English 1102

Research Project

For this assignment, you will complete a research project on a topic related to our readings this semester. The research project counts as 20% of your course grade. You are expected to work on the project both in and out of class.

The research paper should present a thesis developed from your topic of choice. For a paper of this type, you should have 4-5 points of discussion (rather than the 2-3 for an essay). The research, in the form of direct quotations and paraphrases, should support your points, not dominate the paper. Papers containing more than 30% quoted material will not receive a passing grade.

Sources: You will be required to cite a minimum of four critical articles, secondary sources, that support your thesis.  At least three of the four should be directly related to the primary sources. These articles must come from academic journals from GALILEO or scholarly articles contained in e-books or physical books found through GHC’s library. Scholarly, credible sources found elsewhere may be used but only as additions to the four articles mentioned above.  Make sure you read the actual article and not a synopsis or review of it.   In addition, please ensure the articles you are reading are analysis-based, not plot summary.  The quotes you use should be commenting on the story, not quoting from it. Also, you will be expected to support your points with specific examples from the text of the works, which is the primary source. You are required to print a copy of each secondary source used, highlight each quote used, sort them into the order that they appear in the paper, and place them in the research paper notebook to be turned in with the final draft. Quotes from the primary sources do not have to be copied and turned in. The notebook should be no more than an inch thick and should have rings or prongs in the center and pockets in the front and back. 

Text: Your paper should be between 1500-1700 words (5-7 pages), typed (10–12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins) and double-spaced with a cover sheet and Works Cited page and in MLA format.  Papers shorter than four pages or longer than eight pages will not receive a passing grade.

Cover page: consists of your name, due date, course name and paper title. It does not count in the page total.

Works Cited: a separate page at the end of the paper. Your Works Cited page should consist of the works you are writing about and the critical articles you discuss (at least 5 sources in all).  It will not count in the page total. All information should be in MLA format. This will be discussed later in the semester. (Examples of each of the above will be posted in D2L).

             Do not write a summary of the works. The paper must demonstrate and will be graded on thorough knowledge of the selection, proper structure (unity, development, coherence), use of research material, citation mechanics, spelling, grammar, punctuation, correct citations adherence to MLA format and original thinking. Evidence of plagiarism or use of AI to generate analytical content will result in a zero for the assignment.  We will cover citations and bibliographic information later.

Topic: Your topic should compare/contrast a topic or theme across two or three works you’ve read this semester. If you choose to compare three works, the paper will fall into the higher end of the page total, as you are covering more information.