Fluent Essays

Literary Analysis Research Paper by David A. James The type of research paper required in most sophomore literature courses is generally referred to as a literary analysis research paper because its focus must be on an element of the literary work’s construction as a piece of literature—for example, an element such as the work’s characters or conflict or symbolism or theme, or perhaps two or more related literary elements [such as the interrelated elements of conflict development and theme, or symbolism’s contribution to the creation of theme(s)]. It would not focus on such ideas as the author’s life (biography), the historical events and beliefs of the period in which it was written (historical and/or sociological aspects of the work), or psychoanalysis of the characters (psychology), as these are not elements of literary analysis, though passing reference to one or more of these is usually acceptable. If there’s any doubt regarding the acceptability of a particular idea you’re considering, it’s essential to consult with the professor before proceeding further in order to avoid wasted time on an inappropriate writing topic. While individual approaches to a research paper involving literary analysis may vary, one standard approach can be presented as follows: YOUR IDEAS + TEXTUAL EVIDENCE + RESEARCH = LITERARY ANALYSIS RESEARCH PAPER about the work of literature (presented in the form of a thesis opinion) from the work supporting your analytic ideas and thesis opinion to gather and incorporate critical works of scholarly analysis that relate to or support your thesis opinion This ‘formula’ for producing an effective literary analysis research paper can be detailed by the following process, or series of steps taken to achieve the ultimate goal. James 2 Selecting an Author and Literary Work Select an appropriate author (one whose works fall within the time parameters of the literature course in question) and one (possibly two, if brief) literary work(s) to analyze. For example, one novel/novella or two brief short stories would generally be selected to produce a research paper of 1500 or more words. In courses where long, complex works are covered (such as Homer’s Iliad or Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales), it is probably wise to attempt to analyze only a particular portion of the work. Again, consult with the professor about an appropriate choice of work or portion thereof. It is also helpful, though not necessary, to have previously read the literary work(s). This allows you to begin right away to direct your focus toward particular elements of the work(s) as you are re-reading because you already have familiarity with the basic plot and characters. ReEnglish This week, we will discuss the differences between an essay without credible outside sources and an essay in which you incorporate quotes from outside sources that have been properly vetted. For many students, the Internet is their primary research tool, and too often there is only cursory evaluation of the source of the accessed material. The textbook gives specific examples of reliable websites and why those sites can be regarded as trustworthy. For example, 123helpme.com, Spark notes, Cliff notes, and many other sites are not credible sources. Why? because they have not been properly vetted which means we do not know who wrote the summary (this matters). When developing your research paper assignment, determine the number and type of Internet sources that you will allow students to use. Students should understand that they need to use printed as well as electronic sources. Obviously, search engines such as Google have transformed the landscape of research and the Internet should never be banned out of hand as a place to find research material, yet much valuable scholarship is still not available online. To reduce the chance of plagiarism (unintended or blatant) from the web, and to ensure that Internet-referenced material is from a reliable source, you might require students to turn in a printed copy of the Internet source material with their final papers. The Reference Librarian (Mrs. Felder Johnson) will conduct a class session via zoom on March 11th at 11 am devoted to doing literary research. Many students do not know how to use all the resources available in their college library which is why Mrs. Felder Johnson will be conducting a zoom session on credible versus non credible sources and introducting students to the online databases. Documenting sources, especially Internet sources, is challenging for most students. For your last paper in E151, you need to learn how to choose a credible source and integrate that source seamlessly in your essay. The book for this class provides detailed information for citing print and Internet sources, a sample Works Cited list, and a comprehensive guide to the types of citations that students will likely use in their papers. I encourage students to allow sufficient time to prepare their Works Cited page, and review their papers for scrupulous documentation. Your last essay is not a 10 page research paper which I would ideally give for this course. Instead, the essay is going to be four pages in length exclusing the Works Cited page and youll need to demonstrate that you know how to integrate a source into your essay as well as prepare a proper Works Cited page. Because we humans procrastinate, it is advisable to break the task of generating a research essay into dated steps. This week in addition to a zoom session with Mrs. Felder Johnson, I am going to ask you to think about a topic for the zoom session on Thursday. For example, suppose you want to write a short 4 page paper on onDocumented Essay Instructions Due Date: March 31st (no exceptions) Format: MLA. Purpose: To demonstrate knowledge of using an outside source within a documented paper and to show integration of this source within an essay. Topic: Write a literary analysis in which you incorporate an outside source (an article from Academic Search Complete). Your outside source must be submitted along with a Works Cited page). Your Works Cited page should be on a separate sheet of paper. This last paper is worth 15\% of your overall grade. You must include a properly formatted Works Cited page. You must use in text citation from your source. Failure to include in text citation from your source and a Works Cited page will result in a grade of no higher than a 60. If you have significant grammatical errors and development problems in addition to submitting a plot summary, then a grade of no higher than a 60 will be marked on your essay. You can write your analysis on yet another short story, poem, OR a play from the anthology. You may not use a source OUTSIDE of Academic Search Complete and if you do so, then you will receive a failing grade on this assignment. Proper in text citation and a properly formatted Works Cited page is crucial to earning a passing grade on this final essay assignment. Your paper should include the following:  A literary thesis (three points)  Multiple paragraphs  Analysis supported by references to specific moments in the text, to include at least one properly cited and MLA formatted direct quotation and paraphrase (I have made many comments on papers for those who are not putting in direct quotes from the story. Essays that fail to incorporate quotes from the story will receive a grade of no higher than a C assuming there are not many grammatical errors!)  Writing that reflects knowledge of the conventions of standard American language and the literary terminology associated with fiction. This paper should have a thesis and a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should consist of multiple paragraphs. It should be supported with evidence from the short story and one outside source. You should be using formal, academic language, including some of the literary vocabulary you have been exposed to over the last few weeks. Finally, the paper should show that you have a good grasp of grammar, mechanics, and spelling. These are the elements that every paper, regardless of course, should have. Thesis: By now, you know that I require a three-point thesis and supporting paragraphs! This is not a literary thesis: Everyday Use is the story of two sisters and a mother who do not get along with each other. The reader already knows this. Note that this “thesis”.  is a statement of a self-evident fact or plot-point instead of a debatable position;  does not offer an analytical perspective on any of the concepts we associate with fiction (plot, character, setting, theme, point of view); and  includes an inc