ENGL 1102

Prof. Bishop

Spring 2010

Research Paper (40% of course grade)

Due Dates via Turnitin.com: (see specific descriptions below)

· Prospectus—by noon, 23 April 2010 (5% of  course grade)

· Annotated Bibliography—by 5p.m., 26/27 April 2010 (10% of course grade)

· Final Draft—by midnight, 4 May 2010 (25% of course grade)

Length:

· Prospectus: will be a minimum of 250 words.

· Annotated Bibliography: will be a minimum of three sentences (50 to 75 words) for each annotation (five total).

· Final Draft: will be a minimum of 5-10 pages, formatted per MLA style.

Objective: Students will synthesize theoretical ideas covered during the previous weeks, and then apply those theoretical ideas in an analytical essay that uses researched, critical supplements to support their arguments.

Guidelines:

· Using Elia Kazan’s A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) and at least one other poem, play, or story, write an essay that makes an argument about some aspect of feminism as we’ve seen it expressed thus far in the term. This could include the oppressive nature of patriarchy, the historical context of feminism and its influence on culture, the angel/monster dichotomy as termed by Gilbert & Gubar, society’s scrutiny of the female body, or some other aspect of feminism or gendered study.

· The essay should be 5-10 pages (excluding the bibliography and prospectus), formatted according to MLA guidelines as found in Harbrace chs. 39 & 41.

· The essay must feature at least five supporting sources (aside from the primary sources, which would includes Kazan’s film and the other text), which bolster and enhance the student’s argument in a meaningful way.

· Of the five critical secondary sources, only one may be a website. The other four must be either books or articles retrieved through the GHC library, netlibrary, or GALILEO (MLA Bibliography and JSTOR included).

· Students will submit a prospectus of at least 250 words that outlines a research question that anticipates a potential argument and the potential claims for the essay, as well as the proposed plan of research (where, what, and how they will search). This will necessitate writing early (and often) in order to have a clear plan of execution for the essay’s final draft.

· Students will submit an annotated bibliography, in which they summarize the major argument(s) of the source and how they plan to use that particular source. Each annotation should be between 50 and 75 words in length and should give the thesis of the article or book chapter, and it should address specifically the purpose of that point (or others) in the student’s essay.

· The essay will be graded according to the course rubric, with strict adherence to MLA guidelines. Up to 10 points may be deducted for failure to adhere to MLA guidelines for formatting or citations in any of the assignments (prospectus, annotated bibliography, or final draft).

· All work—primary and secondary sources—must be properly cited in-text and in the bibliography. Failure to cite materials appropriately will result in failure of the assignment and may result in formal charges of plagiarism.

Notes:

Because many of you will be in a “make or break” position, grade-wise, it is imperative that you focus on the three Cs: clarity, concision, and coherence. Remember:

1. Make sure that you have something to say about each text before you allow the critics to back you up. If you don’t have an argument or recycle someone else’s argument, you will fail the assignment.

2. Make sure that each body paragraph is structured according to the CIA method.

3. Make sure that your introduction and conclusion adequately frame your argument and the support for that argument.

4. Make sure that you have a clear, argumentative thesis. Use the handouts on the website to assist you in this endeavor.

5. Make sure that you edit carefully for the following: grammar, mechanics, usage, and MLA style.