Assignment 3: literary analysis the major assignment for this week

Assignment 3: Literary Analysis

The major assignment for this week is to compose a 900-word essay on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In this paper you will write an in-depth analysis using your own ideas and excerpts from the text in the form of quotes, paraphrase, or summary. 

Please respond to the following prompt in writing your essay:

  • Frederick Douglass wrote his narrative to advance the abolitionist cause. The account of his life was meant to serve as a powerful argument against the institution of slavery that many defended as beneficial to both white and black. Identify three to four specific arguments that Douglass makes against slavery. How does he attempt to persuade and convince his audience?

Develop a Tentative Thesis

Your answer to the prompt should serve as the thesis for your paper. Make sure to include your thesis at the end of your introductory paragraph. 


Gather evidence that is likely to support your tentative thesis. Your evidence should consist of quotations, paraphrases, or summaries from the literature’s text. Make sure you fully discuss and analyze each example you include. 

Next, choose one of the prewriting techniques discussed in chapter 3c, “Invent and Prewrite,” of The New Century Handbook and begin prewriting. 

Rough Draft  

Write your rough draft. You are not required to submit it, but you should acquire the habit of writing one for every essay you compose in this and other classes. 

Revise and Edit 

Proofread the rough draft to ensure the following:

  • Thesis is clear and well focused and the introduction includes all the necessary information.
  • Discussion of evidence includes quotes, paraphrase, or summary and synthesizes this material and your ideas.
  • Conclusion is appropriate and reinforces the paper’s main ideas without repeating the introduction word for word.
  • Essay is formatted in APA style throughout, uses appropriate grammar, spelling and mechanics, and quoted material does not exceed 25% of the paper.


This APA formatting handout will help guide you in setting up your essay using APA style.

Or, you may create your essay in this APA-formatted template.

Name your document SU_ENG2003_W1_A3_LastName_FirstInitial.doc. By Tuesday, February 2, 2016, submit your essay in a Microsoft Word document to the W1: Assignment 3 Dropbox.

Assignment 3 Grading Criteria

Maximum Points

Wrote a complete introduction that engages your classmates’ interest, explains the topic, provides a detailed thesis that identifies your argument, briefly states the main evidence, and maps the paper for your audience.


Used key passages and quotations from the text to support and defend your thesis. Supporting examples and quotations are fully analyzed. The link between the thesis and the evidence is clearly explained.


Examined in your essay’s discussion what the text suggests about the culture, philosophies, or ideologies that influenced it.


Organized the paper effectively with unified paragraphs, each of which has a topic sentence and effective transitions to the next paragraph. 


Provided an appropriate conclusion that reinforces the paper’s main ideas. 


Met the word requirement (900).


Communicated clearly using your own words for the majority of the paper with correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling throughout.


Formatted the paper in APA style throughout, including a title page, running head, headings between sections, in-text citations, and a reference list.






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