Group Web Project -- Grading Criteria

Clear, concise, and accurate prose narrative that describes key life events of the author, connecting those key events to the history of the time and the author's works whenever possible. Any awards should be included as well.
500-700 words length.
Written in the group's own words. Any quotations, ideas, or information not your own should be cited according to MLA format, and you should provide a "Works Cited" list at the end of the biography.
Names of group members should precede or follow the text of the biography.

A bibliography of all works written/illustrated by the author ("primary resources"), listed by genre, correctly cited according to MLA format.
A bibliography of 8-10 selected works about the author and his/her works ("secondary resources"), correctly cited according to MLA format.
Each entry for the "secondary resources" should be followed by a 1-2 sentence description about the content/claims of the entry.
At least four of the "secondary resources" must be available as library print materials (that is, not only available from a web page).
Names of group members should precede or follow the text of the bibliography.

5 or 6 entries (depending on the number of people in your group – one for each).
Only 2 of the 5-6 entries may be from the same category of "Critical Contexts." The categories once again are:
- Literary Relations (comparison with another author writing in similar style or genre)
- History of Literary Production (tracing the production history of a particular work)
- Cultural Connections (using biographical, historical, and/or cultural information to analyze a particular work)
- Style of Illustrations/Art (analysis of the visual presentation of a particular work, including comparison/contrast with at least one other author-illustrator)
- Narrative Style and Structure (analysis of the narrative form of a particular work)
- Theme (analysis of a theme, in one work or several works, by the author)
The selection of category and the selection of topic for a given category should be relevant and appropriate for the selected author. (For instance, if your selected author writes picture books, then your group should have an entry for "Style of Illustrations/Art," in order to provide helpful context for the author.)
Each entry for the "Critical Contexts" should have a clear thesis claim and supporting evidence (indirect/direct quotations). It should be clearly written and free of errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The author's name should precede or follow the text of the entry.
If other people's ideas or words are included in the entry, they should be cited in MLA format.

Effective presentation and selection of all Group Web Project components, including use of hyperlinks and attention to clear graphic and text display.
Attention to audience for Group Web Project, with text written in prose that is free of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.



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Email: westmank@ksu.edu Last updated 7 June 2001