You will do a short research project to introduce your classmates to a topic relevant to our subject.  You will either produce a two-page précis or an annotated bibliography depending on the topic you select (people who choose reviews will generally do an annotated bibliography of several short reviews).   See below for guidelines.

TOPICS

Précis Description (slightly modified from Craig Watson)

Précis refers to a summary, but especially to a summary of main points made in a presentation or a piece of writing.  After you have found an appropriate article, chapter, or perhaps book, written within the past 20 years, you will read and digest that work of criticism with the idea of presenting concisely the main point or points made by the critic and a succinct summary (1 1/2-2 pages) of the writer's development or defense of that point or points.  You will head each précis with an MLA bibliographical entry for the piece and then begin the actual summary.

Having decided what the critic's thesis is, present the critic's thesis at the beginning of your précis:

Example:  In his chapter entitled "Separatism Unleashed," from the book The Puritan Dilemma, Edward Morgan praises the excellent leadership and forbearance of John Winthrop in an account of Winthrop's response to the threat imposed on the Puritan community by Roger Williams's (extreme) visionary separatism.

Notice here that the critic (Morgan) and the source (in this case, chapter title and book title) are introduced immediately; also notice that Morgan's thesis (big idea) in the chapter is summarized.

Next, move to a summary of the critic's main points and key illustrations:

Example:  "According to Morgan, Williams's positions were threatening to Puritan community.  Williams advocated extreme separatism that was impractical and disruptive.   Morgan points out that Williams insisted that . . . (illustrations).  Morgan claims that conflict came to a crisis in Williams's proclamations against the Church of England . . . .  According to Morgan, Winthrop's responses throughout the conflict were measured, humane, and just, given Winthrop's assigned duty and larger responsibility to the community.  For instance . . . ."(illustrations)".

Notice here that you (the précis writer) are reporting what Morgan (the critic) says.  This is your stance ("Morgan argues . . . ," "Morgan concludes . . . ," etc.)

Finally, you should provide a concluding statement or paragraph.  Here you gather together the essential points you have reported.  This closing corresponds to a conclusion in a thesis-focused essay where you are asked to restate and elaborate the introduction's thesis, provide an important final quotation, and review (see again) the critic's argument.

Example: Throughout his argument Morgan portrays John Winthrop as a leader responding to real threats to the Puritan "model of Christian charity@ that Winthrop saw as the foundation for creating an earthly version of the "celestial city.

Writing a précis requires you to synthesize other people's ideas in a short, well-ordered report that bears some resemblance to a thesis-focused essay.  The difference is that the thesis and development of an insight or assertion are not your inventions but someone else's.  You report on what that critic had to say.  Here's a link to a model.

Annotated Bibliography Guidelines

The annotated bibliographies should follow the MLA format.  See a recent edition of The Bedford Handbook or The MLA Style Guide for guidelines for documentation and sample bibliographic entries. All of the book reviews will come for the Oscar Wilde: The Critical Heritage, so you will use the "work from an anthology" model. You should alphabetize each bibliography by the authors’ last names. The annotations are simply brief (4-6 sentence) summaries which follow the bibliographical entries.  You should indicate the overall judgement the critic makes, highlight the main reasons for the judgment s/he offers, and use colorful quotations to illustrate your summary.  Here's a link to a model