Research Paper on Luisa Valenzuela's "I'm Your Horse in the Night" in relation to the Argentine Dirty War of "the disappeared"
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ResearchPaperWritingWorkshop21.pptxResearch Paper
Writing Workshop
Assignment
Research question:
How does the literary work or the author advocate for change in a particular society or culture?
Pablo Neruda’s “United Fruit Co.” and North American corporate imperialism
Nicolas Guillén’s “Ballad of the Two Grandfathers” and Cuban society in the 1930’s and today
Aimé Césaire’s “Out of Alien Days” and decolonization
Luisa Valenzuela’s “I’m Your Horse in the Night” and the Argentine Dirty War
Use books in the library and/or the library databases (in particular JSTOR and the MLA International Bibliography) to find 2 scholarly analyses of the work that you have chosen or of the author’s writing in general, as well as historical documentation regarding the societal context.
Write a 3-page analysis that presents your findings. Your paper should contain an introduction and a conclusion and must quote from at least 2 scholarly sources (online sources will not be accepted)
Parameters: Font Times 12, double-spaced. Begin at the top of the first page. This document, including all citations and your bibliography must follow MLA format as specified in the MLA Formatting and Style Guide (link provided below).
How to begin
What is the societal problem identified in the text? What are the contributing factors from different angles? How does the author suggest solutions ?
How do your sources answer this question?
Writing Exercise: cubing
Consider your topic from 6 different angles – like the sides of a cube.
1. Describe the topic
2. Associate it with a bigger context (ex. literary movements, colonialism, oppression etc.)
3. Analyze it (break it into parts, ex. author’s tone, literary techniques used, etc.)
4. Formulate a thesis statement
5. Argue for it. (develop a strong voice and be convincing and compelling)
6. Answer the question: So what?
Thesis
A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your approach. In a sense, the thesis statement is your answer to the central question or problem you have raised. Writing this statement will enable you to see where you are heading and to remain on a productive path as you plan and write. In other words, the thesis statement is the controlling idea around which you will frame your paper.
See Developing a Thesis or The Thesis Statement
Outline
Section 1: Introduce and explain topic. Include thesis statement.
Section 2: Set the context
Section 3: Organize and discuss research findings (multiple paragraphs with one main point in each paragraph) See Paragraph Development
Section 4: Conclusions
*Works Consulted list in MLA or APA format
In-text citations
Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263). in-text citations
Conclusions
When working on a major paper or project, students often give the conclusion the least amount of thought and write it at the last minute. Compelling conclusions are helpful and useful:
How will your conclusion reiterate, not just restate, your ideas? What will you leave readers to think about? How will your conclusion answer the ‘So what?’ question and serve as an extension of your original ideas?
Helpful words. An author:
agrees analyzes argues asks asserts believes
claims comments concedes concludes confirms considers contends declares demonstrates denies describes discusses emphasizes estimates explains
finds grants illustrates implies informs insists maintains negates notes observes offers
points out recommends refutes remarks reports reveals signals speculates suggests
Helpful Words: transitions within paragraphs
I. Topic sentence of paragraph
II. Major details: first, second, third, equally important, besides, furthermore, also, again, next, to begin with, as well as, in addition to, more, even more, more than that, lastly, finally
III. Minor details or explanations: For example, for instance, that is to say, namely, just as, specifically, in other words, to be sure, in the same manner, to be specific, such as, more clearly, in fact
IV. Closing sentence: In conclusion, to conclude, to sum up, for these reasons, in summary, finally, lastly
5-minute Writing Exercise
Write the rest of the story:
The nurse left work at 5 o’clock….
See rubric in Assignment
No.
