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.