Final Exam Prep

( A Word document of this page is available here: Final Exam Prep (ENG 102))

Date: June 6, 2018

Length: 600 – 800 words

Directions: You will have 2 hours and 10 minutes to organize, draft, and edit an essay of 600 words or more. This is a hand-written exam. You may use any of your course readings and double-entry journals (hard copies) to provide evidence. No other graphic organizers are allowed. You do not need a Works Cited page, but you must use MLA format for in-text citations. You may NOT use any electronic devices during the exam. We will use an online timer, and I will give cues throughout the class period.

Your exam question will be related to the topic of diversity. What different techniques do authors use to illustrate cultural, linguistic, or other types of social diversity in their texts?

In preparation for your exam, you may want to identify readings that you understand well and that you can provide a close reading of. The following questions may be useful to consider:

  • Which texts address cultural diversity? How do you know? Which cultures are portrayed? What is theme about culture in the texts?
  • Which texts explicitly address linguistic diversity? In what ways? What specific words illustrate this point?
  • What other kinds of social diversity are explored? What techniques does the author use to demonstrate unity or division among characters?

You will need to develop a clear, aligned thesis that serves as a signpost for the rest of your essay. You may integrate any background knowledge that you have learned about the author, the socio-political context in which the piece was published, or literary theory to support your argument. However, the focus of the essay is textual analysis, and any additional information should only supplement your original ideas.

Evaluation: As with your take-home essays, I will evaluate your essay exam using the “Martin Rubric for Literary Essays.” While a Works Cited page is not required, you are expected to cite all sources in the essay using appropriate MLA format.