Research Paper Assignment Sheet

White English 4 Writer’s Workshop Research Paper College Bound Seniors You should challenge yourself in choosing a topic for your research paper since you are attending a four-year college or university. Most four-year colleges and universities require that students know how to write a literary based research paper. These are some good choices for you. IDEAS TO CONSIDER IN RESEARCH WORK ON LITERATURE 1. Evaluations of specific works – you must specify the work at the time of sign up 2. How an author’s work are part of a movement (romanticism, realism, etc.) 3. Author’s influence on literary culture 4. Themes: initiation, maturations, rebirth, isolation, loneliness, sin, conscience, etc,) 5. Major influences on an author’s life and work (Ex. The times, as seen in Lord of the Flies) 6. Symbolism as it is seen in a literary work – cannot be something that we have done in class (ie. Renaissance Poetry) 7. Development of character: unconventional as opposed to prototype characters in an author’s work’ selfishness and self-indulgence in characters; comparison of similar characters in various works) 8. Writer’s attitude toward life as seen in his work (attitude toward war, people, social movement, etc.) 9. Importance of environment seen in author’s work 10. Conflicts as seen in author’s work: good vs. evil; law vs. conscience; social and moral conflicts; conflicts between generations; man vs. nature; man vs. society; man vs. himself; man vs. God) 11. Social conditions as seen in certain works 12. Various elements of literature as seen in the author’s works: the grotesque (as seen in Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley), the supernatural, satire, etc. 13. Code of conduct as seen in a work or works 14. Comparison of similar characters in works by the same or different authors Two Year College/Tech Students Those who are pursuing a two year degree do not need to know how to write a literary based research paper. You must still learn the skills because they also require students to write research in some fashion. These are some topics that are more suited for your post-high school experiences. IDEAS TO CONSIDER IN RESEARCH ON OTHER TOPICS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

The effects of eating disorders on the body Reading an individual’s nonverbal communication Credit Card debt and fraud Dieting/Weight loss Domestic Violence Use of mandatory sentencing in crimes Importance of multi-cultural education School vouchers Lottery Funded Education Effects of second hand smoke Bullying causes school violence Megan’s Law Safety and effectiveness of juvenile boot camps Juvenile criminals being tried as adults Effects of single-gender education Zero tolerance policies in schools

Research Guidelines Assignment:

1)

Choose a topic from one in the list above based on your post secondary plans. If you think of something different that you would much rather do, you must have it approved first. Assignment # 1: Topic Worksheet ** Due = March 5, 2009

2.

Devise your thesis statement. You must have a thesis statement in order to tell me something here. Your thesis statement must be the last sentence of your introduction. Assignment #2: Thesis Development Worksheet ** Due = March 9, 2009

3.

Create an outline of your essay. Create an outline showing exactly what your essay will cover in each of you body paragraphs. You will be turning in a final outline as a part of your final research packet. Assignment # 3: Preliminary Outline** Due = March 16, 2009

4.

Create your bibliography cards/note-cards for your outline You need 4x6 index cards. These cards will show two things 1) the sources that you consulted for your essay and 2) any information that you received from those sources. You must use the works cited format to complete the works cited cards. Assignment #4: Bibliography (10), Note Cards (three notes for each bibliography card), and Source Worksheet. Due = March 23, 2009

5.

Write your essay. Use the outline and works cited/note-cards that you have created to help you put your essay together. You must have at a minimum three (7) sources document in the body of your paper. Be sure that you CITE these parenthetically and properly place them on the Works Cited page. YOU CANNOT HAVE A WORKS CITED PAGE IF YOU HAVE NO PARENTHETICAL CITIATIONS IN THE BODY OF YOUR ESSAY. If you have taken the time to do steps 1 – 4, then you will have no problems here. If you have not completed steps 1 – 4, then GOOD LUCK! Your must have at least seven (7) sources listed on your Works Cited Page. Assignment #5: Rough Draft Due = April 1, 2009

6.

Proofread your essay. Reread your essay for any typographical errors. Nothing irks me more than a poorly written piece of prose.

7.

Submit your final essay. All term paper materials must be submitted in a folder with pockets. It must include ALL of the following – this is the sequence that they should be placed in the folder. Left Pocket: 1) Final Draft w/ Works Cited Attached 2) Final Outline 3) Zerox copies of sources cited in paper Right Pocket: 1) Assignment 2) Assignment 3) Assignment 4) Assignment

#1 #2 #3 #4 – you can place these in the front of the pocket

** All Handouts for this assignment are posted in the research paper folder on SchoolFusion. Additional Help with Research Paper: You must sign up in the Make-Up Agenda for an appointment to receive additional help with the research paper. If you do not sign-up to get help, then I do not know if you need help. Essay Guidelines written using current MLA Formatting and documentation standards – use this cite for general questions:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/ (also linked on the webpage) -

must have 1000 – 1500 words

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must be typed – no excuses

copy

rough draft can be submitted in Google Docs but final must be printed and submitted on a hard

Library Days – March 11, 12, and 13 (maybe) Due Date:

April 10, 2009