English 1302

Spring 2019

The Research Paper

This is the most complex and in-depth paper of the semester – the research paper!

This task is worth about 25% of your final semester grade and must be completed and turned in on time to receive credit for this class.

PAPER TOPIC

The topic can be chosen from one of the following areas:

**Choose an author of your choice and then PROVE/INFORM how his/her work(s) have impacted literature and society. For example, you may want to analyze characters in the work, analyze symbols, discuss themes found in the novel, etc., then PROVE how their writing(s) have literary importance and also impact society. This can be when the work(s) were published and/or today. Most of you will have a combination of at least two literary elements that work together to prove your thesis.

**Choose an event, item, or person and PROVE/INFORM how it impacted society (both when it happened or was introduced AND today). You will need to analyze why it was so important in its inception and how it has continued in importance today.

PAPER LENGTH

Your paper will be 5-7 pages in length. This format will include double spacing and one-inch margins (MLA Format).

NUMBER OF SOURCES

You will need 5-7 sources, and these may come from any area…..databases, books, magazine articles, newspaper articles, online articles, etc.

Please DO NOT use study guides, student papers, Wikipedia or blog sites. These are not academic/credible sources.

DOCUMENTATION STYLE

You are to use the MLA documentation style only–See your literature book, the MLA packet materials that will be passed out in class/posted in Schoology for online courses, an original MLA Handbook, or the LB Brief books on reserve in the Library for help. You may also come to me for help as needed.

WRITING STYLE

You are to use standard, formal English–no slang, no contractions, no “you” or “I”.You are to use third-person point of view and present tense with your research paper.

GRADING CRITERIA

There is a separate document that details the process I will use for the calculation of your research paper’s final grade. This will be handed out/postedat a later date.

How to focus a topic

First of all, be sure you read and understand what the topic choices are asking you to do. I am not asking you to JUST pick an author, a person, an object or an event. I am asking you to DO something with that author, person, object or event. You must PROVE/INFORM the impact your topic has had on society and/or literature.

**Choose an author of your choice andthen PROVE how his/her work(s) have impacted literature and society.For example, you may want to analyze characters in the work, analyze symbols, discuss themes found in the novel, etc., then PROVE how their writing(s) have literary importance and also impact society. This can be when the work(s) were published and/or today. Most of you will have a combination of at least two literary elements that work together to prove your thesis.

**Choose an event, item, or person and PROVE/INFORM how it impacted society (both when it happened or was introduced AND today). You will need to analyze why it was so important in its inception and how it has continued in importance today.

Take a look at the sample research topic proposal. These questions may help you narrow your topic down and find a valuable and provable focus.

Paper Topic

Topic: How YouTube has changed society?

When: February 14, 2005- Present

What: Youtube is a video sharing app or social media platform, where people upload their videos. Youtubeas been able to connect with billions of people all over the world.

Created: Youtube first began in February 12, 2005 created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim.

Importance: Youtube has changed the world because it allows people to make videos and express their creativity. Youtube is used for many reasons education, beauty, DI Y, instructions, hacks, etc. That being said people are constant watching videos on how to do their math homework, putting on makeup, to create a craft, help on building or fixing something, and etc. Youtube is one of the largest media platforms that has changed our life. Youtube has changed our lives because before Youtube people weren’t able to sit down on your phone or computer to watch a video on how to build a swing set. The importance of Youtube now is that it has over millions of watchers from all around world.

ENGL. 1302 Research Topic Choice–#1

Please write in the space provided what your proposed topic will be. This topic may change if you need it to; just let me know what you will do as an alternative.

Due Date:

Accepted

Rejected

Research Topic Ideas-Spring 2019

Below are simply some ideas for research topics. You should try and choose a topic that you are truly interested in learning more about—it does NOT have to come from here.

The 27 Club

Lucille Ball

The Little Rock 9

Impact of the Great Depression on Education (Education in the 1930s)

The Beatles

Amelia Earhart

Norman Ernest Borlaug (Scientist) Dr. Olivia Hooker

Tom Hayden (Political Activist) Jane Fonda

Impactful People who died in 2018

Schumacher Canyon

Abandoned Cuban Prison (Architecture)

The Negro Travelers’ (Motorist) Green Book (Stopped publication in 1967)

Phoenix Casson (World War Il)

Vajont Dam in Northern Italy

Linda Blackmon Lowery (March on Selma)

Does the of technology and the withdrawl of it have the signs of addiction withdrawl?

Dolly Parton

Connection between loneliness and social media

Tyrus Wong (Disney)

Truth and repetition—are they the same?

Thesis Proposal and Outline—Assignment #3 in the Research Assignment

English 1302

You should be well underway regarding your research–reading sources, highlighting sources, taking notes—maybe you are even composing the paper. Doing the research process involves critical analysis of the primary and secondary materials and may result in a change of the tentative thesis you had for your paper.

Therefore, to formalize this revision and to help you make adjustments to your plan, I am requesting you provide me with a thesis statement and preliminary outline–a thesis proposal and outline.

This thesis outline should look much like the sample in this handout. The preliminary outline does not require great detail, but should be specific enough to reveal your paper’s organization and the direction you have chosen for the topic. I am requesting the outline and thesis so both you and I can see how your project is coming along. I will also offer suggestions on thesis focus and paper organization.

This thesis proposal and outline must be typed.

DUE DATE:

Student Name

ENGL. 1302                                                         EXAMPLE

Due Date

Tentative Title for Research Paper

Thesis: Federal regulations need to foster laws that will help protect wetlands, restore those that have been destroyed, and take measures to improve the damage from overdevelopment.

1. Nature’s ecosystem
2. Loss of wetlands nationally
3. Loss of wetlands in Illinois
4. More flooding and poorer water quality
5. Lost ability to prevent floods, clean water and store water ll. Dramatic floods

A, Cost in dollars and lives

1. 13 deaths between 1988 and 1998
2. Cost of $39 million per year
3. Great Midwestern Flood of 1993
4. Lost wetlands in IL
5. Devastation in some states
6. Flood Prevention
7. Plants and Soils
8. Floodplain overflow

Ill. Wetland laws

1. Inadequately informed legislators
2. Watersheds
3. Interconnections in natural water systems
4. Water purification
5. Need to save wetlands
6. New federal definition
7. Re-education about interconnectedness
8. Ecology at every grade level
9. Education for politicians and developers
10. Choices in schools and people’s lives

Working Bibliography–#2 in the Research Assignment

English 1302

You should be starting your research–finding sources, reading these sources, taking notes—maybe you are even composing the paper. Doing the research process involves a constant search for secondary materials, even days before you turn in the paper. Perhaps there is one more source to find to complete your work, perhaps you need one more item to complete your point, whatever. This constant search for great sources may result in changes to your Works Cited page for your paper.

Therefore, to help you make adjustments to your choice of sources thus far, I am requesting you provide me with a working bibliography.

***This working bibliography should look much like the sample in this handout.

***You are to include AT LEAST 5 Sources in your working bibliography. (Can have more)

***Please put these in the correct MLA format and in alphabetical order. Use your textbooks and/or the MLA Handbook to find the correct format(s) to use.DATABASE sources will have a “button” to MLA format the article citation for you.

***Do not forget to include your primary source/your novel in the working bibliography (if you’re using a novel)- It is vital you include it, and you already know how to put it in the correct format.

***I do expect you to consider this assignment with the Same seriousness as you would for the rest of the research project.

*** This working bibliography must be typed.

DUE DATE:

Tracey Smith

English 1302, section .005                EXAMPLE

March 28, 2003

Working Bibliography for A Separate Peace

Altman, Dorothy. “John Knowles.” Dictionary of Literary Bioqraphy.

Detroit: Gale Research, 1980- Vol. 9.

Bruel[, Edwin. “Keen Scalpel.” English Journal. 53 (1964): 111-115-

Erisman, Fred- “The Romantic Regionalism.” Criticisms. New York, Ebsco,

1990. 11-16.

Ford, Nick Aaron. “John Knowles.” Contemporary Literary Criticism.

Detroit:      Gale Research, 1995. Vol. 80.

“Heroism.” 11 March 2006 «www.httmp.llotof

Johnson, Claudia.Understandinq A Separate Peace. New York, Lee

Publishing, 1999.

Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. New York: Pearson, 1983.

Marshall, Liz- “Identities and Issues.” Tirne 11 March 1999: 133-145-