ENG 102 Research Paper Assignment
Requirements: Approximately 8-10 double-spaced pages using 3-4 sources in addition to the text and an annotated bibliography
Due: Saturday, March 11th 2017
First, you must choose your text. You may write your research paper on any short story we have read in the first half of the course.
You will perform a critical, research-oriented analysis on your chosen text. Your paper will be comprised of several parts: critical analysis and interpretation, evaluation of secondary criticism, biographical sketch and historical component.
Analysis:
Analysis is a method of studying the nature of something (in this case a literary text) for the purpose of determining its essential features and their reactions.
(1) There are a number of ways to approach this assignment. You could analyze a single theme which you identify in the text. (Theme: A unifying or dominant idea, motif, topic, etc.). Evaluate how the story explores this theme or idea (i.e. aspects of the plot, specific details, word choice, language, shifts in tone or voice, lack of plot, images, etc.). You could also focus the essay on a message or commentary the text seems to be making about humanity, society, gender politics, etc.
(2) You should also make an effort to make connections between the various components of the essay when appropriate. For instance, if events in the author’s life seem to bear some connection to the ideas they explore in the text, be sure to highlight that connection. Completing this essay should add greater context to the texts you have been reading and expand your thinking about the texts.
(3) You may also use one of your previous essays as a basis for beginning the research paper. Feel free to expand a discussion that you would like to explore further.
Secondary Criticism:
You should engage in conversation with at least three critics about your text. You will need to read your secondary sources for understanding, being able to articulate the argument being made and evaluating that argument in light of your own argument. This is the skill you employed in writing Response Essay Three. Your secondary criticism should come from scholarly sources (i.e. journals, books, e-books, etc.).
Biographical Sketch:
You should research the author’s life and experiences, and see if you are able to make a connection between the author’s own life and what you see in their work.
Historical Moment:
At what moment in history was the text written? Are there any significant historical events occurring at this time? If so, can you see any connection between the time period and the issues arising in the text? If not, simply provide some brief information about the time period.
Annotated bibliography instructions:
Instructions for Using One Search and Other Harper College Library Resources
You will be spending your final weeks of the course completing your research paper. Many of you are already very familiar with Harper’s Library resources. However, if you are not or would like a brief guide, the following could be useful.
Most obviously, you are able to visit the library in person, where you can speak to a librarian who will be able to guide you through locating various print resources. However, Harper’s library also provides access to a wealth of online search engines. They can be easily accessed on the Harper College Library Website. You can find a direct link to the library website under the “Tools” tab in our Blackboard shell.
Many students enrolled in online courses have found the library’s One Search tool incredibly useful for locating research materials. Through One Search you can access complete online journals, journal articles, e-books, newspaper articles, book reviews, etc.
In order to use One Search:
1. Go to the Harper College Library home page at https://dept.harpercollege.edu/library/
2. In the box labeled “Search Our Library”, you will see the “One Search” tab
3. Enter your search terms in the text box and click “Search”
When entering search topics:
• Enter topics in quotation marks in order to make your search more accurate. For example, enter “The Lottery by Shirley Jackson”. This search yields 143 results. Searching the same words without the quotation marks yields 6,993 results.
• You can also use the menu bar on the left side of the screen to narrow your search results by the type of source, publication date, special topic and language.
• Remember to select “Full Text Online” to ensure that the sources yielded in your search are fully accessible online. Otherwise, you will receive results that include sources that are only available in print.
• Each source also includes a “Preview” button. Clicking this button will sometimes offer you a brief summary of the source, but will always include the number of pages, source information, etc.
• Lastly, clicking the quotation marks located in the top right corner of each source list will give you a citation for the source. Feel free to copy/paste this citation into your annotated bibliography, but be sure to double check that the source is in MLA format.
Essay Writing Tips
This brief handout is meant to serve as a resource for students writing essays for ENG101 and ENG102 Composition courses. It addresses common writing issues and mistakes that occur frequently in student essays. Please reference this document as your construct and proofread future writing assignments.
• Thesis statement – Take care to construct a thesis statement that clearly articulates the focus of the essay. The thesis statement should be the last sentence of your introduction.
• Paragraphs:
o Length – A solid paragraph consists of approximately 5-7 (ish) complete sentences. Paragraphs containing fewer than 5 sentences tend to be weak and lacking sufficient information to adequately and/or fluidly convey the intended idea. At times, paragraphs may be longer than 7 sentences due to quotes being included or because a writing assignment has a larger scope (i.e. paragraphs in a 3-5pg. essay will likely be shorter than paragraphs in a 10-15pg. research essay).
o Content and Structure: The first sentence of each paragraph (except the introduction) should be a topic sentence. The topic sentence functions as a “thesis statement” for that particular paragraph. It provides a clear idea of what the topic of that paragraph will be. Strong topic sentences are an essential to a well-organized essay.
o Do not begin or end a paragraph with a quote
o The final sentence of your paragraph should connect the information in that paragraph back to your thesis and/or provide a transition into the next paragraph.
• When referencing literary works in your writing, place short stories in quotation marks and longer works (i.e. books) in italics. Refer to OWL at Purdue for further information on MLA format and citation.
• Avoid Run-On Sentences and Fragments
• Use author’s last name after using the full name once
• Avoid using first person
• Avoid vague language (i.e. something, a certain idea, etc.). Instead, be as specific as possible.
• Avoid “I believe” “I think”: Although this is a common occurrence, there is no need to include these phrases in your essays for two main reasons: First, it is assumed that the ideas in the essay belong to the writer. Secondly, your writing appears more confident without the constant reference to self.
• Quote sandwich: Think of a direct quote or paraphrase as the “meat” in a sandwich. You should not insert a quote without a. an introduction to the quote (i.e. “ Chopin states”, “according to Hemingway”, etc.). Following the quote, you should include a sentence that provides further analysis, explanation, and contextualization of the quoted material that makes connections for the reader and makes it clear why the quote was useful to prove that particular point.
• Connect back to your thesis – Throughout your essay, you should connect your analysis/discussion back to your original thesis. Doing so will help to keep your writing focused and organized.
C needs annotated bibliography for 3 pages
