Read one of the essays covering a film noir that Roger Ebert wrote for his "Great Movies" column. You may choose from the following:

Then, view the film in question.

Write a critique of Ebert's essay about the film, not of the film itself. In your critique:

1)   You should identify the author’s thesis in your introductory paragraph.  Your thesis should be your assessment of the author’s thesis.

2)   Briefly summarize the essay.  This summary should cover only the major points of the article and should be no more than one or two paragraphs.

3)   The rest of your critique should focus on your assessment of the author’s points.  How does the author make his or her points?  Is the essay convincing?  What is the usefulness of the essay?  What in the essay do you disagree with?  What would you add?  Is the essay on target in its assessment of the film? Do not feel compelled to answer all these questions, but consider them as a jumping off point for your critique.

4)   Have a conclusion that does more than just summarize the rest of your paper.  Your conclusion should affirm the significance of your thesis, place it in a larger context, or suggest areas for further study (without starting a whole new paper).

Other:

1)   In your introductory paragraph, you should at least introduce the author and title of your essay.  The reader needs to know what article you’re critiquing. (When writing for a class, you participate in the fiction that the teacher doesn't know what the assignment is.)

2)   Your critique should be about 1000 words.

3) Introduce and explain each quoation. Don't just drop quotations into your paper and expext them to speak for themselves.

4) Do not use quotations where paraphrases will suffice.

5)   Authors, both male and female, are referred to by their last names, i.e. “McMillan says The Wizard of Oz made her think of her childhood.”  Notice, also, film titles are italicized (or underlined if you don’t have a computer); they are not placed in quotation marks.  Article titles, on the other hand, are placed in quotation marks.

6)   Spell check and proofread.  Sloppiness, although not my primary concern, detracts from your authority as a writer and my enjoyment of your essay.

7)   Your paper should include parenthetical citations and a works cited page in MLA format.

What I’m looking for:

1)   Thesis.  You should have something of quality to say about what the author is saying.

2)   Engagement with and evaluation of the author’s points.  Show you understand the article and are able to think critically about the ideas it puts forward.

3)   Support for your ideas using specific references to the essay and to the film.

3)   Brevity of summary section—the shorter, the better.

4)   Effective introduction and conclusion.

Due:  Wednesday, January 26

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