Snyder
English 1A - Section 1
English 1A: Paper #3
What is college without that exciting project we call The Research Paper?! In the vast majority of classes you take at the
university, you will be asked to write research-based papers…so now it’s time for you to do that here! You will find that many
teachers will give you a general topic and then ask you to focus on some specific aspect of that topic and write a paper about it.
In the spirit of this trend, I’m following the same pattern here. The general topic in question is Art Spiegelman’s Maus I and II,
which you’ve just finished reading. These two graphic novels are your starting points. Your task is to write a four- to five-page
research-based essay on a topic that you choose based on your reading of Spiegelman’s books. You have the freedom to design
your own topic as long as it somehow relates to Maus I and/or II.
You are required to get my approval for your topic, just as you did for Essay #2, but you’ll find that I’m extremely flexible
about possible topics. For example, you might choose to research a particular theme or aspect you found interesting in the
stories, such as the Warsaw Ghetto, maternal suicide, Polish Jews during the Holocaust, or relationships with aging parents. Or,
you might choose to research and discuss something like graphic novels as a genre, biographies of Holocaust survivors, or
Pulitzer Prize-winning novels of the last decade. The Maus stories present a wide variety of themes and topics, so the
possibilities here are many. We’ll brainstorm some possible topics in class, as well as strategies for narrowing down a wide
topic into something manageable for a short research paper.
Because Maus I and II are your starting points, I will expect to see some mention of the novels in your paper. However, it
could be as simple as a mere mention of the books in the introduction. If you choose to research a prevalent theme from the
books, you’ll probably find that you want to include a fair amount of discussion of Maus I and/or II. But, if you choose to
research something like Pulitzer Prize-winning novels, you might not need to do more than simply mention Spiegelman’s
books briefly.
I also expect you to include at least three reliable outside sources in your paper, at least one of which is a peer-reviewed
journal. Remember that Joe Blow’s Web Site is not a reliable source! Acceptable sources include newspapers, reputable
magazines (Time, Newsweek, etc.), reputable Web sites (government Web sites, Associated Press or Reuters articles, etc.),
peer-reviewed journals, and books. Remember that peer-reviewed journals and books are usually the best sources.
NOTE: There is an additional component to this essay. You are to turn in, with your final draft, a one-page cover letter
explaining why you chose your particular topic and how your research influenced your thinking about that topic. Did you have
any preconceived notions about the topic you chose when you started your research? Did those ideas change as you did your
research? In addition, you are allowed to use either MLA or APA citation for this paper, but in your cover letter you must tell
me which citation style you chose to use.
I will be evaluating your paper based on the CSUS English 1A grading rubric and the following criteria:
 Content. Is your argument well thought-out and have you clearly examined the issue from all sides?
 Clarity. Have you expressed your ideas in a straightforward manner? Does your paper demonstrate a clear main
argument?
 Organization. Does your paper have a strong and consistent structure?
 Grammar/mechanics/usage. Is your paper free of major errors and typos? Have you proofread the final draft?
Your paper should be at least four to five pages typed, double-spaced, with a one-inch margin on all sides, and a font size no
larger than 12-point. Heading and page numbering should follow MLA or APA format—the choice is yours, as long as you let
me know which format you decided to use. You may use Times New Roman, Arial, or a similar font—no Courier, please! All
citations should be in either MLA or APA format, and the final draft of your essay should include a Works Cited page in
proper MLA or APA format. There is no maximum page length for this essay, but you should not feel obligated to write more
than the required four to five pages if you don’t feel it is necessary for your argument.
Happy writing, and please feel free to come to me with any questions you might have.