Assignment: This paper constitutes your contribution to Milton scholarship, to the discussion about Milton's work represented by the scholarly articles we have read this semester. (Remember they all of those writers started out as students like you, so don't belittle the importance of your contribution.) Like those articles, your paper should demonstrate its participation in the scholarly discussion by engaging other scholars' ideas and arguments. Your research for this essay may lead you to consult many resources on your topic. Your term paper should include reference to at least five of those resources, including books, and scholarly articles, and even web sites, though they should be used critically; only one of the five required resources should be a web site (though you may, of course, refer to more than one in the course of your writing).

Here is a timetable for the various stages of this assignment:

• Prospectus and annotated bibliography (worth 5% of your grade): Tuesday, October 31
• First version (worth 5% of your grade): Tuesday, November 14
• Final version (worth 20% of your grade): Tuesday, December 5.

Method: Identify a subject area in Milton studies (gender in Paradise Lost, Milton on censorship, Milton's revision of epic tradition) and do some preliminary research on the topic, both through Sabio (looking for books and articles), in the online annotated bibliography produced by students in this class, and on the larger web. See especially the bibliography maintained by Milton-L (with links to full text articles), the list of resources at the Milton Reading Room, and the online essays catalogued at the Luminarium site.

Skim through articles or books that seem interesting, and use this initial perusal to help you narrow your larger subject area to a manageable topic. At this point, you should start to develop a list of questions about your topic; answering these question will lead you to your thesis. Once you have a narrowed topic, begin more focused research, identifying at least the requisite 5 resources for your term paper. Now read them carefully, marking salient passages, and beginning to answer some of your research questions. Use this information to write your Prospectus (due Thu 26 Oct).

At this point you should begin to articulate an argumentative thesis. Begin drafting the first version of your term paper around that thesis. Here are some tips for effective argumentation. Revise and expand that draft into a full first version, clarifying your thesis as you go to reflect your developing thinking on the topic. (That is, the thesis statement should always be the last thing you revise.) Bring two copies of the first version to class on Tuesday, November 14.

After you have received comments on your first version from your partner and from me, revise and do any necessary further research. Turn in the final version of the term paper on Tuesday, December 5.

Evaluation: The term paper will be evaluated on its fulfillment of assignment requirements as well as sophistication and complexity of thesis, effectiveness of argumentation and organization, style, and mechanics.