research paper guidelines english iv fall 2016 · pdf filep. 1128—“a cup of...

Name __________________________________________ Period ________ Lewis

Research Paper Guidelines—English IV—Fall 2016

Due Date: TUESDAY, November 1, 2016 in the Electronic Classroom in the library

by the end of class (Do NOT email it to me.)

10% off for one day late or turned in at our classroom door on Wednesday, November 2;

20% off for two days late or turned in at the beginning of class on Thursday, November 3;

30% off for three days late or turning in at the beginning of class on

Friday, November 4.

No papers accepted on or after Monday, November 7.

If you are absent on the days we go to the computer lab/library and/or work on your paper in

class, your paper is still due on the assigned due date for full credit.

In other words, you will not be given an extension.

If you are absent on the due date, your paper must still be turned in to me

by 4PM on the first due date for full credit,

or it will be considered late and receive the penalties as described above.

Unexcused absence on due date = 0 for 2 MG

How to access the textbook to find your short story: Short Stories:

http://my.hrw.com

p. 1128—“A Cup of Tea” by

Katherine Mansfield

Username: dps(your computer log in)

p. 1140—“The Duchess and

the Jeweller” by Virginia

Woolf

Password: dps(your computer password)

p. 1342—“Six Feet of the

Country”—Nadine Gordimer

Book Pages (upper left corner)

p. 1364—“A Devoted Son”—

Anita Desai

Enter the first page number of your story (upper

center)

We will NOT be meeting in the library on the following days.

They all fall on Thursdays.

October 13, 20, 27

Meet in OUR classroom on those days.

Extra Info:

First, summarize your story. This way, you’re familiar with it and won’t have to

go back and re-read the entire story. You must write at least to the asterisk.

Your short story’s title: “_________________________________________________”

*

Second, take notes below on your story like we did in class. Find literary

elements in the story (“Text” column), and explain the significance of each and add

commentary (“Details/Definitions” column). Don’t forget to cite where you found each literary

element. Later, you will choose ONE of the literary elements to explore. Don’t just annotate

about ONE literary element; otherwise, you’re limiting yourself, and if you’re having difficulty

later on.

Text

(The literary element)

Details/Definitions

(Your commentary)

Citation

Third, let’s organize your thoughts and write your thesis.

Write at least TWO themes from your short story. You will NOT use both. One is merely a back-

up. (THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO PROVE!)

1.

2.

Using your “Notes Chart,” choose TWO literary devices (from the “Text” column) that you think

the author uses best to convey the themes above. Again, you will NOT use both. One is merely

a back-up.

Literary Device #1 for Theme #1:

_______________________________________

Literary Device #2 for Theme #2:

_______________________________________

Looking back again at your “Notes Chart,” choose five of your examples/commentaries for

both of the literary devices above and write them below. Once again, you will not use all of the

information below. You will choose one column or the other, and you will use only three of the

five examples/commentaries below.

Literary Device #1:

__________________________________________

Literary Device #2:

______________________________________________

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

Last, write your thesis in this order: Author, genre, title, three examples, theme.

Plagiarism

Definition of Plagiarism: “In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer uses

someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common knowledge) material without

acknowledging its source.” This information can be accessed at this site:

http://wpacouncil.org/files/wpa-plagiarism-statement.pdf. If a student plagiarizes any part of

his or her paper, TWO Major Grade zeros will result.

Using Quotes

NOTE: WHEN YOU USE QUOTES, USE NO MORE THAN FOUR OF THE AUTHOR’S WORDS AT A TIME!!!!!!

Example: Surprisingly, smokers’ lungs are still used as donor organs because of an “sudden,

unforeseen, unprecedented shortage” of donor lungs (Jones 23).

Requirements for Your Paper

Typed, 12 font, Times New Roman, double-spaced (Make sure that your computer is set to

double-space BEFORE you start typing!); ½-inch margin at top; 1-inch margin bottom and

sides

Minimum 800 words; maximum 1,200 words—this does not include graphics (Tip: Highlight

ONLY the body of your paper and look at the word count at the bottom left of your

screen.)

You must have MLA-style parenthetical documentation (Smith 238) and a Works Cited

page—these are worth SEVERAL points

If I cannot find your project on the server, you will lose FIVE points.

FOUR sources minimum (one of these four is the short story itself; two MUST come from the

library’s database; one MUST come from the internet; minimum of THREE QUOTES per

body paragraph Unacceptable Sites:

Any Wiki sites

“Homemade” sites (from individuals not professionally associated with an academic institution)

Sites from student projects (not even if it came from a college student!)

ehow.com, about.com

Library/Computer Lab Rules

No Passes Sheet = no leaving the library/lab

Push your chair under your table as you leave.

LOG OFF of your computer before leaving!

Researching!

Look up words you don’t know from your story on the website www.m-w.com.

How to get to sources:

www.dpisd.org

Our Schools

South

Resources

Library

English Resources

http://wpacouncil.org/files/wpa-plagiarism-statement.pdf

http://www.dpisd.org/

Change Your Thesis if Needed

If you don’t like your thesis, then rewrite it! You might find that you have to “match up” your thesis

statement to what you have written. That’s OK. Changing your thesis to correlate with your paper after it

is written is fine.

Saving your Paper

You should do ALL of these to make sure your paper is safe:

Save onto a flash drive

Save onto the Student Drive

Email it to yourself as a message as well as in an attachment

Print everything you’ve typed every day

(If you don’t do all of them and your paper “disappears,” I will not be able to help you recover something

that you could have easily saved. Therefore, you will have to start over.)

DON’T FORGET! Last First—Lewis #—Research Project

Common Problems Found in Research Papers

Avoid:

1st and 2nd person (I, me, my, myself, mine, our, ours, ourselves; you, your, yours, yourself)

Contractions (NC)

“It is said” “It has been said”

“I found out in my research that”

“You can see now that” “I would say that”

“After doing my research, you can see that”

Words like “dumb,” “bad,” “good,” “a lot,” “OK”

Questions (rhetorical or otherwise) for the title or within the paper: “Does Profiling Make Sense?”

Personal stories

Turning in Your Paper

Staple it in this order in the upper left corner: Typed research essay; typed “Works Cited” page;

“Research Paper Rubric” with your name, period, and essay title.

Velasquez 1

Rosa Velasquez

Ms. Lewis

English IV—Period 2

2 December 20xx

Personality and Birth Order: First-Borns and Later-Borns

Birth order has a dramatic effect on personality. Some scholars argue that research on birth order

effects has been remarkably inconsistent and inconclusive with regard to various personality and

behavioral outcomes (Zinger 361). Historian Frank Sulloway disagrees. In his book, Born to Rebel, he

offers proof of the relationship between birth order and personality (62). Examining case studies

comparing birth order to personality indicates an even stronger relationship than once previously thought.

Researching the lives of historical figures, Sulloway observes that later-borns tend to champion

liberal or unconventional ideas while first-borns do not: "Later-borns were more likely than first-borns to

support each of the 61 liberal causes . . . surveyed, from the Protestant Reformation to the American civil-

rights movement" (79). Rule-breaking later-borns include Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin

Luther King, Jr., and Charles Darwin (Cowley). In contrast, first-borns defend the status quo (Seff 221).

Naturalist Louis Agassiz fits this mold. The most influential naturalist of his day, first-born Agassiz

staunchly argued that people often blah blah blah.

Velasquez 14

Works Cited

Cowley, Geoffrey. "First Born, Later Born." Newsweek 7 Oct. 1996: 65+. Expanded Academic ASAP.

Info Trac. Chaffey Coll. Lib., Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 23 Feb. 2012

<http://infotrac.galegroup.com>.

Seff, Monica A., Gecas, Viktor, and Frey, James H. "Birth Order, Self Concept, and Participation in

Dangerous Sports." The Journal of Psychology 127.2 (1993): 221+. Expanded Academic

ASAP. Info Trac. Chaffey Coll. Lib., Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 23 May 2013

<http://infotrac.galegroup.com>.

Sulloway, Frank J. Born to Rebel. New York: Pantheon, 2010.

Zinger, John. The Wonder and Mystique of Birth Order. New Jersey: Super-Dee-Duper Publishers,

2009.

(NOTE THAT THE SOURCES ARE ALPHABETIZED, DOUBLE-SPACED, INDENTED FIVE SPACES

STARTING ON THE SECOND LINE OF EACH ENTRY, WITH A PERIOD AT THE END.

REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE THE EXACT ENTRIES THAT MAGICALLY APPEARED FROM

WWW.CITATIONMACHINE.NET AND/OR WWW.EASYBIB.COM. HOWEVER, IF A CITATION IS

PROVIDED AT THE END OF THE SOURCE, COPY AND PASTE IT INTO YOUR WORKS CITED.)

Checklist

_____ Times New Roman, 12 font

_____ Minimum 800 words; maximum 1,200 words

_____ Double-spaced (Make sure that your computer is set to double-space BEFORE you start typing!)

_____ ½” margin at top of every page, even your Works Cited page (your last name and page number will be at the top margin of

every page!)

_____ 1-inch margin at bottom and sides of every page

_____ Left-justified

_____ Remove space before paragraph on home tab

_____ THREE sources minimum—these sources must match up with the sources you list on your Works Cited page—one must be a

print source

_____ You must have MLA-style parenthetical documentation and a Works Cited page—these are worth SEVERAL points from the

TWO Major Grades this paper is worth.

_____ If I cannot find your project on the server, you will lose 10 points on these two Major Grades. Your project needs to be

called Last First—Lewis #—Research Project

_____ If you will hold this sheet up to the light with your paper underneath it, all of the spacing should match. Do this for your

entire paper as well as for your Works Cited page.

http://www.citationmachine.net/

http://www.easybib.com/

Research Paper Rubric

Here’s a BONUS OPPORTUNITY:

TURN IN ONE DAY EARLY (BY THE END OF CLASS ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 31) = +10 POINTS

Name ___________________________________ Period _______ Lewis

Title of essay:

________________________________________________________________________________________

TOTAL POINTS: _________ (2 MG)

Category 16-20 points 11-15 points 6-10 points 0-5 points

Conventions/

Documentation

Style

(MLA Style)

_______ points

Your paper has

very few

mechanical/

documentation

errors in it

A few problems

with

mechanics/

documentation

sometimes

make me

stumble and

pause

Several

mechanical/

documentation

errors cause

confusion in

understanding

what you’re

saying

Too many

mistakes!

Content

_______ points

Your writing is

full of the kinds

of details that

keep my

attention

Some parts will

be better if you

tell more about

what’s

important

My imagination

and attention

are not

captured

It’s difficult to

understand what

you mean

Organization

_______ points

The direction of

your paper

works well and

makes me

want to find

out what’s next

Your paper

makes sense

most of the

time

Your paper

makes sense

only some of the

time

The order in the

paper is jumbled

and scrambled

Word

Choice/Voice

_______ points

Your paper has

lots of your

personality and

individuality;

you chose just

the right words

for just the right

places

What you are

thinking and

feeling only

shows up

sometimes

You seem to be

uncomfortable

letting your

personality show

It’s unclear what

you meant by

many words and

phrases

Sentence

Fluency

_______ points

Your paper

flows and is

easy and

enjoyable to

read

Some

sentences are

choppy or

awkward

It’s hard to

follow where

you’re going

Your paper is

difficult to read

DO NOT WRITE IN THIS BOX

DATE TURNED IN TO MS. LEWIS:

_________________

Name _____________________________________________________ Period _______ Lewis

Research Paper Format (Sentence-by-Sentence Using Quotes)

The following is the MINIMUM number of sentences you should have per paragraph.

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH—1st Paragraph

1st sentence: A hook to get your reader “involved” in the topic

Luck is based in superstition; however, some people are adamant about its power

over their lives and how it can bring them money, love, and happiness.

2nd – 4th sentences: Brief summary of the piece of literature you are writing about EXAMPLE: In D.H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” luck is a constant element in the story in that the mother, Hester,

believes that luck will bring money. She claims that if you are born lucky that you will be happy because you will have money.

Her son, Paul, thinks of himself as lucky; he makes a large sum money by betting on horses, but he pays the ultimate price in that

his life extinguished simply because he loves his mother and wants her to be happy (Lawrence 1154-1170).

5th sentence: Thesis statement

EXAMPLE: In D. H. Lawrence’s short story “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” Lawrence utilizes the symbols of

Hester’s constant fixation with money, Paul’s showing his mother that he loves her by trying to win more

money to help her escape her debt, and the gloominess of the whispering house as constant reminders

that happiness is simply an emotion that should be allowed to occur naturally, not by forced means.

BODY PARAGRAPH #1—2nd Paragraph

Minimum three quotes per paragraph; maximum five quotes per paragraph

(one or more from the primary source; two or more from the secondary sources)

It contains one or several of these elaboration techniques, as needed:

define/describe/details/examples/facts.

1st sentence: TOPIC SENTENCE with first part of your position and your first example

(leads into your first point)

(Write about money—Hester’s obsession with it)

2nd sentence: Leads up to the quote—Use transitions (However, Also, For example,

etc.)

For example, (Hester claims that if someone is born lucky he or she will have money.)

3rd sentence: Quote from a source

She claims that if someone is born rich, he or she could lose his or her fortune, so it’s

better to “be born lucky” instead of wealthy (Lawrence 1156).

(This is a quote from your primary source.)

4th and 5th sentences: COMMENTARY/EXPLANATION (This should be your overall

thoughts on the above information and how the quote proves your thesis.)

6th sentence: Transition from your first quote to your second quote

In addition,

7th sentence: Quote from a source At one point, Paul asks his mother, “What is luck?” (Lawrence 1156). This dialogue is the most crucial part of the

short story in that Paul says that “God told me” which horse to choose (Lawrence 1156), implying that luck has

nothing to do with his winning money at the horseraces (Smith). His mother then laughs cynically at him (Lawrence

1157) indicating that she still believes in absolute luck.

(The above are quotes from one of your secondary sources.)



10th sentence: Transition from your last quote

11th sentence: Quote from a source

(This is a quote from one of your secondary sources.)



14th sentence: CONCLUDING SENTENCE (This sentence should conclude what you are

writing about in this paragraph and also serve as a transition to your next paragraph.)

BODY PARAGRAPH #2—3rd Paragraph

Maximum three quotes per paragraph

(one from the primary source; two from the secondary sources)






etc.)






BODY PARAGRAPH #3—4th Paragraph

Maximum three quotes per paragraph

(one from the primary source; two from the secondary sources)






etc.)






CONCLUSION: 5th Paragraph

You should restate your thesis but not repeat it word-for-word.

TEACH your reader something.

Your conclusion should be no longer than six sentences.

1st sentence: Revisit your thesis, but not word-for-word.

2nd sentence: Wrap up your argument (first topic revisited)

3rd sentence: Wrap up your argument (second topic revisited)

4th sentence: Wrap up your argument (third topic revisited)

5th sentence: Make an impact with your last sentence—TEACH the reader something

The elements of luck, living in style, and money are dominant throughout the short

story; they are constant reminders that happiness is simply an emotion that should be

allowed to occur naturally and not forced to exist by using artificial or external means.

Name _______________________________________________ Period _________ Lewis

How-To’s/Tips/Etc.

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay

A literary analysis essay discusses a particular aspect of a work of literature.

It essentially presents an argument or an interpretation about that work.

Developing a clear, concise thesis for a literary analysis essay is extremely

important in guiding the reader through the essay and expressing your

interpretation of the work.

DON’Ts:

Do not announce what you will be writing about. For example, do not write: "This

essay will discuss symbolism in 'A Rose for Emily.' "

Do not ask a question. For example, do not write: “What if the rose in ‘A Rose for

Emily’ symbolized enduring love?”

Do not summarize the story or its ending in your thesis. For example, do not write:

"In reading William Faulkner's ‘A Rose for Emily,’ you can see that Emily killed

Homer and kept his body for years.”

Basically, you are finding evidence in other authors’ works to SUPPORT

WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PROVE IN YOUR THESIS (YOUR THEME).

Grading Criteria

This is a long-term assignment with different deadlines and grades. You cannot

simply show up with a research paper the day it is due and receive credit. It is a

PROCESS. On the due date, you must turn in all elements of it if they are

completed. If you only have part of it completed, you will turn in all completed

elements of it late for a penalty.

Tips for Writing Your Literary Analysis

1. Write in the present tense.

DO: In Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," the townspeople visit Emily Grierson's house

because it smells bad.

NOT: In Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," the townspeople visited Emily Grierson's

house because it smelled bad.

2. Write in 3rd person—keep yourself out of your analysis (no “I” or “you”).

DO: The narrator in "Sonny's Blues" is a dynamic character who

changes his attitude toward and relationship with Sonny as the story

progresses.

NOT: I believe that the narrator in "Sonny's Blues" is a dynamic character

because I read many details about the changes in his attitude toward and

relationship with Sonny.

DO: At the end of "Everyday Use," Mama realizes that Maggie is like her

but has not received enough attention to build self-esteem.

NOT: At the end of "Everyday Use," Mama realizes that Maggie is like her but has

not received the attention you should give your daughter to help her attain self-

esteem.

3. All quotes must be “embedded” in a sentence.

DO: Because Janie’s image for romantic happiness comes from nature, she

thinks one’s existence ought to be similar to a “pear tree in bloom” when she is

unhappy in her relationship (Smith 67).

NOT: Janie’s images for romantic happiness come from nature. “Life should be

more like a pear tree in bloom,” she thinks. She thinks this when she is unhappy in

her relationships (Smith 67).

4. Be sure your commentary is NOT repetitive.

DO: When Carlton and Darnay first meet at the tavern, Carlton tells him that he

doesn’t cherish anyone in this world, and no one “cares for me” (Dickens 105).

Carton makes this statement as if he were excusing his rude behavior to Darnay.

Carlton, however, is only pretending to be polite, perhaps to amuse himself. With

this seemingly off-the-cuff remark, Carlton reveals a deeper cynicism and his

emotional isolation.

NOT: When Carlton and Darnay first meet at the tavern, Carlton tells him, “I care

for no man on this earth, and no man cares for me” (Dickens 105). Carlton is

telling Darnay this because he feels that no one cares for him and so he doesn’t

care.

5. Use transition words to move from one idea to the next.

In addition, Although To demonstrate

Not only . . . but also . . . Otherwise, Specifically,

Conversely, However, For instance,

Usually, Nevertheless, Consequently,

Again, In other words, Therefore,

Moreover, For example, In conclusion,

Furthermore, In particular, Overall,

Sign-up Sheet for Research Paper Short Story—K. Lewis, page 1

2nd period—p. 1128—“A Cup of Tea” by Katherine Mansfield

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

3rd period—p. 1128—“A Cup of Tea” by Katherine Mansfield

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

4th period—p. 1128—“A Cup of Tea” by Katherine Mansfield

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


2nd period— p. 1140—“The Duchess and the Jeweller” by Virginia Woolf

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

3rd period— p. 1140—“The Duchess and the Jeweller” by Virginia Woolf

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

4th period— p. 1140—“The Duchess and the Jeweller” by Virginia Woolf

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


2nd period— p. 1342—“Six Feet of the Country”—Nadine Gordimer

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

3rd period— p. 1342—“Six Feet of the Country”—Nadine Gordimer

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

4th period— p. 1342—“Six Feet of the Country”—Nadine Gordimer

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


2nd period— p. 1364—“A Devoted Son”—Anita Desai

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

3rd period— p. 1364—“A Devoted Son”—Anita Desai

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

4th period— p. 1364—“A Devoted Son”—Anita Desai

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.


1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

research paper guidelines english iv fall 2016 · pdf filep. 1128—“a cup of...

Documents