Weekly Assignment 10: Fantasy Research Paper
The purpose of this assignment is not to write a research paper, but to imagine (and practice the
early planning stages of) writing one. Is there an idea we discussed or a text we read this
semester that you found intriguing and deserving of further investigation? Do you have a
question about one or more of our texts that you’re dying to pursue? This is your chance.
Imagine you’re tasked with writing a sophisticated, 20-page research essay on some aspect of
English literature that we covered in this class. Which text or texts would you focus on? What
question would you be pursuing? What do you think you would argue? And where would you
find support for that argument?
[This assignment is a good excuse to start studying for the final exam: looking back over our
readings, rereading your notes from your reading and from our class discussion, seeing
connections between ideas and texts.]
While this assignment will require a lot of brainstorming and investigating that won’t make it
onto the page, your written response should consist of the following:
First, write one paragraph explaining the focus for your research paper: which text or texts will
you focus on? What is your argument? Keep in mind that an argument should not be general but
should instead be clearly focused and detailed, so as to provide an interpretation of the object of
analysis that would not be obvious to a casual reader. Your argument should clearly explain what
you’re arguing against (either a rival interpretation, an interpretation we discussed in class, or an
assumption about the text that needs to be corrected). As always, your argument should be bold!
Your argument should be ambitious! Your argument might even shock and amaze!
Second, write another paragraph explaining how you will support your argument. What are some
passages from the text(s) you will focus on? Will you be looking at other primary texts we did
not study in class (like other texts by the same author or other primary texts from a database like
ECCO)? If so, which ones (or at least which kind of primary texts)? You will also do a bit of
research to find secondary (critical) sources that you would include. (Look at the scholarly
databases through the Baruch library site, especially humanities databases like Project Muse or
MLA International Bibliography; you might also try Google Scholar, which will bring up
academic articles. If you’d like help finding sources, let me know. You do not need to read your
sources fully to include them, but you should scan titles and abstracts to see what might be
useful.) Include full author names and titles in this paragraph and a works cited at the end of the
assignment.
Finally, write a paragraph explaining why this topic, these texts, and this argument appeal to you.
When were you first interested in this and why? What was your process for arriving at this
argument? This paragraph (and not the two previous ones) is where you can get a little more
personal, more reflective.
This assignment is due in class on Thursday, May 15.
During the last class meeting, everyone will briefly share their essay ideas during our wrap-up
celebration.