Midterm Examination

Midterm Examination (1 hour) = 50 points

The midterm examination consists of two sections:

1) Identification—25 minutes—25 points

2) Essay—25 minutes—25 points

Exam Total—50 minutes (plus about 10 “free” minutes to plan answers)—50 points

Hint: Do not spend too much time on any exam question, or time may run out!

Identification Instructions. Select five of eight term choices. Spend five minutes on each answer; each item is worth five points. Terms may include names, places, objects, events, dates, or concepts discussed in class or in the assigned texts; most items will appear on the study guides. Briefly define or situate each term in its course context and suggest its significance in relation to course themes. Do not worry about organizing your answer; just write as much as you can in five minutes. Be as specific and provide as much detail as you can. It is better to make an educated guess than to leave a term blank, as I do give partial credit. Try not to repeat yourself from one answer to another. For each term, you will receive 1 point for indicating basic recognition of the term’s meaning, 2 points for context/significance in relation to this course, 2 points for filling in specific details; a 5-point answer does all of the above.

Essay Instructions. Select one of two topic choices (for each essay). Spend 2-3 minutes outlining an answer before beginning to write. The essay should argue a clear thesis, follow a cogent organizational structure, present specific, appropriate evidence, demonstrate thoughtful analysis, and conform to standard conventions of written English. The essay should draw on a wide range of materials from lectures, discussions, and readings, synthesizing this information into a coherent, persuasive whole. For the short essays, you will be asked to discuss at least two specific examples; for the long essay (on the final), you will be asked to discuss at least four examples, drawn equally from before and after the midterm. In both essays, try to avoid repeating material from other exam sections or course assignments. The successful essay will indicate a solid mastery of course materials and the ability to marshal these resources creatively in the service of a forceful argument. An “A” essay will fulfill all of these criteria with distinction. A “B” essay will meet all or most of these criteria. A “C” essay will demonstrate basic mastery of course materials. A “D” or lower essay will indicate the need for substantial improvement.

In preparing for examinations, review the syllabus, study guides, and notes from lectures, discussions, and readings. You may find it helpful to write “practice” identification and essay questions, and to answer these in a self-administered mock exam. You may also wish to write out timelines and/or study guides; you may NOT bring any of these materials (or electronic versions of similar materials) into the exam itself, however. In a time-pressured exam setting, you must be VERY familiar with all course materials—both as individual texts and in relation to the course as a whole. You will not have much time to stop and think; plan to spend the entire allotted time writing.