Your paper should be well-organized, containing a introduction, a thesis, a body, and a conclusion (note: your conclusion should not regurgitate the argument and evidence provided throughout the essay, but instead, it should, in some way, address the question, “So what?”). There must be a central, guiding argument—a thrust to the paper—which sets out to prove a point.
Be sure to use MLA format as any violations of those rules will result in a lower grade (up to fifteen points off). Your use of language should be vivid and vigorous but still concise and clear. Lastly, your paragraphs should be well-organized and conform to the grammatical and mechanical conventions of standard American-English.