English 201-3004 Spring 2022
Instructor: Professor Yolande Brener
Research Paper
Due Dates:
Proposal: 04/14
Two Potential Sources: 04/28
Outline: 05/05
First Draft: 05/12
Final Draft: 05/26
500-700 words
For this assignment, you need to write a thesis-driven paper using at least three researched sources. I will provide two sources, and you will find the third, reliable source. Your source will be a peer-reviewed paper or a book. We will discuss in class how to select reputable sources.
Below are a few examples should you find yourself stuck and unable to come up with a plan for your research paper. When I offer a hint, it is devised to help you along in your thought process. You do not, however, have to take the hint into consideration when you write your paper if you do not wish to do so; you also do not have to answer all the questions associated with the hint.
- Write a paper using the theme of forgiveness to formulate a thesis. Use the short story Forgiveness to formulate an argument (debate) based on your thesis.
- Write a paper using the theme of happiness in romantic relationships to formulate a thesis using the short stories Story of an Hour by Chopin and/or Happy Endings by Atwood. HINT: What argument can you make about happiness and/or romantic relationships? What are the arguments the authors are making about romantic relationships? What do the stories say about the times in which they were written? Are these stories helpful today? Research happiness in romantic relationships. What makes them successful?
- Write a paper using the theme of equality to formulate a thesis using the short story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut: HINT: Research Utopia/Equality. Can/Does it exist? Can total equality ever be achieved, and if so, do we really want that? Give clear examples of how and why.
- Write a paper using the theme of execution, capital punishment, imperialism, conscience, reality, truth, death, etc. to formulate a thesis using the short story Use George Orwell’s, A Hanging. Come up with an argument regarding this theme. Remember, an argument must have two sides in order to be arguable. A thesis cannot be a fact; it must be arguable.
- Think about Oseki’s motives for leaving and then returning to her husband in Ichiyo’s The Thirteenth Night. What cultural factors contributed to women’s decisions in the 19th century? HINT: Research Women’s Rights in the 19th Century/Cultural differences.
- Use any of the short stories we’ve read in class and source material based on literary criticism to create an argument. Research literary criticism as well as biographical information.
As you compose your essay, think about the following:
- What is your thesis statement? How will you prove your point?
- For the body of your essay, choose at least three supporting ideas, with supporting sources, and in text citations.
- In your conclusion refer back to your thesis, give your readers something to take away, something that you may have learned in your research, perhaps a further question that you could ask about the topic in future exploration. Make sure you close your question in a satisfactory way.
- Your list of Works Cited will contain at least three sources: two provided by me, and one provided by you.
Use correct MLA format in text citations, Works Cited list.
Rubric
A – The essay has a strong thesis, stays focused, and refers back to the thesis in the conclusion. It has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It contains three in text citations with supporting sources, one of which is found by you, using MLA format and a list of Works Cited.
B – The essay has an understandable thesis. It is mostly clear and focused. It contains at least two in text citations from at least two sources, one of which is found by you.
C – The thesis is not entirely clear. The essay is somewhat clear and focused. It contains at least one in text citation.
D – The essay is mostly confusing. It contains no clear thesis, or no reference to the selected work.
F – There is no essay.
