Unit
4: The Research Paper
(March 22 to May 4) |
Scroll down for a calendar of due dates for
assignments.
An assignment
description in gray indicates that the due date has passed. |
The Research Paper |
The Research Paper Assignment
(click to read the assignment)
- Tentative Thesis Statement and Writing Plan
(due 4/6)
- Draft of the Research Paper (at least four
pages) for peer critique (due 4/24)
- Revised draft of the Research Paper (at least
2200 words, including the "Works Cited" page) (due
5/4)
Note: The minimum length of the
Research Paper is 2200 words, including the "Works Cited"
page. This is just over six full pages and a "Works Cited"
page. Make sure that your paper reaches the minimum required
length. The grade will be reduced for any paper under 2200 words, and
a research paper under 1700 words will not earn a passing grade. |
Reading Assignments |
Writing Assignments |
Reading
Assignment (due 3/30)
- William Shakespeare's Hamlet
- selection from Chapter 17: Drama for
Writing--The Research Paper (786-821).
You do not have to read Hwang's M.
Butterfly (741-785), and you need to read the "Explanation of MLA Documentation
Style" (814-821) only to help you document sources correctly.
The textbook authors use M. Butterfly
to discuss writing a research paper. This is a bit awkward for us, but you
should be able to understand the concepts without having read the play.
|
WebBoard
Assignments
- Discussion Assignment (due
4/13)
- Peer Critiques of the Research Paper
(due 4/27)
Online Assessment*
*Use your complete social security
number, with no spaces and no dashes, to access the online assessment.
|
Assignments
in the order that they are due:
- Reading assignment (due
3/30)
- Quiz
(due 3/30)
- Tentative thesis statement and
writing plan (due 4/6)
- Discussion assignment (due
4/13)
- Draft of the research paper for peer
critique (due 4/24)
- Peer critiques of the research
papers (due 4/27)
- Final draft of the research paper (due
5/4)
|
| Understanding
Hamlet |
Online Study
Guides
Most likely, you will need help understanding the play while you are
reading it. The three web sites linked below offer study guides
similar to Cliff's Notes.
They are not good resources for a research paper. However, they are
helpful guides that explain what is going on in each scene. I would
suggest consulting the guides as you are reading the play, maybe
reading the summary of a scene before you read the scene itself.
|
Possible
Topics for your Paper
The web handout linked below lists several possible topics on Hamlet
that are worth exploring in a research paper.
Introductory Lecture on Hamlet
The web page linked below is an
introductory lecture on Hamlet that should give you a good
overview of the play.
Audio Files: The Hamlet Files
The web page linked below includes audio
files of my readings of selected passages of Hamlet and short
mini-lectures on important aspects of the passages. I recommend
listening to the files to help you recognize some important themes and
how those themes are suggested by the details of the play.
|
| Conducting Research and Using
Secondary Sources |
Sources in
the Norton Critical Edition
Some or all of the secondary sources in your paper can be from the
Norton Critical Edition of Hamlet (the version of Hamlet
available at the college bookstore).
Library Resources
I have put approximately ten books with critical commentary on Hamlet
on
reserve at IVCC's Jacobs Library. These books are available only for
overnight checkout.
Please note that you need a student ID
to check out books from IVCC's library. Please call the college at
224-2720 for information about getting a student ID.
If you use print sources that are not
available online, please photocopy the pages you cite and give those
copies to me when you submit your paper. You do not need to photocopy
and submit pages if you cite them from the Norton Critical Edition of Hamlet.
Online Research Resources
You will need to locate your research
resources on Hamlet. However, linked below is an online version
of a well-respected scholarly resource that may be useful.
Make sure to evaluate online sources
carefully for credibility.
Subscription Databases
Note: In WebBoard,
you can find the logins and passwords to access ProQuest Direct and FirstSearch.
See Using
ProQuest and FirstSearch for brief instructions for using these
databases. You should be able to find plenty of good resources on Hamlet
in these databases.
|
Using
Secondary Sources
The Research Paper Assignment page includes
links to the sources listed below, but the links are included here for easy reference.
The web sites linked below should help
you properly cite and document online sources, but please asks if you need more help!
An
"A" Research Paper
The link below is to an "A" research paper recently
written by a student in an ENG 1002 class. The paper is on The Glass
Menagerie, which we did not read, but the paper is a good example
of a strong research paper.
|
Important
Note
When I evaluate the research papers, I check
how well material from secondary sources is used in the papers. If you include the correct
information on the "Works Cited" page for online sources, I can locate those
source easily. However, if you use print sources not included in the
Norton Critical Edition, I need to receive copies of those
sources from you no later than the due date for the final draft of the research paper
(Friday, May 4). I need copies only of the specific pages of secondary sources that you
cite in your paper. If you use sources that are not available online, please copy the
pages that you cite in your paper, write your name on the top of the pages, and give the
copies to me. You can (1) drop the copies off at my office (A313) (just slip the copies
under the door if I am not in my office), or (2) send the copies to me. The address is R.
Rambo, Illinois Valley Community College, 815 N. Orlando Smith Avenue, Oglesby, IL
61348-2720. If you use print sources not available online, I cannot grade your research
paper until I receive the copies, so make sure I receive the copies by
Friday, May 4.
Again, you only need to send me copies of the specific pages you cite for
secondary sources that are
not available online or that are not included in the Norton Critical
Edition of Hamlet.
|
To
Help You Write and Revise Your Paper |
The following web pages provide
information that should be helpful as you write, revise, and proofread your research
paper. Some of the pages present information that is repeated on other pages, but this
repetition is intentional: it may help reinforce the importance of the information.
Avoiding the Five Most Common Problems with
Research Papers: This page explains five common problems that come up in research
papers. If you use the information on this page to help you evaluate your research paper,
you may be able to avoid these problems.
Revision
Checklist: This page provides an extensive checklist of over 30 specific items that you
should think about as you write, revise, and proofread your research paper. This revision
checklist is specifically designed for the final revision(s) in the course, but the
information applies to the research paper as well.
Using Quotations, Paraphrases, and
Summaries: The effective use of material from sources if of course
important for
the research paper, and this page provides explanations about how to quote, paraphrase,
and summarize material from sources correctly. The information on this page should help
you avoid plagiarism.
|
And Remember . . . |
Please Ask Questions
You probably do not need to be reminded that the research paper is the single most
important assignment in the course and that the research paper counts as 25% of your final
course grade. I will establish a topic area in WebBoard for questions concerning the
research paper. Please post any questions that you have, and I will respond to those
questions promptly. Also, realize that you can and should see me on campus if you would
like additional assistance with your research paper. My office is A313, and my office
hours are listed on my home page. My telephone
number is 224-0338. If my office hours are not good times for you, we can arrange to meet
at a more convenient time. Just let me know if you would like additional assistance! |
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Unless indicated otherwise, all
assignments
are due by 10:00 p.m. on the due dates. |
Back to Assignments |
