Students may choose from two options for the essay project. The first is for credit in the class, but the second can be proposed to the upcoming City Tech Science Fiction Symposium and read aloud to the audience for extra credit.

Option 1

Analyze a short story, novel, comic book, television episode, music, film, or video game as a work of science fiction. Use definitions of science fiction and science fiction terminology to establish how the subject of your paper is science fictional. This involves using more than one definition of science fiction, some of which I have provided on the Definitions of SF list linked at the top of our OpenLab site. For example, if I take Star Trek: The Original Series as the subject of my paper, I might begin with Hugo Gernsback’s definition of scientifiction and discuss how specific episodes or scenes from various episodes support the three parts of Gernsback’s definition–romance, science, and prophecy. Then, I would look at other definitions that differ from Gernsback’s, such as Asimov’s 1951 definition, “Science-fiction is that branch of literature which is concerned with the impact of scientific advance upon human beings,” and discuss how Star Trek fulfills or doesn’t fulfill this other definition. This would be repeated with several different definitions. Based on this discussion, you would conclude by developing your own definition of science fiction to account for the differences between the definitions that you discuss in relation to the subject of your essay.

Option 2 (with extra credit)

Explore how a work of science fiction (short story, novel, comic book, television episode, music, film, or video game) is interdisciplinary. Interdisciplinary means of or relating to more than one branch of knowledge. For example, Star Trek is interdisciplinary, because its stories involve the sciences, including physics, astronomy, and engineering; and the humanities, including ethics, philosophy, and linguistics. Using this example, I would begin like the option 1 essay above, but instead of discussing several definitions, I would find the definition that best describes Star Trek and say that Star Trek is an example of science fiction defined as “the definition that I chose.” Then, I would take one Star Trek episode or film and discuss its interdisciplinary aspects and show how these disciplines are used together in the story. For example, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is about the crew of the USS Enterprise traveling back in time to bring a whale to the future, because an alien probe, seemingly intent on destroying the Earth, is broadcasting in whale speech. The story depends on the physics of time travel, the ethical considerations of interfering with the past and the future, linguistic issues surrounding animal communication and intelligence, and engineering issues surrounding the transport of the whales aboard a stolen Klingon Bird of Prey starship. A conclusion for this kind of essay would ruminate on what interdisciplinarity adds to science fiction, or how science fiction is strengthened by its interdisciplinary focus.

For Option 2’s extra credit: First, send a proposal to Professor Ellis summarizing what you would like to write about including the subject of your paper and its interdisciplinary connections. This should be about 100 words long and create a title for your paper. This proposal will be considered for inclusion in the 2nd Annual City Tech Science Fiction Symposium. If accepted, you would read a shortened version of your final paper combined with a PowerPoint to the symposium audience. There is no guarantee that your paper would be accepted, because you will be competing against all other proposals. Nevertheless, you will receive extra credit. I did this as an undergraduate, and it meant a great deal to me. Perhaps it would mean a lot to you, too.

For Both Options:

Email a proposal to Professor Ellis using the subject “ENG2420 Essay Project.” Your email should be about 100 words long. Include a proposed title for your essay. Tell me which essay option you choose. Tell me the SF that you will discuss, and briefly explain what you plan to discuss about that SF. This is due by October 31.

Your essay must be at least 1,750 words plus a Works Cited page.

You may quote/cite some of the definitions of SF that I have provide you with. Additionally, you may find additional sources to quote in support of your discussion through the library. In total, your essay must use at least six quoted/cited sources including the SF that you are discussing. All research sources must come from the definitions of SF that I have provided you with or through library sources (articles or books accessible through the City Tech Library, other CUNY library, NYPL, etc.).

You may use Wikipedia and Google to help you learn and find sources that you find through the library, but remember, Wikipedia and rando websites are a way to learn and help your research. For this project, you may not use material from them or cite them.

You may discuss other examples of SF in relation to the SF that is the subject of your essay, but avoid digressing too much as it might detract from your essay’s unity of thought.

All citations and paper format should follow MLA 8th Edition Style.

To submit your essay before the last day of class: Create a new email from your City Tech email account to jellis@citytech.cuny.edu. Use the subject ENG2420 Final Essay. Write a brief message to me to let me know that this is your final essay, and attach your essay in Word docx format to the email. DO NOT “share” your essay with me from OneDrive or Google Docs. DO NOT attach your essay in another format. Since this assignment is due at the end of the semester, it is imperative that you send this email correctly so that I can grade it and submit your final grade in the class in a timely manner. I will reply to your email confirming receipt of it. If you sent me an email but do not receive a reply, you should follow up with me asap.