Structuralism. Psychology Coursework Assignment. (Coursework Sample)

Chosen work: Everyday Use by Alice Walker
Chosen theory: Structuralism
Required Writing Elements:
1. Introduction: Grab the reader’s attention, introduce the literary work
and author, provide a short summary of the work, introduce the theory
from which you will analyze the text, define relevant terms, and narrow
the scope of your analysis and argument.
2. Thesis Statement: Very clearly identify and define your main argument
(thesis) in the essay. The thesis must be a theoretically informed
statement that advances an analysis argument about the selected literary
text.
3. Topic Sentences: Each body paragraph in the paper must begin with a
theoretically informed topic sentence. Each paragraph should be focused
on developing only the idea in the topic sentence. Make sure each topic
sentence is connected to or points back to the thesis.
4. Evidence and Examples: Include relevant/applicable evidence and
examples from the literary work that clearly illustrate the main point
(topic sentence) of each paragraph. There should be a minimum of one
supporting example in each body paragraph. You must provide
textual evidence for every claim you advance.
5. Reasoning: Anticipate an academic audience that asks who, what, when,
where, why, how, and “so what” after every claim you make about the
literary work.  Preemptively respond to these questions with thoughtful
reasons and explanations derived from the literary theory you have
selected from Mary Klages’ Literary Theory: A Guide for the
PerplexedLinks to an external site.. You must provide at least one line of
reasoning for every claim you advance.
6. Support: Support your analysis and argument with reasonable and
logical criticism. In addition to Mary Klages’ Literary Theory: A Guide
for the Perplexed, you must use a total of five scholarly and credible
sources (criticism) to establish, support, and defend your analysis and
argument. JSTOR, Ebsco (Host), and Gale Literature are excellent
research databases. You must support every claim you advance with a
scholarly and credible source. 
7. Counterargument: (Links to an external site.) Address at least one
potential counterargument in a counterargument paragraph. Consider
questions your audience may have of your analysis and argument of the
literary work. You must be attuned to the potential rejections and
criticism of your analysis and argument. The counterargument paragraph
should be placed right before the concluding paragraph of the essay.
8. Proper Formatting: 
Writing Tips:
 Papers must be fundamentally argumentative in their approach,
advancing a clearly identifiable thesis with appropriate evidence,
reasoning, and textual support.  Remember that you are writing about a
literary work.  You are not writing about theory. 
 First ask questions of your selected work and the theory and then come
up with your analysis and argument. Do not begin with a conclusion and
then seek to justify it. Have a dialogue with the literary work and the
research sources (criticism) you locate; understand their arguments;
analyze their positions; use relevant ideas to support your claims; and use
ideas that diverge from your position to initiate analysis.   
 Reference your question sets to aide you with idea generation.  
 Do not write about the author or the time period in which the work was
written.  Do not write about our world.  Focus only on the world within
the text.
 Write to an academic audience. Use formal tone. Refrain from using the
words “I” or “you” in your writing. I also suggest that you limit the use
of “we” and “our” to avoid the fallacy of omniscience. Also refrain from
beginning sentences with the words “it” or “this” unless the
subjects/objects they refer to are very clearly indicated.