English 2353: Literature by Women
Research Essay: 5-7pp.
Description and Directions:
For your final essay, you need to combine your idea about the text with published critical voices
about the text. You may choose to build off of one of your earlier essays, or you may wish to
start anew. You must choose one of the authors listed on the syllabus and discuss the text that is
included in your anthology, unless you have permission from the instructor to do something
different. You will need to cite from at least three critical voices (sources) in your paper. You
may not search on the general access Internet for your critical sources. You may draw as many
sources from the online databases accessed through the library homepage as you like. Other
sources, such as peer reviewed scholarly journals and books are also acceptable. The idea is to
maintain your idea about the text as your central argument and bring in the voices of the critic as
support, as opposition, and discussion of your idea. You want to think of it as a formalized
discussion on paper between you and the critics.
Format:
• Use Times New Roman, 12pt.
• Double-space.
• Indent for paragraphs.
• Have a title and center it at the top of the page with no extra line spaces.
• Use MLA style for heading and format: 1” margins on all sides, place your name, my name,
your class and section number, and the date at the top left hand corner of the first page. Make
sure your last name appears in the top right hand corner of the page along with the page number,
and make sure that the paper is stapled or paper clipped together.
• Your idea should be central.
• You must cite from the text in order to support your claims about the text.
• Use MLA style to cite and document your sources: parenthetical documentation and works
cited.
• You must have a Works Cited page with the correct information and formatting. This element
will be included in your final grade.
Suggestions for Procedure:
You have your central idea somewhat written out in your response essay. You might take a little
time to look over the essay again. Think about the comments that I have made and think about
what you have learned since that essay was written. You may then want to make some notes
about how you might want to represent your idea, that is, what you want to be sure to say in your
new paper.
The next step is research. Find your sources. We will visit the library together so that I can
guide you, but you are welcome to begin your research at any time, the earlier, the better.
Once you have your sources, read them carefully, actively, and critically. What questions do you
have for the author? Where is the article most clear? Most confusing? What ideas do you want
to use from the article? Can you find the quotes that most represent those ideas in the article?
ENGL 2353 Research Essay 1/2
What do you think the main argument of the article is? Is there a clearly stated sentence or two
that represents that idea?
Once you have marked your sources and have an idea of what you want to use from those
sources, begin to formulate an outline, considering how those sources might fit into your own
thoughts about the essay. Will they support your ideas? Will you argue with them? At this
point, you ought to be formulating your rough draft for the final essay.
Suggestions for Integrating Quotes:
As always, when you use quotes from a primary or secondary source, you need to provide
context for that quote. Don’t forget the guidelines that I have provided for you to help you to
incorporate quotes, both from your text and from your research.
a. Introduce the quote/set it up for the reader.
b. Provide quote.
c. Write what you think quote actually says.
d. Explain the quote’s significance to the text.
e. Explain the quote’s relationship to your overall idea/argument/main point about the text
Checklist for Final Paper:
1. Do you focus on one topic/position (or connect your ideas with a unifying topic)?
2. Is your position/voice prevalent in the paper, using the quotes as support only? Be careful to
do more than merely summarize the text(s).
3. Do you use at least one quote from the primary text in your paper to support your position
about the text? Do you cite from at least three sources? Do you introduce and explain your
quotes? Do you cite and punctuate your quotes correctly?
4. Is your position debatable? Could someone else argue with your position?
5. Have you proofread for errors: grammar, typos, and punctuation? Do your sentences follow
one anther in a logical/readable order?
6. Is your paper at least five full pages long? Does it fully cover the topic you have chosen?
7. It has been my experience that the better papers almost always are the ones that have been
revised and revised and revised.
ENGL 2353 Research Essay 2/2