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English Composition 2

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The Research Paper Assignment

Due Dates

• Thursday, July 28: Draft of at least 5 pages due for peer critique
• Thursday, August 4: Final draft of at least 2500 words due

The Research Paper

The subject of your research paper will be William Shakespeare's Hamlet, but you must decide on your thesis: you might write about a character or characters, a theme or themes, recurring images or symbols, or any other topic that you think will help readers understand the play. The choice is yours, but make sure to focus your topic enough so that you can go into depth with your interpretation but not so much that you run out of things to discuss. You should assume that your audience has already read Hamlet.

The minimum length of the final draft of the Research Paper is 2500 words, including the "Works Cited" page. You will need to include an additional "Works Cited" page listing publication information for your primary source and for your secondary sources. 

You must use at least six secondary sources to help you support and develop your thesis, and your sources must be documented according to MLA standards. Note than the play itself is your primary source and does not count as a secondary source. Some or all of the secondary sources you use in your paper may be from the Norton Critical Edition of Hamlet. You may use Internet sources, but the credibility of your sources will be a factor in determining the research paper grade.

Assignment Requirements

On the due date, you will be submitting to me a hard copy (paper copy) of your Research Paper.

You will be required to submit the following material on the final due date:

1. Completed paper (of at least 2500 words) with a "Works Cited" page
2. Minimum of 50 note cards*
3. Minimum of 7 bibliography cards*
4. Photocopied pages or printouts of secondary sources used in your paper (include photocopies only of those pages you specifically cite in your paper.) Do not include photocopied pages of the play (the primary source). You do not need to submit photocopies of sources from the Norton Critical Edition of Hamlet.

* Instead of using note cards and bibliography cards, you may use a different method for taking notes and for recording bibliographic information after getting the instructor's approval. Without prior approval, the note cards and bibliography cards are required.

Notes

• The research paper in part measures how successfully you can develop a long paper, so the length requirement is important. The minimum required length is 2500 words. This is about eight full pages and a "Works Cited" page. Make sure that your paper reaches the minimum required length. The grade will be reduced by one full letter for any paper under 2500 words, and a research paper under 2000 words will not earn a passing grade.
• The research paper counts as 40% of the final grade in the course.
• Failure to use at least the required number of secondary sources or to document sources properly will result in a substantial reduction of the research paper grade.
• Some or all of your secondary sources may be from the Norton Critical Edition of Hamlet.
• Use the resources linked below and the resources linked in the Writing with Sources section of the Writing Resources page to help you with this assignment.

Helpful Resources

Online Study Guides

• SparkNotes: Hamlet
• MonkeyNotes
• Barron's BookNotes

Film versions of the play

• Hamlet (2000), directed by Michael Almereyda. Actors include Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles, and Bill Murray. This film version is not recommended unless you already have a good familiarity with the play.
• Hamlet (1996), directed by Kenneth Branagh. Actors include Kenneth Branagh, Julie Cristie, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet, Billy Crystal, and Robin Williams. This film features the entire play, so you can follow along with the text.
• Hamlet (1990), directed by Franco Zeferelli. Actors include Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Ian Holm, and Helena Bonham Carter.
• Hamlet (1948), directed by Laurence Olivier. Actors include Laurence Olivier, Eileen Herlie, Basil Sydney, and Jean Simmons.

Other Resources

• Possible Topics for a Hamlet Research Paper
• The Hamlet Files: Readings and Commentary

A Few Good Online Sources for a Hamlet Research Paper

• The Connection's radio program on Hamlet
• Ian Johnston's Introductory Lecture on Shakespeare's Hamlet
• A. C. Bradley's Shakespearean Tragedy
• Hamlet Navigator

Writing the Research Paper

• Researching and Writing the Research Paper
• Using Note Cards
• Bibliography Cards
• Avoiding the Most Common Problems with Research Papers
• Sample Research Paper
• Paragraph on Antigone with MLA Citation and Documentation
• Documenting Sources from the Hamlet Critical Edition
• Sample Works Cited Page for a Paper on Hamlet
• Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Additional resources are linked in the Writing with Sources section of the Writing Resources page

 

Please ask if you have any questions!