Today's class...

Wow! I'm so impressed with the work everyone did in class today. I really felt energized when I left. I'm really proud of you all and I'm looking forward to everyone turning in their current events assignment on time tomorrow. I know that you should have at least 1 :-) You should have 10 articles. This is your first official grade of the 3rd trimester.

Remember, you do have to make up work and you should print the missing work from teacherease.

Continue to revise pieces that you may want to put into your portfolio.

Tomorrow you can be working on in depth reporting as well as your editorials...

Anyone who did feature articles from the very beginning of the term, please make sure to turn them in so that we have a second issue of the paper.

thanks again, and congratulations!

Ms. S

2nd trimester musings

Now that we are finishing the second trimester, and are coming into the home stretch a few encouraging words and observations...

We are more than half way done with the school year and this last trimester is your opportunity to show us all what you know. Make a concerted effort to get work in on time. Be consciencious.

If you don't understand something, reach out to one of us so we can help. DO NOT wait for the last minute to do things, so that difficulties arise, you have time to address them.

Each and every student has the ability to achieve success in our class... it just takes good organization and study skills and a willingness to try.

If you are receiving an N, don't forget to print out a copy of your missing work from teacherease so that you can continue to make it up.

No more excuses... take responsibility for your work and take pride in it. Come to class on time with your sourcebooks and other needed materials. Don't leave your materials in class and then use that as an excuse for not being able to do work. Visit the blog every day, so you can see if anything new has been posted.

Very importantly make sure you have pulled your 3 pieces for your portfolio from the second trimester and have written your reflections so that we can get them to your advisors by Friday. Even though parent/teacher conferences aren't until April now, you still need to have finished your pulls for your second trimester work.

In-depth Report assignment

In-Depth Reporting (Investigative Feature) Assignment – First draft due: March 7th

You are a reporter sent to investigate important school matters. Each journalist will be assigned a different school matter.

Reporters will have to:
Interview at least 5 people related to your subject
Survey the class and other members of the school
get statements from at least 5 students not in class
Write an in-depth news report with the results of all of the above (each person in the pair is responsible for writing their own article)

Here are some suggested topics
school nutritional program
sports program
curriculum/scheduling
homework
plagiarism
discipline
school electronics policy
school media
channel 1
college board
after school activities
spirit week
lunch
inappropriate student behavior
student achievement
parental involvement
relationships with teachers
testing
college
careers related to journalism
portfolio assessment
school trips

Top 3 choices
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

Selected topic:

5 people you plan to interview:
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Questions you plan on asking:

more information about the N

After talking to Mrs. Poulos, I just wanted to add another important factor to the N process...



If you are missing a lot of work in the 2nd trimester, you are still responsible for making up the work... you are NOT exempt from it. The baggage gets carried with you.



So if you are missing a project, it will need to be made up. If you are missing homework, it will need to be made up.

Second Chances

Call it a second chance. If you are a student who is currently scoring a D or failing grade, here is your chance to prove that you know what you need to know... You will receive a grade of "N" or needs improvement for the 2nd trimester and then you have a clean slate for the 3rd trimester.

Prove that you can meet or exceed the standards in the 3rd trimester and the grade you achieve by the end will then replace your "N". I have complete faith that those people who either elected to take the N or have been given it out of necessity, will take this opportunity to really start doing the work that is expected of them.


Remember, do the best you can do and that is all I can ask... comparing yourself to others is futile. Good luck.

Second issue - Calling all articles (class and club)

Please email me at mssackstein@yahoo.com with what stories you are working on. I need an idea of what everyone is doing and/or has done recently.

Structure of an editorial and an opinion

Structure of an Editorial

Editorials are written according to a well-established formula.

• Introduction - state the problem
• Body - expresses an opinion
• Solution - offers a solution to the problem
• Conclusion - emphasizes the main issue
  

Here are some additional tips on structuring your opinion story.

• Lead with an Objective Explanation of the Issue/Controversy. Include the five W's and the H. Pull in facts and quotations from sources which are relevant.
• Present Your Opposition First. As the writer you disagree with these viewpoints. Identify the people (specifically who oppose you). Use facts and quotations to state objectively their opinions. Give a strong position of the opposition. You gain nothing in refuting a weak position.
• Directly Refute The Opposition's Beliefs. You can begin your article with transition. Pull in other facts and quotations from people who support your position. Concede a valid point of the opposition which will make you appear rational, one who has considered all the options.
• Give Other, Original Reasons/Analogies. In defense of your position, give reasons from strong to strongest order. Use a literary or cultural allusion that lends to your credibility and perceived intelligence.
• Conclude With Some Punch. Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader to be informed.A quotation can be effective, especially if from a respected source. A rhetorical question can be an effective concluder as well. While it ridicules or makes fun of a subject with the intent of improving it.

How to write an opinion piece

• Think of an opinion piece as a persuasive essay: the writer has an opinion or a point of view on an issue and he or she wants to convince the reader to agree. This is not as easy as it may seem.
• You must research your topic and find out what’s happening and what went on in the past.
• You must know the facts and be able to refer to them in your argument.
• Pretend you are a lawyer and you are making a case before a jury. You will want to convince the members of the jury to believe that your client is right . Therefore you need to present as much evidence as you can that proves the point.
• You can do the same when you write a column or editorial.
• Here’s an example:
• Let’s say you want to write an editorial supporting capital punishment. You want to convince your readers that someone who commits murder should receive a death sentence.
• The first thing you have to do is start collecting the facts.
  When did Canada put an end to capital punishment? What were the arguments used to do that?
  When did people start talking about re-introducing the death penalty?
  What cases have prompted debate on this issue? What examples can they find to support their argument for capital punishment?
  You must also consider the other side of the argument.
  What would people who oppose the death penalty say?
  How would they respond to their points?
  start with a basic premise or theme.
  use facts and details to back up your opinion and help you make your case.
  Leave your readers with a lasting impression -- a strong point that will make them consider your point of view.
  Don’t need to preach to the reader. A good editorial will make readers take notice of the situation and form their own opinions on the issue.
  

Story Topics
The possible topics for editorials and columns are almost endless because everyone has an opinion on everything! They could include:
legal or political issues such as gun control or Canada’s economy, minority rights or international politics.
issues facing people in your own community — such as a decision to demolish a historic building or the controversy surrounding a new law against skateboarding.
LOOK through stories in your daily paper or in monthly editions of SNN.
Form your own opinions. Opinions are based on what you have read and what you already know or believe.
Then you can put those views down in an editorial or column of your own!

Check teacherease...

For past due work... since we are working on the next issue of the paper...

We need important breaking news stories (anything going on that everyone should know about)
for all grades...

feature stories
editorials and opinions
investigative feature
sports?
entertainment

I'd like to get the next 4 pages out by the end of March... and then maybe a an 8 pager by June. We'll see what we can do.

Thanks again,
Ms. S

Literary Analysis paper due Friday

Just a friendly reminder that your lit. analysis paper is due on Friday of this week ... 2/15. You should attach all previous drafts... your final draft should be typed, double spaced, 12 pt Times New Roman font...1 inch margins.



If I haven't seen what you are working on, please make a point of meeting with me this week.

1st Issue... congratulations

Good afternoon everyone,



Just a little congratulations for the effort everyone put forth in completing the first issue. It is currently at the printer and will be at school either Monday or Tuesday.



So we are officially working on the second issue. I apologize ahead of time for those of you whose articles got cut. Either I didn't have copies of them typed or they weren't accurate anymore.



Moving forward, I'd like to start planning for the next issue by first setting up an editorial board and a layout staff... we will be doing interviews this week...



I want at least 3 people interested in doing layout... that means taking the time to learn the software with my help and also taking the time to understand layout design.



I also need leadership roles for the paper itself... that means above everything else, you must be motivated and willing to help me motivate everyone else.



We'll talk more about this tomorrow morning and in class...



Stay warm.



Ms. S

planning a lit analysis

Many people have been having difficulty "starting" ... I say skip the intro and go right into the meet.... you can always return to the beginning once you know what you are going to say... most of the time I don't even keep the intro I start with...

Brainstorm first! - get all your ideas on the paper. Don't be afraid to be wrong or disorganized during this step. Just get it all out.

Free write around some of the ideas. Which points speak to you the most? What is the argument that has developed? What helps support that argument?

Now organize an outline... roman numerals, remember - I - first big idea and then A. supporting details - and then textual evidence - each big idea is a paragraph... remember all the big ideas should support the focus of the paper

Once you have an outline, then start writing or else, your development and organization are going to be thin.

Draft, Draft, Draft! mistakes breed understanding, so make lots of them and let me help you!

ENEWS Standards:

Good morning all:
It has dawned on me that we haven't specifically discussed the standards in a while, so I just wanted to post the ones we've been working on to help you become more familiar with them... know them, so you can know how you are doing on them:

These are the general ones:

Language for Information and Understanding - Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Literary Response and Expression Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression
Language for Social Interaction Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Demonstrate fundamental skills in the use of the writing process for varied journalistic media.
Demonstrate awareness of the history and evolution of journalism and the responsible and ethical use of information (e.g., First Amendment, copyright, intellectual freedom).
Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues (e.g., manipulation, misrepresentation, fraud) when addressing social, cultural, and political issues through print and nonprint photojournalism.

These are more specific:

· Locate, gather, analyze, and evaluate written information for a variety of purposes, including research projects, real-world tasks, and self-improvement.
· select and use appropriate study and research skills and tools according to the type of information being gathered or organized, including almanacs, government publications, microfiche, news sources, and information services.
· analyze the validity and reliability of primary source information and use the information appropriatelyselect and use appropriate prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, and outlining

Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation
Language for Social Interaction Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Demonstrate fundamental use of production skills (e.g., layout design, ad design, storyboarding) for varied mass communication documents or electronic media.

Language for Information and Understanding - Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Language for Literary Response and Expression Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression
Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation
Language for Social Interaction Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Demonstrate fundamental use of organization and management techniques related to production of journalistic media (e.g., team building, leadership, business skills, time management, task organization).
Demonstrate fundamental use of technology for research, production, and dissemination of journalistic media.
Analyze varied journalistic documents or electronic mediaDemonstrate awareness of varied careers in journalism.

Class and Club

Can everyone please email me their finished articles from the first trimester and those of you in the club, whatever is complete so far... looks like we will be able to add some of the stuff everyone did to this first issue as there has been an issue with layout.

Rest assured, we will have something soon if I have to stay up and get it done myself!

You have all worked very hard and I think it is time we share your hard work with the rest of the school.

Thanks again,
Ms. S

mssackstein@yahoo.com

Reflection - analysis...

Grammar B: Un-grammar breaking all the rules

Grammar. Ugh. I myself have never been a fan of teaching or learning grammar and while I was in high school I never learned grammar in my English classes. I learned it in French class and later had my comma use ripped to shreds in freshmen comp class at the University of Arizona. While reading Romano’s Writing with Passion: Life stories, multiple genres, I found myself intrigued by Romano’s discussion of “Grammar B.” Seeing as I have always been puzzled by grammar and I find it extremely difficult to teach grammar, “Grammar B” sounded like a fascinating solution. “Grammar B breaks the rules of standard written English as a means of communicating powerfully. And it does this breaking, altering, and smashing with panache”(Romano 75).
I really enjoyed that Grammar B gave the students so much freedom to express themselves outside of what can be a very stifling convention. I think that it would give students the ability to find their voice and meaningfully break the rules. I always try to teach my students to use repetition to prove their points and “in Grammar B, repetition takes on even more importance. Grammar B, Weathers tells us, uses repetition ‘to achieve a kind of momentum in composition’ (1980, 28)” (Romano 79). I think this is true; repetition builds power and easy structure for students to follow.
Sentence fragments and labyrinthine sentences I believe to be troublesome for low functioning students like the ones I teach. As discussed earlier, knowing convention first is paramount to being able to manipulate these alternative methods. I think that sentence fragments are useful for creating or breaking rhythm in a piece of writing when a student is conscious that he/she is doing it. However, when a student writes using sentence fragments naturally and doesn’t understand why it isn’t a complete sentence, then encouraging the use of fragments is not going to help them grow as writers at this point in their careers. Although on the opposite end of the spectrum as Romano states, “At the opposite end of the sentence-length continuum from the fragment is the labyrinthine sentence-not the lawless, poorly punctuated run-on sentence, but a finely crafted aggregation of words that weaves in and out, accruing information, riding rhythms of parallel sentence structure, tacking on phrases, clauses, and grammatical absolutes to form a sinuous sentence perfectly suited for some things we might describe or discuss”(Romano 81). I agree again, but my students more often then not write those loose run-on sentences that he discusses above. I feel that teaching lower functioning students these skills is extremely optimistic and difficult.
One type of writing that Romano mentions however, that I think could be of use to my students is the list writing. I find that my students can articulate their thoughts well in lists, even meaningful lists. “A list allows a writer quickly to confront readers with abundant detail, enabling them to see an untainted, holistic picture. In list making, syntax and logical connections of language are not important. Simple, unexplained, occasionally poetic, the list usually appears in a column, one item per line, much like a grocery list” (Romano 87). This is within my students’ attention span. I think that I can teach my students to make meaningful lists that can later lead to meaningful prose. We were working on a picture book in my freshmen class for last marking period and part of that assignment was to create lists that help them explain their high school experience. It was a success. The students created lists about: their schedules, their preparation and their understanding of new subject matter. It is amazing to see the power of such short work that they were able to grasp immediately.
I like the ideas about double voice and the multi-genre research, but I’m unsure of how practical this would be in my school. I think that I could teach a simplified version of both using some real world models of movies and other authors much like Romano did with Billy the Kid. My students do like using mentor pieces, so if I had a strong model to show them and I broke down the project into an entire term, I do believe that my students could create a less complicated version of what his seniors came up with. I was extremely impressed with the John Lennon project and found myself thinking that it would be amazing to read a class full of different interpretations of research as opposed to laboring over boring conventional research papers that are predominantly plagiarized. All things considered, I found Romano’s text to be somewhat liberated and hopeful for the future. I would be eager to try some of his techniques with more advanced writers and even more interested to see what kinds of questions and writings my students would grapple with.

Work Cited
Romano, Tom. Writing with Passion: Life stories, multiple genres. Portsmith, New Hampshire: Boynton/Cook Heinemann, 1995.

The Real Thing - another lit. analysis piece

“The Real Thing?”

The “real thing” as seen by Henry James is really the opposite of what it may seem. Major and Mrs. Monarch are two main characters that James describes as the “real thing.” In a name, James has already said so much. “Monarch” has the connotation of royalty or superiority in some sense. However, as one reads on in his piece one realizes that the “real thing” is really a mutable persona. It turns out that the “real thing” really is an ideal that only imposters can simulate well. The fact that the servants become what inspires the artist proves this. The royalty doesn’t impress the artist once he tries to illustrate them. The real thing has nothing to do with what a person is, but what he or she can become.

James describes major and Mrs. Monarch as the “real thing.” However, despite their natural ability to appear like upper class, no matter how often the artist tries to draw them, the pictures always lack something. Although they may be the “real thing” in person to the artist or to society; it isn’t always who a person is, but what that person can pretend to be. The Monarchs lack the creativity of knowing or understanding anything other than what they already know. They are who they are and in a very simplistic way they may be superior depending on who is speaking. One can justify their superiority by the fact that their name is Monarch. By choosing such a royal name, Henry James places them above, not only in appearance and stature, but by name. It then becomes ironic that they are now poor having lost everything that they owned. This forces humility upon them. So by name they are royal, but in reality they are no longer the wealthy, high class individuals that they once were. “They evidently wished to be discreet- to take care not to swagger because they were gentlefolks.” James states right here that they are humble, even if they are the “real thing.” The artist thinks that he wants them as his models because they are the characters that he wants to create. However, the artist wants to invent an illusion, not a direct representation of what is. That’s why something is always missing from their pictures.

As time goes on, the artist and the Monarchs realize that the only reason they are working for him is that he knows they are in dire need of work. They do the best that they can to fulfill what he wants, but are never as successful as the artist’s other models. It is a crucial moment when the Monarchs first witness Miss Churm, his other model. “She was only a freckled cockney, but she could represent everything from a fine lady to a shepherdess; she had the faculty, as she might have had a fine voice or long hair. She couldn’t spell, and she loved beer, but she had two or three ‘points,’ and practice, and a knack, and mother-wit, and a whimsical sensibility, and a love of the theatre . . . ” As we can see, Miss Churm is the complete opposite of Mrs. Monarch. She is unmannered and common and yet she can become anything that the artist wants her to become with the utmost of grace. Mrs. Monarch is completely put off by her at first, and she can’t believe that Her employer would want to paint her at all, and even less likely to want to paint her as a Russian princess. To Mrs. Monarch it is obvious who the real princess is. Only Mrs. Monarch doesn’t want to comply with the scenario. James mentions that she probably has known some Russian princesses in her time and does not want to emulate one. So again, James says that Mrs. Monarch is the “real thing,” and yet she can’t play the part at all.

Orante, the Italian butler, is another important character to mention proving that the “real thing” is not what it seems. It also seems that beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. He is a short man with a lot of charisma in contrast to the statuesque Major Monarch. He isn’t anything special, but his natural humble ability and common lifestyle make him another good character for the artist. At first, the artist keeps his drawing Orante a secret because he doesn’t want his new models to be offended. However, he has much more success working with Orante than he ever had working with the “real thing.”

It all comes to a head as the story comes to a close, when the ultimate in role reversal occurs. James so cleverly made the truth so painfully obvious that the so-called real things become the servants. When Major and Mrs. Monarch first catch a glimpse of their boss drawing Miss Churm and Orante, they are shocked, but within seconds they accept their failure. However, they refuse to be defeated and take on the role of servants to the new models. The whole symbolism of Mrs. Monarch fixing Miss Churm’s hair is an incredibly climatic moment. Not only has she accepted her failure, but she wishes to help the winner to make it better. So it becomes apparent that she does in fact know what the real thing is, she just can’t produce it.

James is making a very bold statement in this piece that makes us all wonder what the “real thing” is or if in fact there is any concrete definition for the phrase. He makes us realize that just because things appear a certain way, it doesn’t mean that it is better. Appearances can be quite deceiving and the “real thing” is usually in the place that the average person would look last. It is true that no matter what we are, whether it’s real to us or to anyone else, it’s never clearly defined as what society wants or expects us to be. As for the real thing, it’s only what society defines as correct, but still lies in the eyes of the beholder. We can all become something we are not, but being real to our own ideals is what is most important. All our lives we spend pretending to be something we are not. Apparently in our society that is what dictates the real thing from the wrong thing. It’s all a matter of who does it the best.

Lit. analysis example... please read and write what you notice Answer the questions at the bottom...

The action rests in the hands of a boy who grew into a young man throughout Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Master George plays an essential role in the understanding of Stowe’s real agenda in publishing her novel. Since he was a young boy, George helped his slaves and gave them a constant source of love and strength. He taught his slaves to read and write and gave them the gift of religion as well. Stowe is setting Master George up to be the real savior. What Eva wants, George possesses and in the end, George sets all his slaves free and gives them paying jobs. This character is how Stowe illustrates exactly how she believes slaves should be treated, like human beings rather than property.

Master George first appears when he is thirteen years old. He is teaching Uncle Tom how to write and is already dignified for his young age. He has a profound wisdom and compassion for Uncle Tom that makes him exemplary. “[Uncle Tom] was overlooked by young Mas’r George, a smart, bright boy of thirteen, who appeared fully to realize the dignity of his position as instructor. ‘Not that way, Uncle Tom, --not that way,’ said he, briskly, as Uncle Tom laboriously brought up the tail of his g the wrong side out; ‘that makes a q, you see’”(Stowe 18). Stowe implants this beginning scene of George to show that he is already educating those who are less fortunate. From the beginning, he is the person who executes all the positive action.

George doesn’t only educate in reading and writing, but also in religion. After Aunt Chloe made dinner, George is revered for his talent as a reader. The slaves love to listen to him read. “Mas’r George is such a beautiful reader, now, I know he’ll stay to read for us,. . . pears like’t will be so much more interestin’”(Stowe 24). The whole room watches and listens to him reading. Stowe does this to show that he is capable of action. It also shows that George has the ability to make others more involved as well because while he is reading the whole house gets involved. George is truly loved by all his slaves because he treats them like people.

The next instance where George’s ability for action and humane nature is apparent is when Uncle Tom is being taken away. Stowe puts Mas’r George in a situation to try and help Tom right as he is being taken down south. George reacts with emotion to the idea of his friend being put in a dangerous situation. George says to Tom in tears, “If I was a man, they shouldn’t do it, -- they should not, so!”(Stowe 86). This line is foreshadowing the future events. Stowe shows George as a boy who has the ability to see beyond his father’s and he knows that when the responsibility is his, he will do what he knows is right. As the slave trader is taking Uncle Tom away, George says, “I’m ashamed, this day, that I’m a Kentuckian. I always was proud before”(Stowe 86). These two statements are the essence of who George is and who he wants to be.

Master George appears once more before he resurfaces as a man. He writes to Uncle Tom, telling him of his daily activities and continues to reassure him that one day things will be better. His letter is the constant reassurance to Tom that somebody always cares. So much that he keeps George’s letter on the wall. “He was never tired of looking at it, an and even held a council with Eva on the expediency of getting it framed, to hang up in his room”(Stowe 224). This scene is put into the story to show the kind of hope that George has become the symbol of for Tom and to all the slaves in general.

Toward the end, George is a grown man who has a mission and is ready to fulfill every promise he has ever made to Tom. He actively searches to find out who currently owns Tom so that he could purchase him and bring him home to his family. George’s real purpose for Stowe comes at this latter part. She has set him up to be the man of action and it is at the moment when George sees Tom for the first time again, that he knows what has to be done. Mas’r George is Tom’s savior. When Uncle Tom knows that George hasn’t forgotten him, he can die in peace. George is deeply saddened and angered by the manner in which his dear friend has passed. “Something in the dying scene had checked the natural fierceness of youthful passion. The presence of the man was simply loathsome to George; and he felt only an impulse to get away from him, with as few words as possible” (Stowe 362). George has a fierce passion that agrees with the fact that he will get things done for the better.

After George buries Tom, the liberation begins. First, he helps Cassy escape and find Eliza because “he was heartily disposed to sympathize with any one who had escaped from Legree’s plantation”(Stowe 368). George then returns home and does what he has wanted to do since he was thirteen years old. He frees all his slaves and offers them paying jobs. This is his sole purpose for being in the novel. Stowe creates George for this moment. “My good friends, there’ll be no need for you to leave me. The place wants as many hands to work it was it did before. We need the same about the house that we did before. But, you are now free men and free women. I shall pay you wages for your work, such as we shall agree on. The advantage is, that in case of my getting in debt, or dying, -- things that might happen,-- you cannot now be taken up and sold”(Stowe 379). George is covering all bases even the ones his father neglected when he was a boy.

Master George’s role in the novel is of great importance. He is the man with the main action and last word. He does what Stowe wishes all slave owners would do. She preaches through George and shows that it is possible for people to be genuine and compassionate. Mas’r George grew up knowing what he was supposed to do and the novel ends with him fulfilling that purpose.

Answer in your writer's sourcebook:

What is this analysis trying to prove?
How well does it do it?
What support does the author use to prove her point?
What information is included in the introductory and concluding paragraphs? Are they the same?
What does the reader come away understanding at the end of the essay?
Overall, what does this author do well?
What can use improvement?
What does this help you understand for your own paper?

lit analysis

http://www.gpc.edu/~lawowl/handouts/analyzing-literature.pdf - a copy of this is being given out in class...

How to write a literature analysis paper

http://lrc.sierra.cc.ca.us/writingcenter/litanalysis.htm - some great tips... worth reading

http://homepages.wmich.edu/~cooneys/tchg/lit/adv/lit.papers.html - great tips with examples... "summary alone is worthless..."

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature.html - a road map in 9 easy steps... read this one for sure...

http://bellevuecollege.edu/writinglab/LiteraryAnalysis.html - good, short examples

http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/pusdrbhs/academics/english/curriculum/literaryguide.pdf - a proper guide that can be printed.

http://www.uiowa.edu/~writingc/handouts/writinglit.htm - another good site

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/618/01/ - what makes a good paper about lit?