beowulf

beowulf

Assignment 1: Argumentative Research Paper

Requirements: Standard MLA format and documentation. 3 pages + Works Cited. Turnitin.com (+1 paper copy). Minimum 6 peer-reviewed sources. If you use any sources that are not peer-reviewed, they should be in addition to the 6.

What to do: Write a researched analysis of a literary work we are studying in class this semester. Remember that a good research paper will present your ideas illuminated by research. The student must choose a piece of literature that he or she can say something new about. Do not simply restate discussions we may have had in class. Come up with new ideas on your own. However, you may use classroom discussion as a jumping off point for you to begin your own exploration of the literature. Remember, too, that this is to be an analysis of the literature, not a biography or summary. You must have a minimum of six cited secondary sources in addition to your primary source(s). Papers must be typed in MLA format, including in text citations and a “Works Cited” page. You will find sources for your research not only in the library but also in the various electronic databases.

Remember that you aren’t just identifying the elements in a work, but you are making a claim about the literature and using research to back it up. In your introduction, mention the author and title of your work, preview your paper and primary source, and state a clear, assertive, argumentative thesis. In the body, prove your thesis through a specific analysis of the literature, using examples from the literary work(s) and the comments of your source scholars to support or illuminate your interpretation. You do not have to find scholars who agree with you, but you do need to show that your opinion is an informed opinion, that you know what others have written about your subject. In the conclusion, sum up, tie everything together, and come to closure. Avoid at all costs simply re-telling the story, as a summary paper will receive a failing grade.