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ENG 1002 150   Friday College Blended

K. Jagasia

Research Paper

Assigned:  Tuesday, February 7, 2006  Due: See the dates below

Library Research Paper: Based on Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary source: “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen (from your textbook)

Academic Secondary Sources: 6 (may include two online sources)

Length: 10 pages (excluding the title page and the Works Cited pages)

Format: MLA; Font 12; Double-spaced

We will be studying the play A Doll’s House. Your assignment is to write an essay to analyze/interpret this play.  Read all the instructions for all the requirements for this paper. Your specific task will be to write a critical essay from a Formalist approach; therefore, you will provide an analysis/interpretation of the work (not sociological/historical/biographical criticism) based on the primary source, and since this is a library research paper, you are required to support your thesis with literary criticism from this research. Therefore, your paper must be supported from the primary and the secondary sources.

1.    The Purpose and Audience

The purpose of your paper is to analyze/interpret the play A Doll’s House.  For this paper, assume that your readers have read the play, but they do not yet share your insight into the play. You, from your in-depth reading, discussion, and reflection, are ready to enlighten your audience about some vital significance of the play.  Therefore, do not summarize the play. Make sure that your thesis is debatable. Bring strong unity and coherence to your paper, and prove your thesis. To convince your readers and to argue your stance, use plenty of details from your primary source. Weave in the ideas of other critics from library research to support and strengthen your arguments and your interpretations. Remember all the requirements of a good essay.

Rely on the cause and effect analysis, comparison contrast analysis, and argumentation patterns of writing essays. We shall discuss possible research topics.

2.  Library Research

Your first and most important task is to study the play and conduct library research to find support from other critics for your ideas/claims. You will need a minimum of six academic sources. I have kept some reference materials on reserve for you, and a list of these materials is available on the library website.  For references used beyond the reserved material, provide me with copies of pages of the material, (and the cover pages) along with the bibliographic details for the Works cited page.

3.   The MLA Format

v      You are required to follow the MLA format of documentation for citing from primary and secondary sources in your paper. 

v      We will discuss sources that are considered good, credible, and acceptable. Summaries and guides (for example, Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, Barron’s notes, etc) are not acceptable for this paper.  Rely on literary criticism and not on videos and summaries of the play.  Organize the sources according to the Works Cited page.  A plagiarized paper will receive a failing grade for the paper and will lead to a failing grade for the course.

v       Create a clear link between the material from your sources, your in-text citations, and the Works Cited page.  Every reference used in the paper must be cited correctly.  Each reference cited in the paper must be listed on the Works Cited page. Use parenthetical citations for direct quotes and the paraphrased material.

4.   Process Papers:

Create a folder for the Research Paper. Assignments are due in duplicate at the beginning of the class, so keep folder ready a day or two before. We all know how moody the disks, the computer programs, and the printers can be, so follow a smart plan of action!  Contact me for questions and help, and do work with the Writing Center.   I know that right now these dates seem very distant; I also know of our busy schedules and responsibilities. However, to be successful, follow a smart plan of action.