This document provides instructions for writing a literary analysis paper. Students are asked to select a poem, short story, or play to analyze. They should read the full text, take notes, and develop an argument about literary elements, themes, the author's psychology, or historical context. Students must submit note cards, preliminary and final outlines, a rough draft, and a final paper with a clear thesis, quotes, citations, and a works cited page. The paper aims to break down and discuss parts of the chosen text.

2.  Purpose: To break a piece of literature
down into parts, discuss individual
components, and make a
specific, arguable point.
› You could argue about
 Literary elements
 Issues raised or resolved by the work
 The author’s personal psychology
 Reflection of period in which work was written
or that it is supposed to represent
Page 5

3.  Select a poem, short story or play from
your textbook that looks interesting. You
will be discussing this for weeks, so select
carefully.
 Read in its entirety.
 As you read, keep a log of observations
and questions you have about the text
or the time period it reflects/was created

4.  After you have read your chosen piece,
 You need to bring to class:
› 3X5 or 4X6 index cards (at least 30)
› Manila envelope (keep all components)
› Establish a working Google site/email
account and bring a flash drive
 Decide on possible controlling
ideas, Supporting topics and subtopics
› Need to have at least three
› (Become “slugs” on the note cards)

5.  30 note cards and source cards
› Five sources documented (source cards)
 Five notes (quotes, paraphrase or summary)
documented for each source (note cards)
› 40 points
 Preliminary Outline
› Purpose is simply to organize thoughts
› 70 points

6.  Final Outline (100 points)
› All sources used, thesis clearly labeled
 Rough Draft (100 points)
› Typed, posted to Google site
 Final Draft Requirements: (100 points)
› Main controlling idea (thesis statement)
 Examples on page 5
› Quotations/paraphrases from the work
(minimum 1/paragraph)
› Parenthetical citations
(3 sources required, ONE internet source)

7. Five Required due Monday April 8
 Contain the bibliographic information for
that source
 Should be done at the beginning of
note-taking (this week and next
Monday)
 Follow appropriate MLA format
 Used for parenthetical citations and the
works cited page
Page 7

8. Note:
underlining
Title of Book
is no longer Author’s name (italics)
acceptable.
MUST use Place of
italics on all publication
Brindle, Reginald Smith. The New
typed work.
Music: The Avant-Garde
since 1945. New York:
Oxford University Press, Publisher
1975. Print..
Publication
Copyright medium
Date
**NOTE: second and all subsequent
lines are indented. Use “hanging Page
indent” format in paragraph tools. 11

9. Date of Internet
Web site publication:
Author’s title written day
name Month year
Date of Access:
Woodward, Richard B. Cormac McCarthy’s written
Venomous Fiction. 19 April 1992. day month year
Web. 21 March 2013.
Publication
Medium
**NOTE: second and all subsequent lines are
indented 5 spaces to create a tab of the first
line.

10.  3 Types of Note Cards
Quotation
Paraphrase
Summary
 These will construct the outline of your
paper
 Each should have a SLUG – a reason
connecting to the controlling idea -thesis
Page 10

11. 2. SLUG
1. TAG
Personal (Marius 73)
Quote: “Though the film portrays
More as ideal, the real More
wanted his hatred for heretics
inscribed on his tomb.”
3. INFORMATION
Page 10

12. Source card Note card 
Personally (Marius 72)
Marius, Richard. “A Man for all Seasons.” Past
*film portrays More as ideal version of hero
Imperfect: History According to the Movies. Ed.
Mark C. Carnes. New York: Henry Hold and * The real More wanted “his hatred for heretics
Company, 1996.Print. inscribed on his tomb.” –page 72
Text page 2  Works cited page 
Student 2
Student 4
Yes, More did refuse to convert to Anglicanism, to
support his king openly, or even to speak on Henry’s Works Cited
Great Matter specifically. But, as Marius relays, More’s Marius, Richard. “A Man for all Seasons.” Past Imperfect: History
hatred of Luther and other reformers was well- According to the Movies. Ed. Mark C. Carnes. New
documented in reams of diatribes he had written York: Henry Hold and Company, 1996. Print.
against them, whom he considered heretics and for
whom he felt death by fire was the only solution (73).
In fact, the real More wanted “his hatred for heretics
inscribed on his tomb” (Marius 72). Such opinions

13.  Sign up on the glass wall in my hallway
 Only one person may write on a
selection in each class, so if it’s taken, go
with your back up
 Have the piece read by Friday when we
begin research.

14.  Notes: Introduction
› 12 chapter book (we will read about two
chapters a week)
› Books stay in classroom (you can check out
if you need to make up work)
› Study guides will be due each week on
Monday.

15.  First published in 1954
 Wasn’t originally popular but has gained
in critical success.
 Explores the ideas of society, lawlessness
and anarchy, and power
 In a nutshell, a group of private school
boys find themselves stranded on an
island and must establish leadership

16.  Foreshadowing
 Irony