Research Paper
Research Paper Requirements
Works Cited
Note Cards
Note Cards
5 sources
10 cards
10 cards
Outline/Thesis
Rough Draft
Final Draft
Class work/
Participation
10
10
10
10
covering all of outline
40
200
You will earn points for
20
your participation during class.
Total =
300
**Supplies Needed**
1. 8 1/2 x 10 manilla or plastic
envelope
2. 3 1/2 x 5 or 4x6 note cards (not
neon colored)
3. highlighters
4. change for making copies -Library time is limited, so you must
make copies on those days!!
Literary Analysis: Choosing A Topic
 Choose
a piece of literature to discuss.
 ~ Imagery
 ~ Theme
 ~ Symbolism
 ~ Characterization
 ~Compare two works or discuss many
works by one author
Examples of Topics for Literary Analysis
Papers
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Racism in Huck Finn
Character Traits of Julius Caesar
Character Traits of Brutus in Julius Caesar
Power Struggles in Julius Caesar
The Sinfulness of Characters in The Scarlet Letter
Character Traits of Hester Prynne
Character Traits of Dimmesdale
Character Traits of Chillingworth
A Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter
Major Symbols of Poe
Major Themes of Poe
Poe’s Life Reflected in His Works
Superstition in To Kill a Mockingbird
Dark Images in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb?db=LitRG
Guidelines for
Literary Analysis
3
double spaced pages
typed
12 point standard font
(Times New Roman or Arial)
Library Research
Time will be limited
 Select topic swiftly – no more than two people
per class may have same topic
 Find at least 5 to 6 sources in library
 Check out books or make copies/prints on
those days –must have these in class
 If you do not get your sources during assigned
time, you will get behind on other parts.
 Class participation points – you will be
monitored for progress and utilization of time

Social Issue Persuasive Essay:
Choosing A Topic
 Choose
a social issue to discuss
 Find statistics, laws, definitions, and
other background info. about the topic
 Find three to four advantages or
disadvantages of the issue to discuss
 Develop an argument in favor or in
opposition to the topic
Examples of Topics for Social Issue
Persuasive Papers

Euthanasia should remain illegal.

Abortion should/ should not be an
option.

http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb?db=OVRC
Guidelines for Persuasive Essay
 Two
pages double spaced typed
(12 point Times New Roman font
style)
OR
 Five pages neatly handwritten on
notebook paper skipping every
other line only on front in blue or
black ink
Library Research
Time will be limited
 Select topic swiftly – no more than two people
per class may have same topic
 Find at least 5 to 6 sources in library
 Check out books or make copies/prints from
magazines, internet, etc. on those days –must
have these in class
 If you do not get your sources during assigned
time, you will get behind on other parts.
 Class participation points – you will be
monitored for progress and utilization of time

Works Cited
 Use
at least five sources
 Alphabetize entries
 Follow MLA format
(see reference packet,
citationmachine.net, or
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl
/resource/747/01/)
Works Cited
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: A Perigee
Book, 1954.
Gruen, John. “Characterization in Lord of the Flies.”
Readings on Lord of the Flies. Ed. Harold Bloom. New
York: Bantam House Publishers, 1992. 112-118.
Henningfeld, Diane Andrews. "An Overview of Lord of the
Flies." an Essay for Exploring Novels. Gale, 1998. Rpt. in
Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Literature
Resources from Gale. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
<http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CH1420005
076&v=2.1&u=avl_tusc&it=r&p=LitRG&sw=w>.
Note Cards

Either paraphrase, summarize, or use
direct quotes!

Do not plagiarize

Only one note per card!

Four parts to card: note, aspect of subject,
source number, and page numbers
Subject
Source #
Note (paraphrase, summary or
quote)
Only one note per card
If you change subject or source number,
change cards
Page # from source
Caesar’s Ambition
2
 Flavius
notes, “ These growing
feathers plucked from Caesar’s wing /
Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, /
Who else would soar above the view
of men / And keep us in servile
fearfulness.”
Act I, scene ii, lines 72-75
II. vengeance
of victims’
deaths
III. financial
reasons
capital
punishment
I. background
information
IV. deterrence of
future crimes
Clustering
Thesis
 Make
a claim about your topic.
 Your thesis statement is
something you plan to prove
through the course of the paper.
 Ex. Capital punishment should be
used to promote vengeance of
victims’ deaths, financial reasons,
and deterrence of future crimes.
Formula for Writing a Thesis
Statement
A specific topic
+ about three particular features, feelings, or
stands
-----------------------------------------------------------------= an effective thesis statement.
Outlining
 Form
thesis statement with what you
want to prove in your paper
 Show background and advantages or
disadvantages of topic
 Use keyword phrases to complete
outlining
 Follow rules of spacing and
margination in outlining
Thesis
I. Background
A.
B.
C.
II. Point one
A.
B.
C.
III. Point two
A.
B.
C.
IV. Point three
A.
B.
C.
Outline
Thesis: Capital punishment should be used to promote vengeance of victims’
deaths, financial reasons, and deterrence of future crimes.
I. Background
A.
B.
C.
II. Vengeance of victims’ deaths
A.
B.
C.
III. Financial reasons
A.
B.
C.
IV. Deterrence of future crimes
superstitious
weak
Julius
Caesar
highly
ambitious
Clustering
Outlining
 Form
thesis statement with what you
want to prove in your paper
 Show main points of topic as the
Roman numerals
 Use keyword phrases to complete
outlining
 Follow rules of spacing and
margination in outlining
Thesis
 Make
a claim about your topic.
 Your thesis statement is something
you plan to prove through the course
of the paper.
 Ex. William Shakespeare presents
Caesar as a superstitious, weak, but
highly ambitious character.
Formula for Writing a Thesis
Statement
A specific topic
+ about three particular features, feelings, or
stands
-----------------------------------------------------------------= an effective thesis statement.
Thesis:
I. Point one
A.
B.
C.
II. Point two
A.
B.
C.
III. Point three
A.
B.
C.
Outline
Thesis: William Shakespeare presents Caesar as
a superstitious, weak, but highly ambitious character.
I. Superstitious
A. Ides of March
B. Animal sacrifices
II. Weak
A. Epilepsy
B. Deafness in one ear
III. Highly ambitious
A. Conquests
B. Crown
Drafting
 Follow
outline
 Develop thesis or plan
 Give support from sources
 Document sources
 Present in formal manner
(do not write on backs of paper and
follow one inch margins)
 Literary Criticism 2 ½ - 3 pages typed/
Persuasive Essay 1 ½-2 pages typed
Essay Format (literary criticism)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction ending in thesis (refer to lit. in
present tense)
Idea #1 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/ex.; clincher
Idea #2 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/examples; clincher
Idea #3 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/examples; clincher
Conclusion beginning with restatement of
thesis; other general sentences leading
reader out of paper
Essay Format (Persuasive Essay)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction ending in thesis
Background Information
Idea #1 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/ex.; clincher
Idea #2 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/examples; clincher
Idea #3 topic sentence; transitions and
supporting details/examples; clincher
5. Conclusion beginning with restatement of
thesis; other general sentences leading
reader out of paper
Documentation
Types of information to document:
 Direct quotations
 Opinions, statistics, definitions, data, etc.
from other authors
What not to document:
 Your own thoughts or general information that
is accepted as common knowledge
 General information that is found in more
than one reference work
Examples of Parenthetical Citations
Which Correspond with Works Cited
end of sentence (Calvert 1 of 1).
end of sentence (“Facts on Drugs” 1 of 2).
“words in a quote” (qtd. in Calvert 1 of 1).
end of sentence (Byron 234).
Sample of how
to insert
parenthetical
documentation
Indented Quote
Wayne Martino draws attention to the impact of masculinity
in the literacy practices of boys by addressing why boys
reject reading and English as a subject. Martino found that,
[…] boys were caught up in a gender bind in
which they perceived the subject English as a
feminized learning practice that conflicted
with their tenuous masculinity[…]Some boys
tended to explain their lack of motivation for
reading in terms of girls’ predisposition for this
kind of literacy practice. Thus, on the basis of
this study it would appear that the acquisition
of literacy seems to be hindered by a set of
cultural practices through which boys learn to
establish their masculinity (230).
Rachel Hughes
English 10
Mrs. Hughes
05 April 2011
Capital Punishment
Even though many people feel the taking
of a life is murder, they firmly believe capital
punishment is justified. In today’s society
Rachel Hughes
Advanced English 10
Mrs. Hughes
05 April 2011
Character Sketch of Caesar
Early in Julius Caesar one character notes,
“These growing feathers plucked from Caesar’s
wing / Will make him fly an ordinary pitch, /
Introductory Paragraph
(at least five sentences)
 Attention
Grabber or Hook
(question, quote, statistic, startling
fact, controversial statement, etc.)
 Sentences
with Significance to
Topic (a bridge from hook to thesis)
 Thesis Statement
(one from outline)
A Way to Start the Attention
Grabber or Hook
Share some thought-provoking details
about the subject.
 Ask your reader a challenging question.
 Begin with an informative quotation.
 Provide a dramatic, eye-opening
statement.
 Open with some thoughtful dialogue or an
engaging story.

Sample Hook Sentences
Persuasive Essay
Even though capital punishment is the taking
of one’s life, many people support this issue.
 Even though abortion should be a personal
choice, many people feel it is morally and
ethically wrong.
 Does watching too much television or playing
too many video games produce violence in
youngsters?

Persuasive Beginning
 Use
formal word choices; avoid
contractions
 Introduction tells the reader about
your opinion. Avoid “I think,” or “I
believe.” You don’t won’t to appear
biased.
 Thesis statement clearly
states your opinion and lists three
reasons of support.
Body Paragraph Guideline
Topic Sentence – general with no examples
 Supporting sentence – sentence with info.
from A. idea on outline and evidence
 Supporting sentence – sentence with info.
from B. idea on outline and evidence
 Supporting sentence – sentence with info.
from C. idea on outline and evidence
 Clincher – restates topic sentence using
different words

Topic for background information
Much information exists on the topic of
__________.
 A (Last Name 2 of 3).
 B (“Title” 1 of 4).
 C (“Title” 3 of 5).
 Therefore, _______ is a very important
issue in today’s society.

Paragraph Structure
Top of hamburger bun =
topic sentence
Lettuce = supporting detail
Onion = supporting detail
Cheese = supporting detail
Meat = supporting detail
Bottom of bun = clincher or
restatement of topic
Persuasive Middle
Each
paragraph should tell
the reader of one reason to
support your opinion.
The essay should have three
reasons ranked from least to
greatest of importance
to support your opinion.
Persuasive Middle cont.
 Each
paragraph should have at least
three details or facts supporting the
reason in that paragraph. Use info.
from sources.
 Paragraphs should be organized
from least important reason to
greatest important.
End
 Restate
the thesis statement in the
conclusion.
 You should have at least five sentences
in the last paragraph.
It is as important as the introduction.
 Lead the reader out with general
information in the end like the info. you
used in introduction
 Remember to add a clincher
to the last sentence.
Remember to Use Transition
Words!
 Middle
paragraphs and the last
paragraph should begin with transition
words.
 Examples:
first, second, third, finally, in
addition, also, last, equally important, in
the first place, likewise, besides, as a
result, therefore, on the other hand,
nevertheless, in conclusion
Revision Tips
Include the following parts in your paper: 1)
introduction, 2) exact following of the outline
as the body, and 3) conclusion to sum up all
ideas presented.
 Do not use contractions in a formal paper.


Use transitions to link ideas. Examples are
as follows: for example, in addition, likewise,
moreover, furthermore, similarly, finally, in
conclusion, consequently, on the other hand,
and also.
Revision Tips
Avoid the use of “there is” and “there are”
because this is a weak sentence
construction. The preferred structure is to
insert a strong action verb.
Weak: There are many reasons to avoid
using drugs.
Better: Many reasons exist to avoid using
drugs.
 Spell out most numbers that can be written in
two or fewer words unless it is a technical
number.

Revision Tips

Cite at least five different sources within the
body of your paper in the form of parenthetical
citations (discussed in the reference packet).
Only these sources should appear on the final
works cited page.

Use lead ins to introduce quotes.
Example: According to one critic, “Depression
. . . “ (Smith 5).
Revision Tips

Use objective third person reference. Do not use I,
we me, us and you.
Wrong: You should avoid drug use.
Better: A person should avoid drug use.

Use topic sentences to introduce each body
paragraph.
Examples: Also, teens should not use alcohol to
avoid health risks.
Furthermore, teens should not use alcoholic
substances to avoid violence and criminal activity.
Revision Tips
Rewrite or type all of your paper for the final
copy, including outline, rough draft of body,
and works cited. Number paper starting with
first page of body. (Also, number the works
cited page.)
 These are the following items for the turn in
date in your enclosed envelope: 1) copies of
sources (not books), 2) all note cards, rough
draft of outline, body, and works cited, 3) final
copies of outline, body, and works cited, 4)
reference packet, and 5) criteria sheet.

Staple Draft in This Order
1. Copy of outline
2. Body of paper written
following outline
3. Copy of works cited
Pulling It All Together
Works
Cited
Rough
Draft
Final
Product
Deadline Day
Turn in these items in your envelope:
 Sources
 Note
cards
 Rough Draft (outline, paper, works cited)
 Final Draft (outline, paper, works cited)
 Grade Scale
 Reference Packet (or $1.00 if lost)