Questions to answer in Essay #2:
• Who are these poets? (Note: Both must be writing in English)
• What do your sources say about these poets, their themes, and their poems? Do your sources address the theme or ideas related to the theme you plan to discuss?
• Why have you chosen these poets and this theme? Why are you interested in this topic?
• Which poems you plan to discuss and why?
• How will you investigate your topic and develop your ideas further?
Suggested Template for Biographical Information*:
Topic Sentence: Compare and contrast poets on three major aspects of their biographies
a. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
b. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
c. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
Suggested Template for Critical Information*:
Topic Sentence: Compare and contrast poets on how critics have described the poets’ poetry and their main themes (and theme you plan to discuss).
a. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
b. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
c. Quotation/Paraphrase sandwich – your point of comparison/contrast
Suggested Template for Identifying Theme & Poets*:
Topic Sentence: State why you have chosen a particular theme and why or how the two poets’ poems address your theme.
Be sure to include:
1. Names and titles of both poems by each other
2. Reason(s) for choosing the theme
3. Reason(s) for choosing these poets
4. Ideas or Questions to Develop your topic further
*Each section of the Template may take one to two paragraphs to complete.
Note: You can choose to put these templates in any order— Just be sure to use transitions to connect paragraphs.
Who are these poets? (Note: Both must be published poets writing in English)
• What do your sources say about these poet, their themes, and their poems? Do your sources address the theme or ideas related to the theme you plan to discuss?
• Why have you chosen these poets and this theme? Why are you interested in this topic?
• Which poems you plan to discuss and why?
• How will you investigate your topic and develop your ideas further?
The proposal must include:
*Works Cited page with an annotated bibliography of at least five (5) sources, two (2) of which must be from an electronic library data base, and
*Appendix: Photocopies of 1) first or last page of every source in your bibliography, 2) pages highlighting quoted and paraphrased material, AND photocopies of the POEMS you plan to discuss.
Format: USE MLA STYLE FOR THE PROPOSAL. It should be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and have a working title that indicates the theme for investigation. Be sure to use in-text documentation!
Topic: Compare and contrast two (2) published poets writing in English on the same theme.
For example, you might propose to compare a love poem by Nikki Giovanni with a love poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Or, you might research how two different poets write about the Civil Rights Movement. How does each treat the theme? Are their treatments alike or different? What accounts for these similarities and differences? Are they more alike or more different?
