Linda Hogan, "People of the Whale" Research Essay

Dr. Alaimo

ENGL 3333. DYNAMIC TRADITIONS IN LITERATURE:

OCEANS Research Paper and Small Group Presentations

Rationale: The paper assignment allows students to pursue, independently and in more depth, a specific topic that interests them and to improve their research, critical thinking, interpretation, analysis, argument, and writing skills. The presentation allows students to learn from the intellectual work of other students in the class and to gain experience in oral presentations. Procedures and Dates:

• Tuesday March 27th Hand in a one-page research paper proposal, with your topic, your working questions, the text you are interpreting, and an initial list of 5 sources. Based on your topics, we will organize the groups for the presentations in class.

• Tuesday April 24: Bring 3 copies of a draft of at least 75% of your research paper to class for peer editing. You must participate in peer editing.

• Thursday April 26: research paper due at the start of class. Plan group presentations in class.

• Tuesday May 1 and Thursday May 3: Small group Presentations (the date for your group presentation will be determined).

Assignment: Choose one of the four options below and develop your own specific topic about that literature, pertaining to something having to do with the ocean. The paper must address a topic related to the content of this class and must contribute something new and original to the class in terms of its research, its specific topic or texts, and its arguments. Topics: 1. Wider and Deeper. Choose a work already on our syllabus and do research that will help illuminate topics pertaining to the oceans. The research could focus on literary criticism, history, science, or culture, depending on the topic. 2. Poetry. Either focus on one poet’s poetry about the ocean or find poetry by topic. You can search by keyword (e.g. “shark,” “turtle,” “ocean,” etc.) at https://www.poets.org or https://www.poetryfoundation.org. The research will include finding the poems and finding criticism, history or context. 3. Novels. You may already have a novel in mind, but if you don’t here’s a list of texts,

most of which are not that long. • Tim Winton, Breath (Coming of age surfing novel. Plus many other surfing novels) • Witi Ihimaera, Whale Rider (Coming of age novel about a Maori girl) • J.M. Ledgard, Submergence (Marine biology and spy novel) • Monique Roffey, Archipelago: A Father and Daughter on a Voyage of a Lifetime • Zakes Mda, The Whale Caller (South African novel about erotic love for a whale) • China Mieville, Kraken (monstrous fantasy) • Peter Watts, Starfish (cyborg, undersea SF) • Joan Slonczewski, Door into Ocean (feminist and lesbian SF undersea world

building) • Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy, The Wake; Joe Harris and Martin Morazzo Great

Pacific (graphic novels set in the sea) • Neal Shusterman, Challenger Deep (psychological YA novel) • See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautical_fiction

4. Popular Science Writing Animal Studies:

• Sy Montgomery, The Soul of an Octopus • Peter Godfrey-Smith, Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of

Consciousness • Jonathan Balcom, What a Fish Knows • And so many books on whales and dolphins!

Ocean Conservation: • Callum Roberts, The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea • Sylvia Earle, The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean’s Fate are One • And more: on plastic pollution, acidification, overfishing, etc.

Citation Style: Use MLA parenthetical documentation within the paper itself (Author 98). Do not cite the author in the parenthesis if it is clear from the sentence who the author is (98). Be sure to use proper citation style to distinguish your ideas from those of your source, giving credit where credit is due, and making your analyses clear. Any ideas or quotes that you include from a printed or electronic source, must be cited properly, or it is plagiarism (see below). For help with MLA parenthetical documentation see: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ You should include a page of Explanatory Notes and a Works Cited and Consulted page. (We will discuss this in class.) Mechanics: The paper should be 8 pages (standard 12 point font, double spaced, 1 inch margins, about 2,500-3,000 words), typed, stapled, with an engaging title. Please do NOT use plastic folders for your paper—a staple is sufficient. Papers must be submitted to Safe Assign on Blackboard and handed in as paper copies, by the beginning of class on the day they are due.

For the presentation, you must meet with your small group for planning, and then present with your group on the date you are assigned. Evaluation: The paper will be evaluated on 1) whether it presents a coherent, complex, illuminating, and original argument,

analysis, evaluation or comparison 2) whether the content makes a contribution to the specific topics of this class 3) whether the research was extensive, productive, and skillfully incorporated into the

paper 4) whether the paper is convincingly argued, with illuminating examples 5) whether the paper is effectively organized and well written. (Work on making your

prose as concise and precise as possible—pack in as much solid content as you can within four pages. Eliminate excess words. Make smooth transitions that give us a sense of direction. Style, voice and humor always appreciated.)

The group presentations will be evaluated in terms of how intellectually substantial, creative, engaging, dynamic, organized, and clear they are. They will also be graded on how well the group pulled the content from the different papers together into a coherent, logical whole. Students will also submit grades for the others in their group.

Resources Research: Please take advantage of the research librarians in the UTA library if you would like assistance with your research. The English Department’s librarian is Diane Shepelwich: [email protected]. You can also get electronic or telephone help from UTA’s librarians. http://library.uta.edu/form/appointment-request-form Writing Center: You are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Center in the library to obtain assistance at any stage. http://www.uta.edu/owl/ You are also welcome to talk with me during my office hours, Tuesday/Thursday 2-3 in 411 Carlisle or make an appointment. In class: Many of the issues that arise as you research and write will be things that other students experience as well. Feel free to discuss research problems or ask questions at the start of class every day.

What Not to do: Plagiarism

You are required to submit an electronic copy of your essay to Safe Assign, which checks for plagiarism.

Any time you use someone else’s ideas in your paper, you must cite your source (including internet sources). If one of your ideas came from our class you need to cite your classmate or the instructor. If you do not cite your sources for any ideas that are not your own, you will be committing plagiarism and the paper may receive an F. Warning: All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the university.

• Resources on plagiarism : http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/plagiarism/; http://usingsources.fas.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&pageid=icb. page342054.

• Please take this tutorial before writing any papers for this class: http://library.uta.edu/plagiarism/

CHECK LIST for Writers of Research Papers

1. Does the research paper contribute something new but also entirely relevant to this class on animals and language? Does it make strong use of its research and develop its own original arguments and interpretations?

2. What is the central argument (thesis) of the paper? Is the thesis clear, specific, significant, developed, complex, and nuanced? Is it an original and arguable argument? Does the thesis encapsulate the actual content of the paper? Does the paper actually support the thesis? Does each paragraph develop and support a specific argument? Which arguments, which ideas, which interpretations still need to be more effectively developed throughout the paper?

3. Is the essay effectively organized? (Are the lumber, bricks and plumbing supplies still in their own piles or have they been crafted into a “house.”) Does it proceed in a logical way, with a solid progression of ideas? Should the paragraphs be rearranged? Is each paragraph a coherent, cohesive, unit? Should any paragraphs be split or combined? Are there any paragraphs that don’t fit? Does the essay use substantial, meaningful transitions to connect paragraphs? How can this essay be more effectively structured? Would the essay benefit from Explanatory Notes?

4. Does the essay incorporate rigorous, perceptive, revealing, close readings of quotations from the text or film to support its arguments and interpretations? (There should be: 1. Quotations, 2. Close reading i.e. careful analyses of specific aspects of the quotations and 3. Developed interpretations.) If you are using visual sources (film, visual art, advertising, etc.) the process is similar: include visual image and then "close read" particular elements--analyzing and interpreting. 5. Does the essay include appropriate and revealing applications of theories, concepts, and questions from this class?

6. Does the essay include research in productive and interesting ways? Is it perfectly clear which ideas are from the outside source and which ideas are yours (the author's)? Are the citations done correctly?

7. Is the prose clear, concise, and precise? Is it engaging, sophisticated, vivid or witty? Does anything need to be explained or developed further? Are the sentences grammatically correct? Do the sentences flow into each other smoothly? Is the essay choppy to read? Confusing? Obvious? Repetitive? Wordy? What could you do to improve your prose style?

8. Include a word count, a creative title, page numbers, Works Cited, and perhaps Explanatory Notes. DO NOT use plastic folders. Please STAPLE the paper. Submit an electronic version to Safe Assign and a paper version to me at the start of class. Please be on time.

Take advantage of The WRITING CENTER for any stage of your writing!