(Prerequisites: English I or English I Honors and English II or English II Honors) During the first semester, students will complete a research paper using the MLA (Modern Language Association) format. This will include choosing a topic, forming a thesis statement, researching the topic, creating an outline, and writing a research paper using in-text citation. In the second semester, students will analyze four literary works covering various genres including English and American literature, an epic poem, and historical fiction. Vocabulary building exercises are included during the entire class. Spelling and grammar are not the focus of this class. As an honor’s course, the required paper length will be 12 typed pages. Novel study will include annotated note taking.  There will be an in-depth focus on author’s voice, style, and language use.  Students will be evaluated in various ways including quizzes, tests, and a short literary paper.