

Sur les travaux
Introduction to French Studies -- Pascal Michelucci
-- FRE 180Y
What is a composition ?
You will have to write four 400-word essays in FRE 180Y.
It is recommended to not exceed the 400-word mark, since all grammar
mistakes are taken into account and that it is likely that you will
make more mistakes in a longer essay. Conversely, you are not allowed
to write less than 360 words or your work will be penalized (-10% for
every 30 words below the 360 word mark (i.e. 330 words = -10% ; 300
words = -20% and so on). This is why you are requested to tally up
your words and write the corresponding number in the margin (100,
200, 300, 350, 400).
Those compositions will be worth 50% of your term mark,
i.e. 33 % of your final mark for the whole course.
For each assignment, several topics will be submitted to
you. You are allowed to choose freely from the list corresponding to
each assignment, but not to mix topics.
ALL ESSAYS HAVE A COVER PAGE AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Marking (what I will look for in your
essays) :
- 50% will be devoted to the language itself (correctness in
accents, spelling, grammar, etc.) - a marking scheme will be
handed out before you submit each essay.
- 50% for essay content and organization : an essay is
- factual : use and appropriateness of
quotations, illustrations and examples ; accuracy (notes),
specificity and relevance of data used; indication that the
assigned reading corresponding to the subject has been
done.
- critical : presence of a personal viewpoint,
whether aesthetic or ideological ; evidence of critical
perception of textual evidence.
- analytical : indication of a synthesis related
to the subject; attempt to demonstrate points and analyze
examples.
- logical : essay structure and organization
(introduction, development, conclusion) ; organization and
clarity of essay development ; clear statement of thesis and of
the order of points tackled ; appropriate use of paragraph
structure ; presence of a logical argument, with coherence in
demonstrating points ; presence, and relevant and accurate use
of logical tool words in French.
- Physical aspect :
* Essays should be either typed (double spaced), or written in
very legible handwriting. In either case, proper place should be
left for comments (wide margins, especially on the right
hand side of the sheet, many skipped lines).
- Content and form :
* See : « Conseils pour la
composition ».
- Notes and bibliography :
- Footnotes are preferred. But, in order to save time and
effort, you may insert textual references to the text as
follows whenever the text is quoted several times :
(Balzac, p. 128) for the first time, then (p. 134), (p. 25),
etc...
Footnote format is to be kept as simple as possible, provided
that all works cited are to be included in the
bibliography.
Ex. Valette, p. 130-131.
Gaillard et Rachmuhl, p. 43.
Alternatively, you might wish to use the MLA
format, or any other widely used format, if you are already
familiar with it.
- All works used, even for reference, must be included in a
final bibliography.
The Bibliography provides: AUTHOR'S NAME,
Firstname. Title, Editor or Translator when needed,
Place, Distributor, Date, number of pages.
GRIMOIRE-FRE 180Y
©Pascal Michelucci
Créé le 28 juillet 1996. Mis à jour le 29
septembre 1999.