Due date: Monday, April 29

Plagiarism:  Please review the statement on the course syllabus.

Paper topic: The paper will be based on at least two novelas cortas.   One of the novelas must be one not read in class.  There are additional novelas on reserve in the library, including the Novelas ejemplares of Cervantes, if you wish to look at stories written by a male author.  All novelas used for the paper must be read in Spanish.  The paper will compare or contrast one aspect of the novelas (possibilities include but are not limited to: theme, character portrayal/development, recurring motifs, etc.).  One can compare novelas by the same author or by different authors.  It is not recommended that students tackle more than four, and the more novelas included, the more narrow the focus of the paper will need to be, and the longer it may have to be to get the job done.

Paper length & content:
 Papers should be of portfolio quality, which means: 7-10 pages long, in Spanish, word-processed or typed, double-spaced, using one-inch margins and 10 or 12 point pitch (Elite or Pica, in the old terminology), and using clean, white paper and black ink dark enough to read in normal light.  Accents should be included in the printing of wordprocessed documents (bonus: you'll be less likely to miss them that way).  Remember to save your work frequently--NKU computers are ravenous toward the end of the semester.  You may write more, but the maximum is 12 pages.
The suggested structure for the paper is: a brief introduction, a thesis statement about the aspect of the novelas you are comparing, a body presenting information in a logical order that supports the thesis, and a conclusion.  Remember, the ultimate authority are the texts of the novelas you're writing about.  You should be able to point to passages in the work that support your views, and explain how they support them.  A full-scale summary of the plot is unnecessary and inappropriate.  At the end you will place an Obras citadas page.  This page should include 2 or more secondary, print sources cited in MLA style (this means you will probably need at least 6 or 7 sources in your preliminary bibliography--some will not make your final cut).  If you wish to include internet sources, they will be in addition to the two print sources required.

Help with paper

1. Choosing the novelas.
Remember, the textbook gives brief plot summaries in English of all novelas included.  There is also an English translation of The Enchantments of Love on reserve in the library.  The Cervantes novelas are in a bilingual edition.  An examination of the textbook’s bibliography will give you an idea of which novelas are considered “hot” in scholarly circles—you can go in that direction or avoid the common path if you prefer.  If one of you reads a novela, that person may share plot information with his/her classmates.  You will have to read the novelas in advance—an all-nighter won’t work L

2. Finding sources.
The textbook provides an ample bibliography, but much of the material will not be available in the NKU library.  The class as a whole will work on finding out what items are available locally, from which everyone will be able to assemble a preliminary bibliography.
One of the NKU library's stronger Spanish areas is Siglo de Oro, so there should be some general items on the shelves that you can use.  If you are inexperienced in library research, it is recommended that you make an individual research appointment with the Reference Desk. Remember also that there may not be a source specifically on your novela or even your author, so don't overlook sources about other Siglo de Oro authors who use similar themes, characters, etc.  Example:  Steely Library has Larson's book, The Honor Plays of Lope de Vega, which may give you information on attitudes toward honor in the Golden Age.  Since scholars comment on the similarities between the novela cortesana and the comedia, this may give you a clue or two you can use.  The MLA Bibliography, in the reference section, is a good, but cumbersome, source for articles.  It can be searched by computer in the Univ. of Cincinnati library, but is not accessible on line.  Don't forget to check sources listed in other anthologies.

3. Miss Modales' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Documentation.
The Writing Center (BEP 230) has handouts on MLA Documentation Style.  The professor will supply information on Spanish capitalization and punctuation to the class.  She also has the MLA Handbook in her office, so if there is a problem that the handouts don't cover, come by and ask.
Direct quotations should appear in their original language.  It is not necessary to supply translations of quotes in English, Latin, or the Romance languages.  Quotations in other languages should be translated in a note, not in the body of the paper.  Paraphrases should be in the language of the paper.  A paraphrase is the rendering of another author's ideas in your own words.  It is NOT a translation.  Like a direct quote, it must be documented.  If you can't keep yourself from translating, and it's too late to ask for help (yeah, I used to write 'em at the last minute, too), then quote the source directly.
 When citing internet sources, the URL must be included.  Remember, one of the reasons we list the Obras citadas is so that our readers can investigate further if they are so inclined.  It is your responsibility to give the basic information needed to locate each source (that does not mean the NKU library's call numbers).
 
Useful stuff

Capitalization and alphabetization in Spanish (a few pointers)
de is not used before the last name alone.     Rueda (=Lope de Rueda) escribió Las aceitunas.
but del is used with the last name alone    En su antología, del Río (=Ángel del Río)
Alphabetize by the full surname:
 Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de (paternal & maternal surnames)
 Lida de Malkiel, María Rosa (woman with paternal surname & husband's surname)
 Río, Ángel del (notice that he's del Río in the text but alpha under Río)
 Rueda, Lope de
 Zayas y Sotomayor, María de  (a woman with paternal & maternal surnames)
Days of the week, months of the year, and adjectives derived from proper nouns are not capitalized
 lunes, viernes  /   enero, julio  /   español, mexicano
For titles of books or articles, capitalize the first word and words normally capitalized:
 Breve historia de la literatura norteamericana     Vida de Goya
Titles of newspapers, magazines, & journals: nouns & adjectives tend to be capitalized, especially when they are side by side:
 El País   /   El Correo de Andalucía  / Revista de Filología Hispánica
If you are citing a book or an article published in English, follow English capitalization rules for that title.

How to get diactical marks

Easy way: pull down the "Insert" menu of your wordprocessor & click on Symbol / Special characters / Characters or equivalent.  Find the letter with the diacritical mark on it, click on it & then click on the insert button.  In Word & some other programs you may see a "shortcut" feature for the character. It will appear when you click on it, and you can use that to insert the characters directly from then on.  Example from Word: Insert -- Symbol --ú and you see "shortcut key Ctrl+', U.  That means hold down Ctrl, press '  release and press u to get ú.

ASCII codes for diacritical marks
In most Windows programs, you can insert characters using their ASCII codes.  Hold down Alt, type the numerical code & release Alt.  Here is a list of codes:
á     160
é     130
í     161
ó     162
ú     163
ñ     164
Ñ     165
¿     168
¡     173

Checklists
 You are not required to use these, but they may help those who lack a memory for details (I'm told sleep deprivation can cause this, but of course no one at NKU has such problems :-).  Enjoy!
 A. Research and analysis.
1. ____ I have read the introductory material on my author and his/her period in the course antholgies.
2. ____ I have looked up my author and his/her period in a general reference for Spanish literature.
3. ____ I have looked up my author and his/her period in NKUIRE.
4. ____ I have read the material I found in our library, taken notes, and put my notes where I will remember to find them.
5. ____ I have looked up my author and his/her period on-line.
6. ____ I have read the material I found, taken notes....
7. ____ I have read my chosen play.
8. ____ I have looked up all the unfamiliar words.
9. ____ I have read the play again.
10. ____ I have decided what point I wish to make in my paper (thesis).
11. ____ I have worked out how to present the case for my thesis.  I have examples from the text that support what I say.
12. ____ I have material from my secondary sources that supports my thesis and/or with which I have decided to disagree.  I have examples from the text that support what I say.

B. Mechanics
1. ____ My name is on my paper.
2. ____ My paper is 7-10 pages long (but no more than 12).
3. ____ My paper has one-inch margins.
4. ____ My paper is double-spaced.
5. ____My paper uses a 10 or 12 point font.
6. ____ My paper uses parenthetical documentation in MLA style.
7. ____ My paper has a separate Obras citadas page at the end.  The entries are in MLA style.
8. ____ I have given credit to all my sources.
9. ____ I have not listed works on the Obras citadas page that were not cited in my paper.
10. ____ I have proofread my paper for spelling and accent marks.
11. ____ I have proofread my paper for grammar and agreement errors.
12. ____ I have proofread my documentation for violations of MLA style.
13. ____ I have backed up my computer file and placed the copy where I can find it when I certify my program (Spanish majors and minors with teaching only).
14. ____ Both the hard  and the electronic copies are out of reach of my domestic menagerie («Lo comió el perro» no sirve).
15. ___ I have not submitted my paper in a plastic report cover (a paper clip is better).