ENGL 102.008/.009
-- Research Paper Assignment --

Dr. Nick Melczarek | anmelczarek@salisbury.edu | 410-546-6203 (66203)
Pick a topic from the list below and write a 2,000-word research paper on that topic. Follow MLA style formatting as you learned in ENGL 101 and as shown in the Writer's Resource. Keep margins at 1" all around, and use 12-point font (either Palatino or Times). Type on only one side of each sheet. This time, you do need a cover sheet with the following information centered:
Paper title
your name
ENGL 102. Section #
Resarch Perp (which draft?)
Submission date

Example:
Romantic Subversion in "A White Heron"
Conscientious Q. Student
ENGL 102.001
Research Paper (final draft)
April 6, 2005

Number all pages except page 1, in the top right-hand corner. You will need a works cited page. Staple your paper before you turn it in; papers not stapled will not be read.
PAPERS THAT DO NOT ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE RETURNED UNREAD AND COUNTED LATE. PROOFREAD YOUR PAPER FOR BASIC ERRORS BEFORE YOU TURN IT IN. EXCESSIVE UNNECESSARY WRITING ERRORS WILL CAUSE A PAPER TO BE RETURNED TO YOU UNREAD.
You must also submit an electronic copy of your research paper to the appropriate section of Turnitin.com

Be sure to use literary terms that apply to your discussion (e.g. "protagonist" instead of "main character," etc.) and use them in such a way that shows you understand the term. Your research must come from the critical articles in the Casebook; while you are welcome to use other sources as well, the bulk of your research must come from the Casebook's critical articles. You will need to cite at least four of the critical articles. Be sure to quote and cite the story and the critics to illustrate and support your argument, in MLA parenthetical format. See pp.21-27 in the Casebook for an example paper, and also the appropriate pages in Making Arguments and the Writer's Resource. No bloc quotations.

TOPICS:

Agree with a specific point in one critic and support him/her or disagree with a critic and argue against her/him, using other critics' arguments for support and illustration.

Jewett's story is about more than just the specific plot that it depicts -- it is more than just a piece of "regionalism" or "Romanticisim."

The use of apostrophe and the "pathetic fallacy" in Jewett's story work as strengths rather than weaknesses.

Jewett's story does or does not (pick one) work as an allegory. (But an allegory of what?)

The strength of Jewett's short story lies in its ability to be read psychoanalytically or to be read politically (pick one).

The character Sylvy in Jewett's story is not as simple or meek as she seems; she's actually more powerful than the male ornithologist. (How/why?)

The ornithologist in Jewett's story is not as powerful as he seems; he's actually out of his element. (How/why?)

FINAL DRAFT DUE NOVEMBER 2, TO MY OFFICE.

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