English III Research Paper Assignment
Mrs. Rodgers
Spring 2016 margaux.rodgers@fortbendisd.com
www.fortbendisd.com/ths
Focus : Analysis of a short story by a renowned American author.
Requirements :

The paper should be 5 paragraphs (usually 3 – 4 pages) double-spaced and typed using 12-point font size with one-inch margins, Times New Roman font type. ( author, theme, setting, character(s), and conclusion)

Proper MLA format must be used, including an appropriate heading (no title page), pagination, and parenthetical notation. MLA instructions are on the school library website www.fortbend.k12.tx.us/campuses/ths

The primary source (short story from textbook) and at least two secondary sources (from approved THS library databases only) must be cited appropriately on your works cited page.
Items to be turned in for teacher grading:
Assignment
Short Story Analysis Questions due w/theme stated – ( Daily Grade)
Thesis statement
Typed T-notes due – submit to www.turnitin.com
and turn in a hard copy to
Mrs. Rodgers ( Daily Grade)
Typed Outline due with works cited page - submit to www.turnitin.com
–
( Major Grade)
Typed 1 st Rough Draft due with works cited page - submit to
Due Date
Friday, January 29 th
Monday, February 1 th
Monday, February 8 th
Thursday, February 18
Friday, February 26 th th www.turnitin.com
and turn in a hard copy to Mrs. Rodgers (Daily grade)
Bring hard copy of typed 1 st
draft with works cited page to class for clocking/proofreading (Daily grade)
Monday, February 29 th
Final Draft of Research paper due with works cited page - submit to www.turnitin.com
(Major grade)
Thursday, March 3 rd
NO EXCEPTIONS!
The Process of Writing a Research Paper on a Literary Topic:
1. Read your chosen short story and answer the short story analysis questions.
2. Locate sources and make T-notes with citations on author, theme, characters, setting or other literary elements.
If you are absent, you will have to go back to the library on your own time or use the
3.
4.
5.
6. library databases from home to get your sources.
Make T-notes with quotes from your story to match the comments from the literary criticism.
Decide what the arguable/provable point of your paper will be—the thesis statement—based on the theme you choose as your focus. Use fill-in-the blank thesis to get started.
Organize the information into a logical, detailed form—produce an outline using quotes from your Tnotes. See examples on my website.
Write, type, and save your rough draft. The rough draft must use parenthetical notation giving credit to primary and secondary sources and include the works cited page. See examples.
7.
8.
Submit the rough draft and final drafts of your essays to www.turnitin.com
Follow the instructions for clocking to check papers for mistakes.
.
9. Revise, make corrections, proofread, and check your paper against the grading rubric.
10. Submit your final draft to www.turnitin.com
as well.
1

Holt McDougal Online textbook information
Website: my.hrw.com
Username: FBISB and student ID number
Password: student ID number
Short Stories we read in class
“The Devil and Tom Walker”- pp. 318-335
“The Masque of the Red Death”- pp. 444-454
“The Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”- pp. 602-616
“The Open Boat”- pp. 736-758
“The Yellow Wallpaper” - pp. 796-813
“A Rose for Emily”- pp. 1064-1077
Short Stories not read in class
“The Minister’s Black Veil” - pp. 468-484
“The Fall of the House of Usher” - pp. 410-430
“The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” - pp.683-690
“A Wagner Matinee”- pp. 716-726
“The Outcasts of Poker Flat”- pp. 696-708
“April Showers” – pp. 823-830
“Winter Dreams”- pp. 976-998
“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall”- pp. 1034-1059
“A Worn Path”- pp. 1048-1059
“The Life You Save May Be Your Own”- pp. 1078-1089
2