**(The Midterm Exam will be held on-campus during our regular class time on Monday, October 14^th.)**

The Midterm Examination will require you to write a 500-word to 1,000-word essay in an Examination Book (“blue book’). Please bring an 8.5" by 11" Examination Book (“blue book”) to class on the day of our Midterm Examination. Blue Books are available in the Golden Eagle Store and the Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) office. You will choose between three essay prompts: a contrast prompt, an analytical prompt, and a comparative prompt. You may use any written materials (such as textbooks, notes, handouts and worksheets) during the exam. You may also use a written outline, but you may not write in your Blue Book prior to the exam. You may not use electronic devices (such as smart phones, laptops, or tablets) during the exam.

OPTION 1: The analytical prompt:

For the analytical prompt, you will choose one piece to write about from a list of literary pieces.
Please study the pieces (blog post, stories and poems) listed below, and prepare to write an analysis of each piece’s major theme, as well as an explanation of how the piece’s other elements (such as character, setting, and plot) help to convey the theme to the reader.

OPTION 2: The contrast prompt:

For the contrast prompt, you will choose one piece to write about from a list of literary pieces.
Please study the major characters from the short stories listed below and prepare to contrast two of the characters (such as Maggie and Dee from “Everyday Use.”)

OPTION 3: The comparative prompt:

For the comparative prompt, you will choose two pieces to write about from a list of literary pieces.
Please study the pieces (stories and poems) listed below and prepare to compare the elements (such as plot, character, setting, and theme) that appear in these readings.

The choices on the exam will be chosen from the following list. One reading will be randomly deleted from the list:

Vocabulary:

You will improve your performance on the exam by understanding the definitions of the following terms. Please use the glossary in our Gardner textbook as a guide.

Analysis, Hook, Thesis, Listing, outlining, clustering, Comparison, Contrast, Summary, Paraphrase, Persuasion, Plot, Prewriting, writing, revising, Conclusion, Structure, Theme, Personification, Metaphor, and Simile.

There will also be two extra credit questions on the Examination. Each response is worth a +5% bonus to the Exam grade:

The first question will require that you analyze a short text (which will appear on your Midterm Examination prompt).
The second question will ask you to discuss which of our reading assignments (from the list above) is your favorite (and why).