ENGLISH II – SPRING SEMESTER RESEARCH PAPER



LITERARY RESEARCH PAPER – ENGLISH III AP PREP

The purpose of the English III literary research paper is to give the student the opportunity to pursue literary analysis on an independent basis within the context of the critical tradition surrounding an author or genre of literature. The goal is to write an analytical, thesis-based paper supported by references to the text(s) of the chosen work(s) and by references to secondary sources of a critical, biographical, and/or historical nature. Ideally, the student will ultimately formulate an original argument that adds something new to the critical tradition on his/her topic.

The research paper should take one of the following approaches (get approval for other approaches before starting research):

• Character study

• Historical criticism

• Biographical criticism

• Psychoanalytic criticism

• Archetypal/mythological study

• Postcolonial criticism

• Feminist criticism

• Formalist criticism

• Marxist criticism

The final draft submitted for grading must conform to or include the following:

• Submitted in a two-sided folder (See diagram below)

• Typed in Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spaced

• 5-7 pages in length (body only)

• Uses MLA form parenthetical citation to refer to at least five secondary sources, in addition to the primary text(s) of study

• Works Cited page in MLA form

• All notecards/notes

• All previous graded assignments

Materials

• Double-sided folder

• About 15 3x5 index cards

• About 50 4x6 index cards

• Enoch Pratt Free Library card *paperclip together

A few reminders…

• All steps of the research process must be completed in order

• The final paper will not be accepted if the student has not

completed the preliminary steps

• The student must keep all preliminary work for submission with the final paper

• Preliminary assignments will count toward third quarter grade; final product will count toward fourth quarter grade.

ASSIGMENT DEADLINES AND GRADE VALUES

| |Item Due |Due Date |Homework Points |Major Assessment Points |

|1 |Primary source selection & research | |10 |none |

| |project folder | | | |

|2 |5 source cards (total) | |10 |none |

|3 |Primary source reading journal | |50 |none |

|4 |Research Outline | |50 |50 |

|5 |Working thesis statement | |25 |none |

|6 |20 Sample note cards | |25 |none |

|7 |Preliminary outline | |50 |50 |

|8 |Completed rough draft | |50 |100 |

|9 |Final project submission | |none |500 |

| |Total points available | |270 |700 |

THE PRIMARY SOURCE: SUGGESTED WORKS AND AUTHORS

In order to get started…

1. Choose an author and text from the list (or one of similar literary merit.)

2. Read the literary selections, keeping detailed notes in a reading journal.

3. Read the selections again…

4. And again!

Short Fiction – Read several short stories by the author (minimum 75 pages of total text).

*Nathaniel Hawthorne *Ernest Hemingway Sandra Cisneros

^Herman Melville ^Mark Twain *Charlotte Perkins Gilman

*Kurt Vonnegut *Edgar Allen Poe ^John Updike

Kate Chopin Amy Tan ^Flannery O’Connor

^Eudora Welty ^John Steinbeck ^William Faulkner

*Stephen Crane *F. Scott Fitzgerald *Richard Wright

^O. Henry ^Sherwood Anderson *Bret Harte

Poetry – Read a book of poetry by the author (not a collection or anthologized edition)

^Robert Frost ^Ezra Pound ^T.S. Eliot

^E.E. Cummings ^Claude McKay ^Langston Hughes

^Countee Cullen ^W.H. Auden ^Theodore Roethke

^Gwendolyn Brooks ^Anne Sexton ^Sylvia Plath

^Denise Levertov ^Audre Lorde *Walt Whitman

*Emily Dickinson *Edgar Allan Poe ^A.R. Ammons

Novella – Read the entire work

Edith Wharton – Ethan Frome

^John Steinbeck – Of Mice and Men

*Ernest Hemingway – The Old Man and the Sea

^Henry James – Daisy Miller or The Turn of the Screw

^Herman Melville – Billy Budd

^Katherine Anne Porter – Pale Horse, Pale Rider

^Truman Capote – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Drama – Read the entire play

*Arthur Miller – All My Sons

^Tennessee Williams – The Glass Menagerie or A Streetcar Named Desire

^T.S. Eliot – Murder in the Cathedral

August Wilson – Fences or The Piano Lesson

^Eugene O’Neill – Long Day’s Journey into Night

^Thornton Wilder – Our Town

Explanatory notes

➢ An asterisk (*) denotes an author whose work is a part of the course curriculum.

➢ A caret (^) denotes an author whose work is not part of the course curriculum, but may be found in the textbook.

➢ All authors and texts on this list are pre-approved.

➢ Any text not on this list must be individually approved by the teacher (even if the author is on the list).

A GUIDE TO THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Step 1: Primary Source and Research Folder

Bring to class 1) a physical copy of the text(s) to be studied and 2) a double-sided folder in which to store all project handouts, guidelines, and finished assignments.

Step 2: 5 Source Cards

Using the model on the previous page, make one source card for the primary text. Then find four secondary sources and create a source card for each one. Here are some suggestions:

1. A biographical article from a source such as a literary encyclopedia

2. A longer biography, such as a book or book chapter on the author

3. A work overview of the primary source (multiple work overviews are recommended if the primary text is a collection of poetry, short fiction, or essays)

4. An article on the background of the primary source (historical/biographical context of writing, publishing history, critical reception, etc.)

See the handouts on “Finding Secondary Sources” and “Collecting & Organizing Information” for further instructions.

Step 3: Primary Source Reading Journal

The student is encouraged to do a first reading of the primary source before consulting any secondary sources in order to form his/her own original interpretation(s). There are no specific requirements for the reading journal. It is a forum to use for recording plot shifts, motifs, questions, personal reactions, and useful quotes during reading. The journal should conclude with a list of possible questions and topics for further research.

Step 4: Research Outline

The student will gather secondary source information tailored to fit the demands of a number of approaches to critical interpretation. These approaches are listed in a ten section outline. The student must complete sections I-V, as well as two other sections of his/her choice. The outline must be completed in phrase form and demonstrate proper categorizing of information, as well as developing expertise in the critical tradition surrounding the primary source. See the research outline handout for further instructions.

Step 5: Working Thesis Statement

After completing the research outline, the student should select a critical approach and compose a thesis statement that will guide further research. See the handout “Writing the Working Thesis Statement” for further instructions.

Step 6: Sample Note Cards

Since research is ongoing, the student should continue to record all new sources and information on index cards. This collection of index cards will be checked periodically by the teacher.

Step 7: Preliminary Outline

The preliminary outline is the first attempt to plan the actual research paper. The sections of the outline should clearly reflect the argument contained in the thesis. All sections should properly categorize information and be written in phrase form. The outline should not include quotes or source references. See the Kramer paper outline for further instructions.

Step 8: Rough Draft and Peer Editing

The rough draft must be a completed draft that meets the same page limit and documentation requirements as the final draft. Upon completion, the student will engage in two days of intensive peer editing.

Step 9: Final Submission of Research Folder

The research paper must be submitted in a two-sided folder containing all previously graded work, as well as any other items that help to accurately reflect the full extent of the student’s research. See final submission diagram for further instructions.

FINDING SECONDARY SOURCES

Secondary sources generally fall into a few categories. The most commonly useful in literary study are biographies, work overviews, and articles of literary criticism. For literary purposes, sources such as letters from or to the author, articles written by the author, or any other items outside of the primary text are considered secondary sources.

The best places to look for secondary sources are in the reference section of the local library and in online research databases. Students are discouraged from using general web search engines, such as Google or , which can not differentiate professional research from other unacceptable sources.

Accessing the ProQuest Databases

1. In a web browser, go to

2. Login. (username = student ID #; password = first name with first letter capitalized)

3. Click “student resources” on the row of tabs at the top of the page.

4. Select one of the ProQuest databases from the list.

• In ProQuest Literature, use the quick search function. Results will be clearly categorized by type. For information on literary movements and genres, browse the “Study Pages” area.

• In ProQuest, you may use the basic or advanced searches. Results will appear in list form, uncategorized.

5. Every time you find a useful source, immediately write the source citation down on a 3x5 notecard.  Copy all marks of punctuation and formatting exactly as they appear on the screen.  Any print that is italicized on the screen should be underlined or in quotation marks on your card.

6. Read the article and take some notes. While taking notes, write each piece of information or insight on a separate 4x6 notecard.

Accessing the Enoch Pratt Databases

Basic Search

1. In your web browser, go to

2. Click the "Databases" tab at the top of the page

3. Select "learn about books, authors, film, poetry, and plays”

4. Select "Literature Resource Center"

5. Type a library card number in the Card Access field and login

6. Click on the words "Click Here" (Don't mess up on this step or you will end up in the wrong place!)

7. You are now at the basic search page. Type in your search. See below for suggestions on how to do an advanced search

8. Use the tabs at the top of the results page to select “Literature Criticism,” “Biographies,” or “Work Overviews.”

9. Browse the list of results for an article title that fits your needs. You will need to get used to quickly skimming articles for relevant content so that you can move through several sources quickly.

10. Every time you find a useful source, immediately scroll to the bottom of the source page and copy all information next to the word "Source citation" onto a 3x5 notecard.  Copy all marks of punctuation and formatting exactly as they appear on the screen.  Any print that is italicized on the screen should be underlined on your card.

11. Read the source and take some notes. While taking notes, write each piece of information or insight on a separate 4x6 notecard.

Advanced Search

1. Once you are in the Literature Resource Center, select “Advanced Search” at the top of the web page.

2. You may use the multiple search fields to search simultaneously for multiple items. Use the drop box to the right of each search field to fit the type of information you want.

3. Enter further keywords or search terms as needed.

4. Click “Search.” Follow steps 9-12 as described above.

5. As you skim the search results, look for your keywords to be highlighted in red. This will help focus your reading on relevant material.

COLLECTING & ORGANIZING INFORMATION

All secondary research sources must be…

• from an approved scholarly source, such as an academic journal, library reference book, or research database.

• approved by teacher on an individual basis in the case of non-database internet sites.

• of an appropriate academic level.

For every secondary source found in the course of research…

1. Create a source card by writing the source citation in MLA format on a 3x5 index card. Assign each source card a different number.

Source

number

Complete citation in MLA format

2. As you read each secondary source, take notes on 4x6 index cards. Each note card should contain a distinct and separate piece of information recorded in the form of 1) a direct quote, 2) a paraphrasing of an author’s idea, or 3) a set of related facts.

Source

Slug

Quote

page #

Note: Only information from secondary sources should be recorded on note cards. Quotes and ideas from the primary source should be recorded in the reading journal.

-----------------------

Right Side of Folder

• Used source cards*

• Used note cards*

• Cover page

• Final outline

• Final draft

• Works Cited page

Left Side of Folder

• Unused source cards*

• Unused note cards*

• Research Outline (graded)

• Working thesis (graded)

• Preliminary outline (graded)

• Rough draft w/ peer comments

II.A.1 3

“The logical inconsistency that is inherent in Emerson's leaning upon one famous shoulder after another is the most serious problem [with his writing] and has nothing to do with cultural changes over time. It is simply that Emerson's core argument that readers should ignore the great men of the past and instead trust themselves should prevent him from using the great men of the past to justify his own thinking.” (2)

3

Norvell, Candyce. "Critical Essay on 'Self-Reliance,'." Nonfiction

Classics for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context, and

Criticism on Nonfiction Works. Ed. David M. Galens, Jennifer

Smith, and Elizabeth Thomason. Detroit: Gale, 2002.

Literature Resource Center. Gale. ENOCH PRATT FREE

LIBRARY. 24 Apr. 2009.

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