Research Paper

I will post a number of research links on this page during the semester. The format of a research paper is like that of any other persuasive essay:

1. You must have a thesis (an argument you can state in one sentence, usually at the end of your first paragraph after you state your topic) in your paper.

2. Underline your thesis sentence. Generally, it is a good idea to state your topic in a few sentences and then state your thesis, as the last sentence of your first paragraph. (Your thesis should be stated in one sentence.)

3. Feel free to contact me at any point in the composition process. [email protected].

4. Write clear, concise, reader-friendly prose.

Paper Format and Composition Guidelines:

--Your essay should have a title that describes specifically what your paper is about. If your title is overly general, it means you do not have a topic or a thesis. It's generally a good idea to have the title of the text(s) and / or film(s) you're discussing in your essay title.

--Do not summarize the text or the plot of or film you're discussing. You may assume that your reader has read or seen it carefully and is familiar with the argument or the plot.

--Proofread your essay carefully.

--Double space your paper.

--Do not refer to class discussion as in "In this class, we have . . . ." Similarly, do not personalize. You're writign toa general, informed audience. If your paper were posted on a webpage, anyone logging on who is familiar with the material should be able to follow your argument.

--Spell out numbers and abbreviations: "Twentieth-century England" not "20th ct. England" (but not dates such as 1972 or October 12).

--Use the present tense when discussing a literary work or film as in "Shakespeare writes . . . ."

--Make sure that nouns and pronouns agree in number (a singular noun goes with a singular pronoun; a plural noun goes with a plural pronoun): "If someone says x, he or she may find . . " or "If people think . .they . . ." Do NOT write "If someone feels . . . they . . ." (in this case a singular noun has been ungrammatically linked to a plural pronoun).

--Give the name of the director and the year of release of any film being discussed, as in Macbeth (dir. Roman Polanski, 1972)

--Underline or italicize titles of films and novels. Put poems in quotation marks.

--When quoting verse (even from a play) indicate line breaks with a "/" and a capital letter in the beginning of the next line, as in "When shall we three meet again / In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"

--When quoting from a novel or short story, give the page number in parentheses after the quotation and put the period after the parentheses, as in "She said (1)."

--Use a 12 point font. I prefer Ariel.

--Number your pages.

--Make sure your paragraphs have strong transitions between them that tell your reader how you are developing your argument. Avoid "Another" as a transition. It tells you that you are listing points rather than developing an argument.

--Make sure your paragraphs are unified. Each paragraph should have one topic, and each paragraph should have a topic sentence which all the other sentences are subordinated to (just as your entire essay has a thesis sentence which subordinates everything else in your essay. A paragraph is like a mini-essay).

--It's O.K. to use "I" or "my" as in "I will argue" or "in my view," but do not personalize your argument ("When I saw the film I felt that . . ."). You're writing a persuasive essay directed at an audience, not an autobiography.

--Integrate quotations into your paper, don't leave them standing by themselves. Write: Victor Frankenstein says ".... (54)."

--Put two spaces between sentences.

--Look out for comma splices, a common error. Two successive complete sentences (independent clauses) may not be joined by a comma. They have to be separated by a period or linked by a colon or semi-colon.

For more information on the following topics (below), go to: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/index.html#revising

Effective Writing

Adding Emphasis
Argument/Persuasion: Logic in Argumentative Writing
Coherence
Conciseness: Methods of Eliminating Wordiness
Coping with Writing Anxiety
Developing an Outline
Sample Outline
Non-Sexist Language
Overcoming Writer’s Block
Paragraph
Paragraph (length consistency)
Sentence Variety
Strategies for Improving Sentence Clarity
Transitional Devices (Connecting Words)
Using Metaphors in Creative Writing
Writing with Computers

Remember to back up your points with concrete references to the film / text and quotations from it.

Note: All parts of the final project must be completed and turned in on time for you to receive credit. All parts of the course must be completed and turned in on time to pass the course.