English

INSTRUCTIONS:  Research and write a paper of three to five pages on a literary topic based on our readings.  Because we started the class with short stories, you might find it easiest to choose a topic based on them.  However, you are free to choose topics that focus on the plays and poems on our reading list.  A listing of these works is in the course description/syllabus.

 

Remember, in a literary research paper you're not only presenting your own ideas on a work or group of works but also presenting the views of critics.  Their ideas will provide support or focus for your own.  Generally, it is these critics' ideas that you'll research.  However, don’t forget that this is YOUR paper, not the critics’.  You are NOT summarizing what the critics have to say.  Instead, you are advancing a thesis (You are singing the melody, so to speak).  The views of the critics are there to provide support and contrast (The critics are singing the chorus). 

Please remember the following points in writing your research paper:

1. BE SURE your paper has a limited precise thesis.  It is the starting point for all good papers.  Remember, a good thesis will guide your research and suggest the structure of your paper. Underline your thesis. 

2. Make certain that every paragraph supports your thesis.

3. ALSO, your paper must have  at least four outside/secondary sources and at least five citations. The sources can include books, ebooks, library database articles, scholarly essays, Youtube videos, articles from the internet, etc.  Your citations can include quotes, paraphrases, summaries, and ideas.

4. Use the MLA style of documentation.  Include a title page and a works-cited page.  Include page numbers and appropriate headings.  BE SURE your name appears on each page.

5. FINALLY: You will need to turn in copies of your “source pages.”  These are the articles, ebook pages, web pages, etc. from which you take information for your essay.  I use this material to help me understand your use of sources and thus grade your paper fairly and accurately.  You won’t be using Canvas/Turnitin to upload these files.  Later on, I will explain the process for turning them in. But please note the following:  First, by “source pages” I’m not talking about the information you put on a Works-Cited Page!  That’s a completely different issue.  I’m talking about the actual articles that you use for information in your essay.  Further, in most cases, you will upload ONLY the pages from which you take citations. If you have a ten-page article, I don’t want to see all ten pages.  I only want to see a page if you have taken a citation from it.  AND NOTE:   YOU MUST INCLUDE COPIES OF THESE “SOURCE PAGES” IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS ESSAY. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.  Also, be sure to put your name on the top of every “source page” that you hand in. In addition, highlight or mark the text of the source page that you are citing, and put a number next to it indicating the order in which the citation appears in your paper.  Insert a corresponding number in the margin or body of the text of your paper.  This sounds confusing, but I will be showing you examples.  In fact, it is quite easy.  For the sake of easy reference, we'll call this process of documenting/numbering your citations in this extra way "GLA." The "G" stands for me, "Geoff." Don't forget, you also need to use MLA in the normal way to document your sources.  

6. Sources from tccd.edu library online