English Literature

Research Assignment Overview Overview You will complete a five page research paper that focuses on literary analysis. The paper will give you a chance to apply many of the techniques we discuss in class. Selecting a Topic Your analysis will focus on the work of one of the author’s we study in class. In addition to covering the selection(s) we read in class, you are expected to read additional work by the author. The instructor will help you to make those decisions. Choose from one of the author’s listed below: Sandra Cisneros Ernest Hemingway Langston Hughes Nikki Giovanni Robert Frost Emily Dickinson Arthur Miller Edgar Allan Poe Thesis Your goal is to develop a paper that focuses on several themes that are found in the work of your chosen author. Purpose of the Assignment In English 102 students are expected to develop a claim through the application of literature resources and engage in academic conversations about one or more specific piece of literature in a way that demonstrates a thoughtful engagement with literature. Audience Keep in mind that this is an academic paper. You are writing for a sophisticated audience that understands and appreciates literature. Research Since this is a research paper, you will be required to use critical sources in addition to the work of the author you selected. You must have a minimum of three critical references (and you will probably use them multiple times.) Documentation You must use the MLA format as required by the WCC English Department. Specific guidelines for doing so are found on the WCC Library website Integration of Quotations In this literary research paper, you will want to support your ideas with direct quotes. Some of those quotes will come from the actual works you have read by the author. Others will come from some of the critical works you are citing. The Essay: Organization of parts/Development of Claim This five page research paper should focus on the themes developed by the author you selected. You may choose to introduce a limited amount of biographical information about the author you select, but you should focus on the themes found most often in the author’s work. How the Assignments Will be Graded Grading will be done according to the Standard Humanities Rubric. Students should also review the policy on plagiarism that has been developed by the College and the English Department.

English 202 Research Paper Assignment Text: The research paper is a documented prose work resulting from an organized analysis of a subject. Your paper will examine particular writers’ works. The stories you have chosen to read will be the focus of your research paper. It is not a biographical sketch of the writer; however, you may include biographical information if it relates to your thesis. It is not a plot summary; I can read the stories for that. Primarily, you are going to take a position about the works and use specific events or quotes from the work to support and explain that position. Your thesis statement will be based upon this position. In addition, you are going to examine what literary critics have to say concerning the work. You must read the work prior to beginning your research. Format: Research papers must be typed and formatted according to current MLA documentation style. This includes using Times New Roman, 12 point font. You will be expected to list each of your sources in proper MLA format on the Works Cited page at the end of your research paper. You will also use proper MLA parenthetical internal documentation throughout your paper. The MLA Handbook is an absolute necessity. You cannot pass the research paper if your format is wrong! Length: A minimum of five full pages of text (double-spaced). In addition, you will include a Works Cited page. You cannot pass the paper if you do not have the required length on the paper! Sources: A minimum of six (6) sources is required. You must have four (4) secondary sources quoted directly in the body paragraphs (there should be at least 1 secondary source per main point). You cannot pass the research paper without including four secondary sources. The literary works you have chosen (short stories) will count as a fifth and sixth source, the primary sourcse. There are many sources available for literary research, and I expect you to use a variety of sources. You should use at least one article as a source, and you can have only one Internet source. Masterplots, Cliffs Notes, Spark Notes, eNotes, Grade Saver, Wikipedia, and Classic Notes DO NOT count as a source. This is not a comprehensive list. There may be other websites that you will not be allowed to use. Please consult me if you have any doubts about whether or not you should use a website. Process: You will be expected to follow a guided process in your research and writing. I have designed the course to make it easier for you to write a research paper step by step. On the course syllabus, I have indicated dates when topics, thesis statements and outlines, and rough drafts are due. I will be maintaining a file which will indicate whether or not you have completed these steps. Any student who fails to follow these steps in a timely manner and does not indicate a work in progress will not be allowed to turn in a research paper. If the minimum requirements are not met (minimum length, minimum number of sources, etc.) for this paper, IT WILL NOT BE GRADED!! Other guidelines to consider: 1 DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE and expect to do well on the research paper without having read the book. 2 Your first two assignments (worksheets #1 and #2) will be completed as we start our library time and will entail your getting to know your author, what critics say the themes of your novel are, and setting up a tentative thesis and outline. 3 Ultimately, your paper will focus on the themes within the novel. It will not be a biographical study or a summary of the plot. 4 Your two biggest enemies will be disorganization and procrastination. Organization-Have the following materials with you at all times: research packet, handbook, primary source, photocopies of secondary sources Staying on Schedule-You have been given a calendar with all due dates clearly marked. As you are working on your own in the library, you must be responsible enough to work at a steady pace. No late work will be accepted or checked for any reason. Early checks are always possible. 5 Research papers (both the rough draft and the final draft) must be typed. Computer labs are located on the 2nd floor of the college library and on the 2nd floor of Building G. Because computer classes are taught in the computer labs, you will need to go by the location most convenient to you and find the posted available times for student use. Save your work on your disk. Computer problems and printer problems will not be accepted as an excuse for late work. 6 If you are concerned about your paper, I will be happy to check rough drafts. However, I will only check research papers if you make an appointment (face-to-face or phone) during my office hours. Any paper sent via email will not be checked

This assignment is the basis of your term paper and is your opportunity to propose the general idea of your project. This works two-fold: it allows for you to already start sketching out what American culture means to you both personally and academically while also getting you on the journey to conceptualize a broader project that can address these ideas. These projects should be of interest to you so that it’s something you enjoy completing. There are minimal limits on this project, the only being that it needs to fit within the conceptual scope of the course (and must be social scientific in nature). To that end, you’re welcome to think of American culture in many ways though you should consider the Week 1 and 2 readings as guidance on how to articulate what qualifies as culture, though you can also look ahead a bit and see if those weeks offer you some inspiration as well. For example, we have a week where we are discussing issues of TV in America and maybe you want to talk about music or food; that’s great! Maybe you want to discuss something like the changes in religiosity in America, that also works but don’t just think of it as changing demographics about American religious participation, you need to make sure that you will subsequently connect into cultural shifts in the US (i.e. keep you mind on the interpretative aspect or why/why it matters). (cue Ron Popeil voice) “and so much more!” Basically, your term paper is about an aspect of American culture that you want to know more about including some aspects of how it came to be and a clear articulation of how/why it matters. Make sure it is Times New Roman, size 12, with 1-inch margins, double-spaced. I’m not entirely concerned about specific length (aim for about a page, but you can go longer) but you should take as much space as necessary to address each required element in a sufficient manner (i.e. I should understand fully your thinking and reasoning behind each). Acceptable file types: .doc, .docx, .pdf (I have set Canvas to only accept these types so if you can’t upload, make sure that you’ve saved it as a correct file type). Your proposal must contain the following elements Topic: The broad topic in which you’re interested. Also, why are you interested in this topic/area of study? Research Question: Make this the actual question you want to answer, such as “In what ways is American popular culture still influenced by minstrels?,” “How have changes in American culture influenced religious participation?,” or “How has American cuisine been influenced by changes in immigration patterns? Discuss your thoughts behind this question, why this research question exactly? Give some pre-emptive insight into your thoughts: what do you think the answer to this question is (and why)? Population: It’s always good to make sure your particular population of interest is discussed. So, while we are discussing American culture writ large, there are various groups/populations you may want to focus on. In my own research on the cultural bases of pricing, I focus specifically on self-employed craftspeople. This section is to make sure you’re articulating your topic proposal in a manner that lets us know you’ve considered begun considering the important facets of your topic. Who does your topic and research question apply to? Why this population? Who does it not apply to? Does this create any difficulties in understanding it, or is it a strength? 3 academic, peer-reviewed sources that help to explain and address your paper’s topic with two to three sentences explaining how each connects to your topic. So, if I was writing about how fashions in computer brands is connected to issues of e-waste, I’d want to start looking for articles talking about changing dynamics of computer consumption as well as articles that address the topic of e-waste and its changing dynamics 1 non-academic (but trustworthy!) source that gives descriptive information to motivate the project with two to three sentences explaining how each connects to your topic. So, keeping with the prior topic, I’d want to get find a trustworthy source that tells me something like how many computers are produced each year, how many computers are recycled each year, how many computers are thrown away each year, or even (as a recent news report found) how certain companies contractually require all recycling centers to destroy everything so it’s melted down in its constituent parts for reuse rather than allow for parts to be salvaged and used while repairing peoples computers. Finally, a list of the search terms you used and which databases you used to find these articles.

Summarize what “Last Seen: Voices from Slavery’s Past” is about. Describe what it is to someone who has never seen or heard of it. (2) Explain what you think the purpose of this performance is. What is it trying to accomplish? (3) Discuss your reaction to this performance. Did you like it? What did it make you think about?

https://www.adsoftheworld.com/media/digital/hello_hub_hate_unplugged Watch the ad above and write a short analysis paper that discusses the concern over power as it is tackled in this short video.

I need answers for 2 questions of the duke in disguise novel by Cat Sebastian but in details please and thank you 1-How can you tell A Duke in Disguise is a romance novel (besides me telling you)? 2-What is keeping Ash and Verity apart?

How does literature reflect society? How does literature relate to social issues? With those questions in mind, provide a literary analysis of the reading of your choice in the Select Readings folder. From there, provide a larger analysis of the role of literature in society. You must link the analysis of the select reading to the larger discussion about literature and social issues. • Write a 6-8 page research paper based on a literary work in the Select Readings folder. You will present your research on the last day of class. • This is both a research assignment AND a literary analysis. The essay MUST connect your research to the content of the literary work, and you must cite from the literary work in addition to your secondary sources. • The essay must use at least three academic sources in addition to the literary work and include a Works Cited page. Feel free to incorporate non-academic sources in addition to the three required academic sources. • The essay must be a minimum of 6 pages BEFORE the Works Cited page. • Your essay must use quotes from the novel and cite your sources using MLA style. See the MLA chapter of the Writer’s Reference textbook for how to use MLA formatting. • The essay should be double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font. Please email the essay to me by midnight on Tuesday, 7/7. LATE FINALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. -The poem that I have sent is to be referenced throughout the entire essay.

Choose ONE of the topics below on the poems that have been assigned over the last several weeks and write a double-spaced essay (500 to 1,000 words) supporting an interpretation of the poem. Use the sample essays in your Literature text, as well as the handouts as guides. You can choose a formalist approach or any of the contextual approaches, but be sure to support your thesis with evidence from the poem itself. Also, be sure that you explain how that evidence fits your interpretation. You are trying to convince your reader that your way of approaching the poem is a reasonable one. Your essay should be at least 750 words long and should be double-spaced. Your essay should have a title, a hook or pull in to start the introduction, and a clear thesis statement with a claim and point of support. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that is a claim about the poem that is related to your thesis statement. You should use carefully selected words, phrases, images, figures of speech, etc. as evidence to support your claims. All evidence should be supported by explanation and argument as well. Quoted material should be placed in quotation marks and followed by the line number or numbers in parentheses. Your paper should also contain a conclusion and a Works Cited page. You might also check out the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University for help in writing about poetry (type OWL and Purdue into Google and, if prompted, choose the link that says “Non Purdue instructors and students). Finally, check out the numerous examples of student essays in your anthology.

“Share your Rogerian Argument field test. Proceed in this order: 1. First, what was the occasion of the disagreement (context, background)? 2. Second, describe how you employed these four steps of Rogerian argument with your “adversary” (I prefer the term “partner”). Again, here are the steps you must follow during your conversation with the person: a. Summarize the grievance between you and your partner. b. State your partner’s position. Make sure he or she agrees that you’ve stated correctly his/her position. c. Grant the validity of his or her position. [This is the crucial element of the dialogue, as it builds goodwill and a bridge toward resolution. Be sure to state clearly and in detail how much you respect and empathize with your partner’s position.] d. Show how his or her position will be improved if he or she also accepts your position. 3. Finally, how did your partner in the discussion respond? Was the grievance resolved, stayed same, escalated? “

As you read The Glass Menagerie, take notes on the following topics. write a short essay on one of these topics: 1. As you work through the play, make one list of references and descriptions of objects you encounter that embed the action in the “real” world of life in the Wingfield apartment and another list of what you perceive as “non-real” devices that enhance the development of the play. Be prepared to share and defend items on your lists with explanations of how they contribute to various aspects of the play. Give thought, particularly, to how Williams interweaves items on the two lists to effect “innuendo and nuances” that contribute to his development of characterization, narrative and theme.