Final College Comp Research Papers

For those unfamiliar with my College Comp classes, their final paper is to analyze three themes shared in the two novels they have been reading this semester. Today, I have started grading them. One of my techniques is to go through the paper and highlight the in-text citations. Then I turn to their works cited and high light the corresponding citation there. But you can tell that we have a four year old (well, soon to be four) in the house. I can't find a damn high lighter to save my soul. I have to resort to using a Crayon (sure could find those in the house). In terms of the papers themselves, I have corrected four (only 31 more to go). I have one excellent paper, one good paper, and two that are average or just a touch below average. The problem with the research paper is that analysis is so difficult to learn. Those that have it down do very well. Those who don't quite know how to analyze resort to summarizing or using too many quotes. The real issue so far, though, has been the technical aspects of the paper: in-text citation, works cited, and using proper sources. I went over this all several times during class. But these juniors have yet to really grasp the very college level concept that once something is discussed in class and put up on the board, it is your responsible to not just write it down, but to actually learn it.