Discussion Questions

This will be a thesis driven research paper, meaning students will come up with an original argument about a piece of literature and use examples from that literature, as well as outside sources, to argue why the literature should have been included in the course.

For the research paper, you will be arguing why the story you wrote about in for your Argumentative Essay should have been included on the course syllabus. In other words, you will be connecting an unassigned reading to the larger themes of the course. Your thesis should read something like: This text (name text) should have been taught in English 2 because….” The reasons why are up to you and should be informed by your own analysis and research.

You will need to use at least 5 outside sources to help you contextualize the text. For example, if you were to write an essay on why Updike’s “A&P” should have been included in the course curriculum, you might use sources that discuss Sammy’s character, or sources that discuss point of view. You will also need to analyze Updike’s text yourself to show why Sammy’s character and Updike’s narration style are particularly unique. Your paper should not begin with context and transition into analysis. Rather, your context should be a part of your analysis. You context should help you support your argument.

Similar to your Argumentative Essay, your Research Essay is a thesis driven, academic paper. This means that your final product should be polished and proof-read. Your paper will begin with an introduction and thesis, continue with paragraphs that support your thesis, and end with a conclusion. Your thesis should be clear and concise. Like your other papers, you should be writing a lot about a little, not a little about a lot.

Use your paragraphs to make specific points and back them up by paraphrasing or using quotations from your sources or your chosen story. Do not overuse quotations and do not use a quotation without further analyzing it. Do not merely summarize the story or the scholarship! This paper should be YOUR analysis of the story and how it is important to undergraduate study of English literature, so I want to hear your voice! See the link to the example paragraphs at the end of the lesson.

You may use some of your ideas to support this new thesis, but the phrasing must be unique and your arguments must be supported with your own literary analysis and with research.