“On Going Home” by Joan Didion,MLA Format (12 Inch Font, Times New Roman)

Compose an analysis of a selected essay in the text. Do you agree with the author? Why or why not? What evidence did he or she use to convince? Were the examples plausible?

Determine the message/opinion expressed in the essay. Is the date relevant to the message in terms of the timing in history or cultural norms? In the years since publication, has anything changed?

• How does considering the time frame, educational experiences of the people involved, or social attitudes influence the message of the essay or your reaction/interpretation of this message?

• Do you agree with the author? Be sure to include why the essay was or was not effective.

• What elements/evidence worked or did not work in your opinion? Include quoted passages from the essays and examples/details offered in the essay to defend your opinion.

Integrate pieces of your research of the African American experience in the early 20th century into your analysis of the essay. Consider how your research of this time period, 1900-1940, and the black authors enhanced your understanding of the selection.

• Is your essay organized with an introduction and thesis statement so the reader knows your opinion about the essay your are discussing, early in your paper?
• Do your body paragraphs offer EVIDENCE from the essay to defend your opinion?
• Does your essay offer a conclusion where you sum up, restate, or present a follow-up point of view?

Paper includes 3-4 examples in each paragraph to defend topic sentences. Quoted passages are integrated into sentences appropriately as evidence to defend the student's opinions. Message is clear and easy to follow.

Clearly organized paper with a beginning, middle, and end. Thesis is clear and substantive versus simple and shallow. Transitions connect paragraphs as well as sentences within the body of the paragraphs. Papers shows obvious evidence of introduction and content revisions.