Senior Honors Research Paper
Description of paper: This is a synthesized paper of 8 pages in length plus 2 pages of annotated
bibliography which makes the final product 10 pages. This is a persuasive paper so the thesis is
an arguable statement about Death of a Salesman or Hamlet. You will annotate 10 sources, one
of which is the play which has already been annotated. You will synthesize these sources into
your paper to support your point of view using proper MLA format for internal citations and for
the annotated bibliography. You must submit all elements of the paper including articles,
note cards, an outline, a correct rough draft and a final draft with a full annotated
bibliography in order to get credit. Along the journey, I have put an asterisk (*) next to those
items which will receive credit and have specific due dates. Those items must be submitted on
time or you will lose credit- meaning you will receive a zero that cannot be made up which will
also result in an immediate phone call home. No exceptions!
**If you know you will be out of town on a due date, you must submit a hard copy prior to
leaving. **If you are out sick/excused absence the day of a deadline, you must email me the
assignment prior to period’s start time.**
Mandatory Outline Conference: You will be asked to sign up for a scheduled time to
conference with me over your outline. 1 slot before school, 2 during class, and 1 after school
during Dec 5-Dec 11.
You must turn in a complete 1st draft BEFORE 1st semester finals. Failure to do so may result in
a conversation about a level/course change for 2nd semester.
Due Dates:
Thesis Proposal: Tuesday November 19
Note Cards: Monday November 25
Annotated Bibliography: Monday December 2
Outline Due: Thursday December 5
Outline Conferences: Thursday December 5 – Wednesday December 11
Draft 1 Due: Monday December 16
Final Draft in a 9x12 envelope with all the components: Friday January 10. 2014
Sources:
You must have 10 sources, one of which is the play. All other sources must be from a reputable
database or a book of literary criticism. We have an entire cart of books. Please use proper
MLA format when citing a source.
To be submitted on Friday January 10, 2014 in a 9x12 envelope:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
All articles fully annotated
25 notecards
An outline
A corrected 1st draft
A final draft which is typed using proper MLA format plus an updated/corrected
annotated bibliography attached to final
****I will provide the envelope for you.
Possible research topics:
1. Is the character of Hamlet a true tragic hero?
2. Is Death of a Salesman a tragedy or social satire?
3. Is Willy Loman a tragic hero?
4. Is Hamlet a true Aristotelian tragedy?
5. Is Shakespeare a misogynist? ***please be very certain you understand this term***
6. Is Hamlet truly mad?
7. Does Hamlet love Ophelia?
8. Discuss Shakespeare’s use of foils in Hamlet.
9. Discuss literary elements in Hamlet (allusion, symbol, etc.)
10. Discuss symbols in Death of a Salesman
11. Discuss the relationship between Willy Loman and his sons
12. Discuss the views of death in Hamlet
13. Discuss a major theme or motif in Hamlet
14. Compare or contrast Willy Loman to Hamlet
15. Discuss Shakespeares’s use of deception in Hamlet
16. Discuss the relationship of madness and sanity in Hamlet
17. Compare Macbeth and Hamlet as tragic heroes
18. Discuss Hamlet through a Feminist lens
19. Discuss Hamlet through a Psycho-Analytic (Freudian) lens
20. Discuss the different cinematic interpretations of Hamlet and the agenda each one
presents
October 2013
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2
3
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5
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10
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19
Poetics
Vocab Quiz
Poetics
Poetics
Lion King
25
Karmatube
Reading Quiz
In class read
I.iv
HW: I.v. &
II.i
20
21
Vocab Quiz
Finish Lion
King
22
Shakespeare/
Hamlet
Lecture
HW: read I.i.
23
Essay Prompt
Discuss I.i
HW: read I.ii
24
Discuss I.ii
Character
Map
HW: read I.iii
+ Tragedy
Article
27
28
29
30 Late Start
31
Discuss I.v. &
II.i.
Film
Comparison
II.ii
HW: read
“Life in
Renaissance
England”
Quiz
III.i. & III.ii.
– watch film
clip +
discussion
III.iii – read +
discuss
HW: read
III.iv
Quiz
Discuss III.iv.
HW: Read IV
i-ii
26
November 2013
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1
SATURDAY
2
Karmatube
Discuss IV i-ii
Read IV iii-iv
HW:Read IV.v.
3
10
17
24
4
5
6
7
8 Lab 232
Quiz
Film comparison
IV.v.
HW: IV.vi.
Discuss IV.vi
HW: Read
V.i.
Quiz
Watch V.i.
clip +
Discussion
HW: Vii
Watch V.ii.
clip +
Discussion
Prep for timed
write
Timed Write:
Hamlet
HW: Read Part
1- DoaS (30
pages)
11 Chromebooks
12
13 Late Start
14
15
Intro to Art Miller
Research
HW: read Part 2
(30p)
Intro to
research paper
HW: read Part
3 (33p)
MLA:
Annotated
Bib
HW: Read
Part 4 (33p)
Read
Requiem
Research
Resources
HW: Explore
Essay Topics
Karmatube
Salesman Quiz
Prep for Debate
HW: research
topics
18
19
20
21
22
Death of a
Salesman Class
Debate
HW: Topic
Proposal
**Thesis
Proposal
Due**
Research
HS:
read/annotate
Research
Research
Notecard
creation
Notecard
creation
25
26
27 Early
Release
28
29
30
???
Eat Turkey
Eat Leftovers
Go Shopping
Work on
Annotated Bib
Ditka Dash
5k
Library
**Notecards
Due**
Annotated Bib
HW: Annotated
Bib
Library
Library
Annotated
Bib
HW:
Annotated
Bib
Library
Library
Library
9
16
Library
23
We will be working
on chromebooks at
back tables!
Research/Noteca
rds
Work on
Annotated
Bib
December 2013
SUNDAY
MONDAY
**Annotated
Bib Due**
Work on
outline
Work on
outline
Work on
outline
**Outline
Due**
Outline
Conference
(4 total)
Work on draft
Outline
Conference
(4 total)
Work on draft
9
10
11
12
13
Lab 232
4
Lab 232
Lab 232
5
Lab 232
FRIDAY
Take a nap
Lab 232
Lab 232
THURSDAY
2
8
3
WEDNESDAY
1
Work on
Annotated
Bib!
Lab 232
TUESDAY
Lab 232
6 Lab 232
Lab 232
Outline
Conference
(4 total)
Work on draft
Outline
Conference
(4 total)
Work on draft
Outline
Conference
(4 total)
Work on draft
Write Draft 1
Write Draft 1
16
Classroom
17
Classroom
18
19
20
**Draft 1
Due!!!!!
Prep for
Timed Essay
Prep for timed
essay
Finals 1, 2, 4
Finals 3, 7, 5
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23
24
29
30
31
15
Lab 232
Lab 232
SATURDAY
7
14
21
Finals 8, 6
HW: work on
essay
1 notecard w/
quotes
25
26
27
28
January 2014
SUNDAY
MONDAY
Lab 232
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2
3
4
Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break
Winter Break
7 Lab 232
8 Lab 232
9 Lab 232
10 Lab 232
11
5
6
Winter Break
Draft 2
Make time to
go to writing
lab or
conference
w/ Schwartz
Draft 2
Make time to
go to writing
lab or
conference
w/ Schwartz
Draft 2
Make time to
go to writing
lab or
conference
w/ Schwartz
Draft 2
Make time to
go to writing
lab or
conference
w/ Schwartz
***Final Draft
with all prep
work in folder
due by end of
period!!!***
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Hand back
finals
O’Brien (5
weeks)
25
Lecture on
Tim’Brien and
the
disillusioned
war hero
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