Essay Instructions: DO NOT USE
Young Goodman Brown,”
(420-428) “The Tell Tale Heart,” (36-40) “A Rose for Emily” (30-35); “The Cask of Amontillado” (“Rappaccini?s Daughter” (course materials backpack #6) and “Godfather Death” (12-13)
The Open Boat” (185-201);
“The Necklace” (Course materials backpack #8); Read “The Lottery” (247-252);
“A Good Man is Hard to Find” (369-379); “Everyday Use” (455-461); “Paul?s Case”(491-505) “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” (79-85); “Barn Burning” (155-167)
“A Clean Well-Lighted PLACE
“Hills like White Elephants” Fire and Ice” (703);“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (1044); “The Road Not
Taken” (859); “?Out Out??"„“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died” (962); “I Like to
See it Lap the Miles (6/22: SHELLEY: “Ozymandias” (YEATS: “Sailing to Byzantium” (937).POE:
“Annabel Lee” ( THOMAS: “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night”
(824); JARRELL: “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” “The Love Song of
J.Alfred Prufrock” ( “Daddy” (: “Skunk Hour”
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Writing the Literary Research Paper
A literary research paper utilizes both primary and secondary sources. A primary source is the work or works of literature being analyzed. The secondary source is a piece of literary criticism written about the primary source(s). Some secondary sources include, but are not limited to, the following: journals, magazine articles, newspaper articles, web sites, books, television programs, films, CD-ROM databases, and radio programs. In order to write a successful literary research paper, the writer must first read the primary source(s) carefully, taking notes as he or she reads and then examine the secondary sources written about the primary source(s). Some writers find it beneficial to read the criticism first so they will have an idea about what to read for in the primary source. This technique also may allow the reader to develop topics before reading the primary work(s).
For this paper, you will need to choose one primary source, which may be any poem(s) or short story (stories) of literary merit. If you choose one work, it MUST be a work that we DID NOT discuss in class. If you choose more than one work, at least one of the works must be one that we DID NOT discuss in class. For example, you may do a paper discussing Poe’s use of mood in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Since we read “The Cask of Amontillado” in class, you must choose another work to analyze along with it. You are NOT REQUIRED to do a paper on more than one work. Just remember that if you choose to write about one work, it must be a work read outside of class. You may choose one of the authors discussed in class or not. The choice of topics is entirely up to you with the previously mentioned limitations. When researching literary works, some people use highlighters while others take notes in a dialectical journal: you should choose the method that works best for you. The format for the paper will be as follows:
I. Introduction
A. Lead-in (includes title and author of primary source(s) (CM) possibly some (CD)
B. Thesis (one sentence that explains the purpose of the paper)
II. Body Paragraph 1
A. CM
B. Support from primary source(s) (CD)
C. Support from secondary source(s) (CD)
D. CM
III. Body Paragraph 2
A. CM
B. Support from primary source(s) (CD)
C. Support from secondary source(s) (CD)
D. CM
IV. Body Paragraph 3
A. CM
B. Support from primary source(s) (CD)
C. Support from secondary source(s) (CD)
D. CM
V. Conclusion
A. Restatement of thesis (using different words)
B. Closing (CM)
The number of body paragraphs you have correlates to the number of thesis points that you are making; therefore, your paper may have as few as two body paragraphs. Regardless of the number of body paragraphs, the paper must be documented in MLA style. Documentation in a research paper is a two part process. The first part of the documentation is called parenthetical documentation or in-line documentation. When documenting printed sources, such as books, journals, and magazines, you place the author’s last name(s) and the page number(s) on which you found the information you have just incorporated into your paper. For example, if you were doing a paper on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, you might have a citation such as (Wilde 42), indicating that the quote you used can be found on page 42 of Wilde’s novel. If you use more than one work by the same author, you would not only put the author and page number, but also a key word from the title. Let’s say you were using both “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Black Cat” by Poe as your primary sources. For the first source, your citation would read (Poe “Tell” 35), and the citation for the second source would read (Poe “Black” 15). That way, the reader will know which work is being cited. Documentation for secondary sources is the same except instead of the author of the primary source, you use the author of the secondary source. This documentation method works for all print sources. If you are using an electronic source, such as a web page or database, the in-line citation would be everything listed above except the page number. For example, if you used a journal article taken from a database, you would put the author’s last name. If you had more than one work by the same author, you would need to put the author’s name as well as a key word from the title so that the reader can differentiate one source from another. The same would hold true for websites and other non-print sources such as videotapes and recordings.
The second part of the documentation process is the works cited page. It only contains the works you actually used in writing the paper. Your works cited page will contain a minimum of four entries--the primary source and at least three secondary sources. If you write about two primary sources, you works cited page will contain a minimum of five sources, the two primary sources and the three secondary sources. The next page contains a sample works cited page. Please consult an MLA guide or your handbook if needed.
Please remember that this is only a sample works cited page. The first entry is for an essay taken from an anthology of critical essays. The second entry shows the format for a videotape. The third entry is for an online work. The fourth entry illustrates an essay taken from a collection of criticism such as Contemporary Literary Criticism. The fifth entry shows a work taken from a database. The final entry is for a play taken from a collection of plays. If you are not sure of the correct format to use, consult the MLA Handbook, your English 1302 handbook, or the College of the Mainland‘s library homepage. There are many online style guides as well. Just be certain that it is MLA style rather than APA, Chicago, Tarrabian, or another style.
Finally, the paper needs to be 4-6 typed, double spaced pages PLUS the works cited page. This works out to roughly a 1000-1500 word paper. Please follow your syllabus for deadlines for both rough drafts and final copies. Due to deadlines imposed by the registrar’s office, I cannot accept late research papers.
When choosing a topic, you may focus on a single idea such as literary values, religion, society, nature, reform, war or women, the author’s style, influence, or reputation. Though I will be happy to offer advice and leads, please remember that choosing, shaping, and focusing a topic are integral parts of the assignment and the course as a whole. Please keep in mind that your thesis must make clear your critical approach to the topic. Choose something that interests you. A good start is the list of terminology we discussed during unit one called “The Elements of Fiction.” For example, you might do a paper on religious symbolism in the short stories of Flannery O’Connor or themes of guilt in the stories of Poe. If you are doing your paper on poetry, think about the elements that are found in poems such as figurative language, meter, and rhyme. Use your imagination as well as the criticism to aid you in choosing a topic. See what the critics write about, and choose your topic based on that.
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English 1302
Spring 2007
Mr. Remollino
Paper Requirements
The following list refers to all writing assignments that you will submit in English 1302, including the two short papers (the character analysis and poetry explication), and the longer, research paper. Please keep this requirement list and use it with each of the writing assignments.
All papers for this course need to meet the following requirements in order to be acceptable:
1. Topic must meet the guidelines for each assignment. For example, you must write a character analysis for theme #1 using one of the stories or videos from the first unit. Follow the prompts for each writing sample carefully. I have had students in the past write the research paper for theme #1. They are two completely different assignments.
2. Paper must be word processed. Use size 12 font. Be careful when selecting a font style. Script or other non-professional fonts are not appropriate for formal papers.
3. Paper must be double spaced. In order for me to read an essay, it has to be double spaced. I cannot read or comment on single-spaced work.
4. Always give your writing an original title. Do not call your paper Theme 1, Character Analysis, or "A Rose for Emily." Make the title creative, encouraging the reader to want to read your paper.
5. Do not punctuate your own title. If you use the title of the work as a part of your title, punctuate the work's title but not your own. In other words, your own title should not be underlined or enclosed in quotation marks. You only punctuate others' titles. Here is an example: A Descent Into Madness: Love and Betrayal in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily”
6. Use a full heading. In the upper-left-hand margin, put your name, course (including section number), instructor name, and paper due date. This information should be double spaced as well. Here is a sample:
March 5, 2007
7. In the upper-right-hand corner, put the header, which contains your last name and the page number. If you are not sure how to set up a header, ask me. It should ONLY contain your last name (with only the first letter capitalized) and the page number (no p. or pp.). The header should look like this: Smith 2. All pages, including the first page, should have the header in the upper-right-hand corner.
8. Use one inch margins on all sides. I will not take a ruler and measure, but a paper with uneven margins looks unprofessional.
9. Email your essay as an RTF file attached to an email document. Consult the documentation for your word processor or contact me if you do not know how to save your work as an RTF file or do not know how to attach documents. This is very important. Papers not sent as RTF files are unacceptable, and you will receive an email from me telling you to resend it if it is in the wrong format. If you resend it after the deadline, it will be considered late.
10. Proofread your essay carefully for errors in grammar, mechanics, spelling, and rhetoric. It does not matter how good the content is if the paper is riddled with errors.
11. Make sure you document your essay properly in MLA style. I will go over MLA style before each of the writing assignments, indicating specifics for each particular assignment. You will receive a copy of the plagiarism policy and will sign that you have received this policy. Plagiarism in all its forms is unacceptable.
12. Make sure you are aware of all deadlines. Late themes are penalized one letter grade per day late. The research paper will not be accepted late. I do not count weekends when assessing penalties.
14. Finally, if you have any questions about an assignment, ask. I try to be very specific about assignments, and after 21 years of teaching college English, I usually know what to expect and try to prevent any problems or confusion. Please adhere to these guidelines. I provide them to you in hope that you will read them and write a successful essay.
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