EA300B: Children’s Literature (II)

EA300B: Children’s Literature (II)

EA300B: Children’s Literature (II)
TMA: Spring 2018

TMA: 20 points
Cut-off date: week 9
May 2018
Length: 1200 words


Can we say that in Mildred Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry, it is only through education that the child evolves? Discuss.

Student Notes:

The student is expected to focus on the theme of education in Mildred Taylor’s novel Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry and on its role in developing the child’s awareness about the self and the world around him/her. Are there other matters that contribute to the child’s development? How is African American history demystified through education? Why is the knowledge of their true history so important for the Logan children? How does education, both formal and informal, develop child agency? What is the role of parents in revealing power structures within their society? Students ought to focus on child education within the premises of their warm home where the Logan children are taught to deal with each other in the first instance. Does dealing with the outside world require another kind of teaching? How does Taylor deconstruct classical didacticism?
These are brainstorming questions that are likely to stimulate your thinking. After reading the novel, you are expected to write an outline first and support your argument with textual citations from the novel and from critics’ views on the topic. Cicely Cobb, James Anderson, Karen Smith and other critics have written about Black Education. You may want to explore their critical writings and other articles from the AOU e-library. Do consult your librarian about the new databases.


A thesis statement and a proper logical presentation of ideas are essential.

To do this TMA, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Plan your essay ahead of time by writing a plan highlighting the main points you intend to cover.
2. Write a thesis statement stating your argument to be included on the first page of your essay.
3. Select some excerpts that relate to your argument. Summarize what these passages say and add your own comments and interpretation.
4. Ensure your essay refers to some quotations from the novel.
5. Your analytical comments should precede or follow every time you quote from the text under discussion or the critical material you refer to.
6. Reference to critical material related to this topic is necessary. (You should refer to at least 3 critical works).
7. All your references should follow the Harvard citation system
8. You should refer and quote from the course’s audiovisual material whenever possible. The audiovisual material should be well integrated in your essay.
9. At this stage, you are expected to know how to paraphrase and synthesize the material you read, using your own words as much as possible. You still have to quote and use quotation marks in the right annotation methods you have learned.
10. If anything is unclear, ask your tutors in class and during their office hours for further clarification.

Using the e-library on campus:
Students are requested to visit the e-library on campus and use it to do their TMAs properly. They are also requested to show their tutor that they used the e-library in doing the TMA by referring to some articles they have read. Students who fail to use and refer to material from the e-library will subsequently lose some marks.

The following are guidelines on plagiarism:
If you submit an assignment that contains work other than yours without acknowledging your sources, you are committing plagiarism. This might occur when:

• Using a sentence or phrase that you have come across with no reference.
• Copying word-for-word directly from a text
• Paraphrasing the words from the text very closely with no reference.
• Using text downloaded from the Internet
• Borrowing statistics or assembled facts from another person or source
• Copying or downloading figures, photographs, pictures or diagrams without acknowledging your sources
• Copying from the notes or essays of a fellow student

You can avoid plagiarism simply by always putting your quotes and paraphrases in a reference. Feel free to use material from elsewhere as long as a proper reference is given. Follow Harvard style referencing for your bibliography and in-text citations.

(Slightly adapted from OU document on quoting versus plagiarism)

It is important to remember that plagiarism is strictly barred and would be subject to punitive action by the Arab Open University.






Marking Descriptor

GRADE CONTENT LANGUAGE & ORGANIZATION
A


(18-20) Excellent answers showing confident and wide-ranging knowledge of core material, good understanding of any relevant theory, and a capacity to address the question in a structured, direct and effective way, thoughtfully and with insight. Originality of thought or ideas from outside the course are an added asset. Examples are to the point. - Has an introduction defining plan of essay.
- Body divided into several paragraphs
- Conclusion which directly relates arguments to topic.
- Evidence that essay has been edited.
- Error-free grammar & register.
- Wide range of specialized terminology.
- Consistent in-text citation and form of referencing
B to B+


(16-17) Very good answers showing secure knowledge of course materials. Adopting an analytical approach and providing relevant discussion covering most of the key issues. Distinguished from A answers by being less insightful or by showing less comprehensive knowledge of the course. - First four criteria above maintained
- Demonstrates extensive grammar control.
- Terminology specialized but less varied.
- Minor Inconsistency in in-text citation and referencing
C to C+


(14-15) Competent answers reflecting adequate knowledge of the more directly relevant course material and concepts, with reasonable structure and adequate coherence related to the question set. - Introduction and/or conclusion short but still satisfactory.
- Evidence of editing.
- Less grammar control than above.
- Good range of specialized terminology.
- Inconsistent in in-text citation and referencing
D



(10-13)


Answers which omit some concepts /evidence and/or lack coherence /structure, and/or make minor errors while still demonstrating basic understanding. Or bare pass answers which show awareness of some relevant material and attempt to relate it to the question. - Introduction and/or conclusion short but acceptable.
- no evidence of editing.
- Few grammatical errors that impede communication.
- Above average range of specialized terminology.
- Slightly confused introduction and/or conclusion, but body still fair.
- No evidence of editing.
- Some error types that impede communication.
- Fair range of specialized terminology.
- Inaccurate in-text citation and referencing
F

Below
10 Answers which attempt to draw upon relevant material but do not reflect sufficient knowledge of the course and/or neglect the focus required by the question, and/or are incomplete in some important aspects whilst being acceptable in others. - No introduction and /or no conclusion.
- Body badly organized or irrelevant.
- Poor grammar control (extremely limited range of grammar & register).
- Limited or not specialized range of terminology.
- No in-text citations and no referencing