AP English January 2014 “I-Search a Word” assignment
Assignment: Write a paper of 5 to 7 pages containing
an extended definition of a single word, a commonly used word, but one with an
abstract or intangible quality to its meaning. In your paper you will make full
reference to the sources you have consulted, but the style of the paper will be
a first-person account of your search for the word’s ultimate meaning and an
analysis of what you learn along the way.
Sources: Consult the following sources to
include all the necessary information in your paper:
1. The Oxford English Dictionary (20 volume 2nd
edition) in our library—what are the earliest uses and contexts for your word
recorded in the English language? What meanings have evolved over time? Which
uses are now obsolete? Which ones match your understanding of your word? Which
contain surprises?
2. Webster’s Third International Dictionary (3
volumes) in our library—what key definitions, examples, and other information
does the dictionary give for the word? How is the information organized
differently from the OED?
3. Either
or both of the following: Samuel Johnson’s 1755 dictionary (available online)
or Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary (available through onelook.com).
4. A
dictionary of etymology, either online or in our library. How does its
information compare to that of the OED?
5. A print
or online thesaurus—what are the most important synonyms for your word? Include
a list from the thesaurus in the sources section of your folder.
6. A
Concordance to Shakespeare—how frequently does your word occur? Copy a few key
speeches containing the word and the plays in which they are found. Give an
example of an interesting or original way in which Shakespeare uses the word.
7. A
Concordance to the Bible—list a few important verses containing the word and
copy these verses onto a page in your sources section. How do they help you
understand the full significance of your word? Pay special attention to the Authorized
or King James Version of 1611 (KJV). Compare a key verse to that of the Revised
Standard Version (RSV) of 1946.
8. A
statement of what the word means to you, both before and after you conduct your
research.
9. Optional
sources to round out your understanding: a dictionary of slang, a poem in which
the word occurs, a citation from an online quotations list, a work of art or
music, a book about words and language, a work of history, a newspaper article,
cartoon, television show, or movie.
Process: Gather your findings in a binder. The
first thing in the binder you submit will be the final copy of your paper, then
your draft, edited by two peers, and a section containing the annotated
printouts of all your research materials with sources clearly indicated.
Rationale: According to Edward Jenkinson and
Donald Seybold, “it is extremely difficult for anyone to define a word that
does not have objective [meaning]. Yet the ideas, feelings, and emotions that
are most significant in our lives are conveyed [by such words]. . . .Everyone
who uses such words as freedom, rich, or love has slightly different notions
about what those words mean, [yet] we frequently act as if we are talking about
the same thing when we use such words.” Thus, this assignment is to sift
through our assumptions about one abstract word to find relevant historical
information about its uses and meanings throughout the history of the English
language.
Schedule:
·
Have your word chosen and approved by me by the
beginning of class 3 (January 13, preferably sooner). Everyone must have a different word.
·
We will spend parts of two classes in the
library looking at the OED and other source material.
·
Your journal for class 4 will include your
previous understanding of the word along with a brief summary of what you have
learned so far in your research. It may be incorporated in some fashion into
your draft the following week.
·
Class 8 (January 27), bring your drafts to
class, five pages minimum.
·
Binders are due at the beginning of class 10, January 30. Final
drafts must also be submitted by that time to turnitin.com (assignment title: I-Search
a Word).
Style: Write your paper as a first-person
account of your search for the ultimate meaning of your word. Use your sources
to make your analysis of the word credible, but connect those sources to your
personal quest for the word’s meaning, your previous understanding of the word,
and what you learned along the way, both about the word and the research
process. You should both summarize and analyze the information you gather from
your sources in the body of the paper, searching for meaningful connections between sources. Information should be cited
parenthetically, linked to a properly formatted list of Works Cited at the end
of your paper.
Words: I’ve brainstormed over 100 words, but
you may suggest a word not on this list, as long as it meets the requirements
stated above. Everyone must have a different word. Here is my list:
