research

Research on author

Research Essay: English 102

The assignment? You will be responsible for writing a research essay with a minimum of
1,200 words and maximum of 1,500. This should be in between 5-6 pages. All papers should be

typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12 font, 1” margins. Papers should contain your

first and last name, class title, assignment, and due date in the top left-hand corner. Page numbers

(with your last name) will be in the top right-hand corner. This essay will follow MLA format

like what you composed in English 101.

Theme of the paper? In this essay you will choose one of the authors from the list below.
Depending on the author you choose marks whether you will be analyzing THREE poems or

ONE short story/play by said author. You will be responsible for drawing on literary criticism of

the poems or short story/play, biographical materials of the author, and studies of the author’s

historical and cultural context.

Authors:

 Raymond Carver

 Sherman Alexie

 Tim O’Brien

 Joyce Carol Oates

 Alice Munro

 William Faulkner

 Flannery O’Connor

 Kate Chopin

 Ernest Hemingway

 William Wordsworth

 Emily Dickinson

 Robert Browning

 Walt Whitman

 Langston Hughes

 Maya Angelou

 Edgar Allan Poe

 Robert Frost

 William Shakespeare

Three Types of Essays: Critical, Biographical, and Historical/Cultural

**All THREE should be included within your essay!

**pages 1951-2001 from the Norton textbook is a good extra resource.

 Critical

o Meaning and significance of the literary work
o Specific text on the author’s work or the genre of literature
o Think about the elements here and how they play a role

 Biographical

o Author’s experiences shape both what they write and how
o Learning more about the author’s life, work, and ideas  how do these shape the

text(s)

o Biographies, letters, etc.
 Historical/Cultural

o Literary work is shaped by the circumstances, events, and debates peculiar to its
historical and cultural context

o Explore the connections between the text and the culture it is written in or depicts
o Studies of historical time periods, or documents from that period

RESEARCH:

 You must have at least five sources for your essay. However, you may find that you will

need even more. These may come from books, magazines, journals, or the Internet, but

try not to rely completely on one type of source (such as using only the Internet). This

does not mean, however, that you have to have one of each type of source.

 You might want to use an encyclopedia (topic specific) for some background

information. But encyclopedias can only count as one of the five required sources. If you

do use an encyclopedia, use a topic specific encyclopedia (i.e. An Encyclopedia on the

Vietnam War), not Encarta or World Book or any of those generic types. Do not use

Wikipedia as a source.

 All sources must be represented within the text of the essay, which means that you must

cite each source at least once. You will follow the MLA format for citing these sources.

 Your essay must also have a Works Cited page that lists the sources used in your essay. It

will be written according to the MLA format. It does not count toward the required length

of the essay.

 Your text (Norton) is a wonderful resource with some background on “how to write a
literature research essay”. Don’t be afraid to use this text to guide you through this

process. This text can also be used as one of the five sources if your short story, play, or

poem is within.

 Your sources should do the following:

o All should deepen and enrich your argument about the literary text(s)
o You should still have an argument of your own. Be careful not to simply repeat

with the sources claim. The sources are there to back up YOUR argument.

o Make sure you not only argue but provide evidence to back up your claim.
GETTING STARTED:

 These are not unknown authors. They have been researched and written about many

times throughout history.

 Any time you can choose a print source (or a full-text printed source on a licensed

database) you will be dealing with reliable and peer-reviewed information.

 You should look at a topic-specific encyclopedia or other reference book to begin your

research, especially one that lists the author on each entry.

 You should also try an “Advanced Search” on Google to see what sources are available

on the Internet. This might also provide you with a bibliography or listing of other

available sources.

 All libraries are open to the public and you would just photocopy chapters if you may not

check out the book. Being a TTC student you also have access to CSU, MUSC, Citadel,

and CofC.

EXTRA DETAILS:

*25% of overall grade

* The essay must be at least 5 full pages (approximately 1200-1500 words) in length. The Works

Cited page does not count in this total. All citations will be done in MLA format.

*Typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, size 12, 1” margins, page numbers (with last name)

in top right corner, first and last name, class, assignment name, and due date in top right corner.

* Plagiarism has been a problem with this assignment. If you do not understand what plagiarism

is, please ask, because plagiarism of any kind will result in a failing grade. Blatant plagiarism

will earn you a zero for the essay and possibly academic probation.

*You will submit a Rough Draft, which I will return with my comments. Then the final draft will

be due. Please check the course calendar on D2L for due dates.