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TOPIC
For this essay you will generate your own thesis related to some important or interesting aspect of Shelley’s
Frankenstein. Although this is a fairly “open” assignment (your thesis may cover nearly any topic we have
discussed in class), your essay must meet the following criteria:
DO NOT GO SEARCHING FOR IDEAS ONLINE. This is a sure-fire way to produce a non-original thesis
that puts you at risk of plagiarism. Instead, use your class notes, handouts and homework assignments for
thesis ideas. Choose a topic that you think is interesting and important. Choose a topic that you can support
using the text of Shelley’s novel and Johnson’s Introduction.
Remember that a strong thesis needs to be argumentative, supportable, insightful, and specific. In order to
make the strongest possible case, you will necessarily be raising counterarguments and refuting them.
FORMAT
Ø Four pages, double-spaced Times New Roman 12 point font, one-inch margins
Ø Complete heading on top of first page (name, date, assignment, and class/section)
Ø Relevant and interesting title of essay (not “Frankenstein Essay”) listed at the top of the first page
Ø MLA (Modern Language Association) format used for all in-text citations
DUE DATES
Thesis: Tues, 3/18 Revised thesis + outline: Weds, 3/19 First draft: Fri, 3/21 Final draft: Tues, 3/25
GRADING RUBRIC: Frankenstein Formal Literary Essay Name __________________________
The essay addresses The essay addresses The essay addresses The essay partially The essay does not
the assigned topic and the assigned topic and the assigned topic and addresses the assigned address the assigned
introduces an insightful introduces a compelling introduces a thesis that topic. The essay topic. The essay
thesis that is specific, thesis that is specific, is specific, contains an unclear or contains an
THESIS & ARGUMENT
The writer provides The writer provides The writer provides The writer provides The writer provides little
convincing and relevant sufficient and relevant textual evidence to back textual evidence in an or no textual evidence
EVIDENCE & ATTENTION TO
textual evidence to back textual evidence to back up the thesis and attempt to back up the related to the thesis and
up the thesis and up the thesis and address most thesis and unclearly does not address
address all address all counterarguments. The addresses counterarguments.
counterarguments counterarguments. The analysis of each piece counterarguments. Analysis of evidence is
LANGUAGE
comprehensively. The analysis of each piece of evidence is relevant Most analysis of lacking or largely
analysis of each piece of evidence is thorough, to the thesis. The essay evidence is relevant to unrelated to the thesis.
of evidence is thorough, convincing, and relevant displays some the thesis. The essay The essay displays little
convincing, and relevant to the thesis. The essay awareness of the displays little awareness or no awareness of the
to the thesis. The essay displays an awareness language of each piece of the language of the language of the
displays a strong of the language of each of evidence. evidence provided. evidence provided.
awareness of the piece of evidence.
language of each piece
of evidence.
The essay’s The essay’s The essay’s The essay’s The essay’s
STRUCTURE & COHESION
introduction, body introduction, body introduction, body introduction, body introduction, body
paragraphs, and paragraphs, and paragraphs, and paragraphs, and paragraphs, and
conclusion are carefully conclusion have a conclusion have a conclusion have a conclusion have a
structured to support the structure that strongly structure that is aligned structure that partially limited or unclear
thesis. supports the thesis. with the thesis. supports the thesis. structure.
The writer strategically The writer links the The writer links the The writer attempts to The major sections of
links the major sections major sections of the major sections of the link the major sections the essay are unclearly
of the essay and shows essay and identifies the essay and implies the of the essay. connected.
the relationships relationships between relationships between
between the thesis, the thesis, reasons, the thesis, reasons,
reasons, evidence and evidence and evidence and
counterarguments. counterarguments. counterarguments.
The writer uses an The writer uses a formal The writer uses a formal The writer displays a The writer displays little
engaging and formal tone that is appropriate tone. The essay limited awareness of awareness of formal or
CONVENTIONS & PROCESS
tone that is appropriate to the audience. The demonstrates a use of formal or appropriate appropriate tone. The
to the audience. The essay demonstrates a standard English tone. The essay essay demonstrates
essay demonstrates an use of standard English conventions of usage demonstrates some some accuracy in
FORMAT, STYLE,
intentional use of conventions of usage and mechanics, and an accuracy in standard standard English
standard English and mechanics, and an adherence to MLA English conventions of conventions of usage
conventions of usage adherence to MLA formatting requirements. usage and mechanics, and mechanics, and an
and mechanics, and an formatting requirements. The writer demonstrates and an adherence to adherence to MLA
adherence to MLA The writer demonstrates a use of the writing MLA formatting formatting requirements.
formatting requirements. an effective use of the process. requirements. The The writer demonstrates
The writer demonstrates writing process. writer demonstrates little use of the writing
a thoughtful and some use of the writing process.
effective use of the process.
writing process.