet takes place in Europe (Denmark) during the Renaissance (1400s-1700s)
Include an interesting, engaging title
Provide a thesis that is specific, well-developed, and appropriate
o Your thesis and the rest of your essay must effectively interweave the historical
information with your interpretation of the play—I do not want a ―report‖ on the time
period; you are making an argument via your interpretation of how the time period
affected what happens in the work
Cite at least once from each source in your essay
Choose appropriate sources when researching
o Sources must come from the library databases or be a published book—no websites are
acceptable
o Include at least one PRINTED book as a source (not an eBook, though you can certainly
use eBooks in addition to your one printed book)
o The only acceptable dictionary is the Oxford English Dictionary, which is scholarly but
only counts once (no matter how many words you look up) and does not count as your
book
o Note: You are welcome to use more than three sources as long as they all come from the
databases or are books
o Note: Essays that include sources that are not scholarly will receive half credit; the
same penalty applies to essays that don’t include at least three outside sources
Follow MLA Format(which means you will have a Works Cited page that includes a correct
entry for each source used!)
Proofread carefully for grammatical, technical, and mechanical errors

2. Student Name: _________________________ Peer Review Grade: _____/20
Essay 2: Drama – Historical Studies(150 points)
Scale: 15= perfect/excellent, 12= good, 9= fair, 0 = poor or missing
15 12 9 0
Introduction introduces text and author, provides necessary background
information, and builds to the thesis
Thesis statement is clear and well-developed, explains how the historical time
period affects the work, and is the last sentence of the introduction
Each body paragraph includes a topic sentence that outlines that paragraph
and connects to the thesis
Body paragraphs are appropriate, concrete, and well-developed; examples are
logical and effective
Conclusion avoids introducing new ideas and adequately summarizes essay
In-text citations (quotes) are formatted correctly, properly framed (introduced
and discussed), and effective in supporting thesis
Transitions effectively enhance essay’s ―flow‖ by guiding reader
Vocabulary, language use, and word choices are correct and appropriate
Note: You should avoid second-person (“you”) and unnecessary first-person
(“I think,” “In my opinion,” etc.)
Grammar, spelling, and mechanics demonstrate correct use of Standard Edited
American English
MLA Format is followed throughout essay (including Works Cited page)
* Please consult your essay for details; if you do not understanda comment I made, please don’t hesitate
to come see me duringoffice hours to discuss your essay.
Checklist:
All of the following items are due along with the hard copy
of your essay (NO later); for each of these items missing, Grade: _____/150
your essay will be penalized up to 20 points.
□ copy of this rubric (print and turn in)
□ copy of outline for essay (see D2L)
□ explanation of why sources used are effective and
relevant (type and print this—I’m just looking for
you to justify why you chose the sources you did;
this is informal)
Don’t forget that you also have to submit your final copy
to Turnitin.com as well!