Literary Research Paper
This eight-unit guide will help you
conduct research and write an
effective essay in literature courses.
1
I.
Getting from Topic to Thesis
II.
Visiting the Library
III.
Revising the Thesis
IV.
Taking Notes
V.
Creating a Work Cited Page
VI.
Avoiding Plagiarism and Use Quotations
VII.
Writing the First Draft
VIII. Making Revisions
2
I. From Topic To Thesis
Pat, the student who will be your guide, has
been given a research assignment topic
from which she will create a working thesis.
3
Table of Contents
1.
Pat’s Assignment
4
2.
Selecting a Topic
5-6
3.
Creating a Thesis
7-8
4.
Pat’s Thesis Question
9
5.
Pat’s Tentative Thesis
10
6.
Pat’s Next Step: Library Visit
Unit II
4
Pat’s Assignment Topic
Write a 7-9 page research paper that explores
one aspect of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story
“The Yellow Wallpaper.” State your thesis
clearly and provide two or three supporting
ideas.
Cite at least five sources using MLA format.
•
•
•
•
Formulate a thesis statement.
Go to the library to do research.
Plan the essay in the form of an outline.
Write the essay and then revise it.
5
This is an
interesting story,
but which topic
to choose?
Hysteria?
Gothic
elements
in the
story?
The
rest
cure?
The yellow
wallpaper?
6
The wallpaper
must be
important—it’s
in the title. . .
The narrator
sees a woman
crawling around
in it.
The wallpaper
has a special
meaning—
there must be
a lot written
about symbols
in the story. . .
7
Ways to Explore a Topic
• Formulate a thesis.
• Make an outline of ideas to support the
thesis.
• Cluster/map ideas freely.
• Do a free write to put some ideas in
writing.
8
What is a thesis?
A thesis asserts the point or
makes the argument the paper
will prove.
An effective thesis is an overall
umbrella for all the ideas in the
paper.
9
How to Create a Thesis
The best way to create a thesis is to ask a
central research question.
“What is the meaning of the yellow wallpaper?”
The answer to the question is the thesis.
Also see:
Professor Jonaitis/Davis’ From Topic to Thesis
 Purdue Online Writing Lab
10
Pat’s Working Thesis
“The yellow wallpaper in
Gilman’s story seems to
symbolize repression of
women...”
I need to do some
research now!
On to the library!
11
Pat’s “Scratch” Outline
Meanings of Wallpaper
•
Wallpaper as Prison (physical)—kept in room
Husband as jailer
Bars
•
Social Repression
No relatives, friends or outside contacts
•
Women expected to be domestic—marriage, home, children
Wallpaper as domestic confinement?
•
Narrator’s view of wallpaper—symbol of her
resistance/insanity (?)
12
Pat’s Free Write
The narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper” is a prisoner in her own house. Her
husband is a doctor and he makes sure that the narrator follows the rest cure to help her
recover from a nervous disorder that is probably post partum depression. He doesn’t seem to
care about her as a human being. He treats her like a child and doesn’t value her opinions.
She is cut off from friends and relatives that she enjoys. He may think he is doing the right
thing, but he is really an abusive husband. The removal of all intellectual and social
stimulation is probably what drives the narrator crazy. Because she doesn’t have anything
else to do, she stares at the wallpaper until she starts seeing things. Obviously, the paper is a
symbol of her imprisonment by her husband, who represents the repression of marriage and
women’s social roles in the 19th century. Women could not vote and were expected to marry
and be wives and mothers, not work outside the home. They were stuck like the woman
crawling in the wallpaper. I would have probably gone crazy, too, if I had been in that
narrator’s position.
14
II. Visiting the Library
15
Pat’s English class visits the BCC
Library to locate literary criticism
on Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s
story, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
16
Table of Contents
Choosing a Topic
Finding Literary Criticism
Literature Resource Center
Finding Books
Gale Literary Index
Finding Periodical Articles
Web Sources
Research Tips
Useful Links
4-5
6
7
8-9
11-12
13-17
18-19
20
23
17
Choosing a Topic
Read “The Yellow Wallpaper” carefully
and make notes about what interests
you.
– What are the main themes?
– What intrigues you about the
story?
18
What if I write
about the
importance of the
wallpaper in the
story?
I need to find some
criticism to help me
get started…
Where do I
begin looking?
19
Finding Literary Criticism
•
Literary criticism can be found in
journals, books, and in the Library’s
databases.
•
Look for an overview and criticism of
the story in the Literature Resource
Center on the Library Web site.
And/or
•
Find books of criticism by using the
Library catalog.
20
Literature Resource Center
Literature Resource Center is a
database accessed from the Full List of
Databases on the Library Web site. The
Literature Resource Center includes:
– Literary criticism and articles
– Author biographies
– Work overviews
To watch a short demo, click here
For step-by-step instructions, click here
21
Finding Books
Search for books in the Library catalog.
Use SUBJECT search to find criticism:
Gilman, Charlotte
or use KEYWORD search:
yellow wallpaper gilman
To watch a short demonstration click here.
For step-by-step instructions click here.
22
Pat prints out records for books of
criticism, finds them on the shelves,
and browses the tables of contents
and indexes for ideas.
Pat finds several references to the
symbolic meaning of the wallpaper in
the books and in the overview from
the Literature Resource Center.
23
I think I’ll write about
symbolism in “The Yellow
Wallpaper” but can I find
enough criticism on this?
This isn’t
as easy as
I
thought…
…but I’ll see
what else I
can find in
the Library.
24
I need more
literary
criticism on my
topic.
I’ll use the Gale
Literary Index to
find criticism in
reference books
and then look for
some articles in
databases.
25
Gale Literary Index
•Gale Literary Index is an online index to
criticism in reference books, most of them
available in the Library. (Click here to see
the list.)
• The Literary Resource Center contains
some, but not all, of the criticism in the
reference books.
To watch a short demonstration click here.
For step-by-step instructions, click here.
26
Periodical Articles
• Periodicals such as
magazines, newspapers, and
journals can be found in
Library databases or in print.
• Databases may give full text,
an abstract (summary), or
just a citation of an article.
27
Using Library Databases to
Find Articles
• Go to the Library Web site
(http://www.bergen.edu/library)
• Under Find Articles, click on Full List of
Databases to see a list of ALL the
databases.
OR
• Click on one of the Frequently Used
Databases.
28
Frequently Used Databases
These databases have articles on most
topics, including literature:
Academic Search Premier
Academic Onefile
Proquest Research Library
29
Database Search Tips
• Combine keywords using “and”.
Example: gilman and yellow wallpaper
• Do not type whole sentences into the
search box.
• Try different combinations of keywords.
30
Database Searching
I’m finding
articles in the
database called
Academic
Search Premier.
To watch a short demo of
keyword searching click here.

I’ll scan the
article titles
and abstracts
to find the
ones that
mention the
symbolism of
the wallpaper.
For step-by-step instructions
click here.

31
Web Sources
The Web is not always a reliable source
for literary criticism, but
• You might try the Internet Public
Library’s links for literary criticism at
http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/.
• If you use a search engine, carefully
evaluate what you find. Google Scholar
may retrieve more scholarly sources
than other search engines.
32
Evaluating Web Sites
What is the Web
site’s purpose?
Are they selling me
something here?
Who put this
online?
A professor or a
student?
How does this
information
compare to
what I found
in other
sources?
When was the
Web site last
updated?
33
Research Tips
• Keep track of sources used.
• Photocopy parts of the books used.
• Keep complete source information such
as the author’s name, source title, place
and year of publication for the Works
Cited page.
• Follow the Citation Guides link on the
Library Web site for help with citation
formats.
34
Need more information?
• Stop by the Reference Desk
• Call the Reference Librarian
201-447-7436.
• E-mail a librarian Ask-a-Librarian
http://www.bergen.edu/library/ask
35
Pat’s next step is thesis revision
Help! I found a lot
of information at
the Library!
Let me find a quiet
place now…
36
Useful Links
• Off campus access to the Library
http://www.bergen.edu/library/remote
• Ask a Librarian
http://www.bergen.edu/libray/askalibrarian
• Library Catalog
http://www.bergen.edu/library/catalog
• Citation guides
http://www.bergen.edu/library/citation
37
III. Revising the Thesis
As Pat reads more about her topic, she
comes to the conclusion the original
thesis needs revision.
42
Table of Contents
1.
Results of the Preliminary Research
3
2.
Interpretations
4
3.
Selected Interpretations
5
4.
Revising the Thesis
6-8
5.
Pat’s Next Step: Taking Notes
9
43
Pat’s preliminary research shows…
There are at least ten
different
interpretations of the
yellow wallpaper! I
will have to decide
which ones to include!
44
Interpretations
Everyone sees
something
different in the
wallpaper.
Symbol of The
Cult of the True
Womanhood
Symbol of the
new mother’s
self-hate?!
Symbol of
women’s
struggle for
freedom.
Symbol of mental
breakdown.
45
Pat selects three interpretations.
#1. Wallpaper as symbol of the confining roles
that causes the narrator’s mental breakdown.
#2. Wallpaper as symbol of social pattern of
19th century women’s social and economic
dependence on men.
#3. Wallpaper as symbol of values women were
expected to follow: the values of “True
Womanhood” (pure, pious, submissive,
domestic).
46
She looks for a linking idea.
Wallpaper as
symbol of
“pattern”
women’s social
and political
dependence on
men
Wallpaper as
symbol of
confining values
of “True
Womanhood”
Wallpaper as
symbol of
narrator’s mental
breakdown during
the rest cure
47
She finds a connection . . .
All three
interpretations all
deal with the
repression of the
19th century
woman.
And the
narrator’s
response to it!
48
and writes her revised thesis
The yellow wallpaper is used by Gilman
as a symbol of the social and economic
repression of the 19th century woman
and her struggle to free herself.
49
Pat Is Ready to Take Notes
I’m ready to go back
to the source
materials to take
notes.
50
IV. Taking Notes
Pat will take notes to find some supporting ideas for the
thesis: The yellow wallpaper is used by Gilman as a
symbol of the repression of the 19th century woman and
her response to the society that confines her.
51
Table of Contents
1.
Frustration with Source Material
3
2.
What to Mark in Source Material
4-5
3.
How to Take Notes
4.
Review Notes
7
5.
How to Use Source Material
8-9
6.
Useful Links
7.
Pat’s Next Step: Works Cited Page
6
10
Unit V
52
Frustration is part of the process.
I have so
much
information
…but where do
I begin?
I feel lost!
53
What to Mark in Source Material
To begin taking notes, use a pencil/pen to underline
or write on the materials printed from books, library
databases and websites.
Pay attention to:
•
•
•
•
•
information that supports the thesis,
titles and names,
interpretations by experts in the field,
quotable passages, and
passages that just seem important.
54
Now I
understand
how to begin!
I think I need to
do some writing.
I should look for
information that
is connected to
my thesis.
55
How to Take Notes on Source Materi
• Highlight or write on the source material.
• Create a reading response journal.
• Free write some of her` thoughts.
• Create note cards of important passages.
• Make/Revise an outline.
56
Review notes.
Now that I’ve
taken notes, I
understand the
critics’ ideas
about
symbolism
better.
But how do I take
the material from
my notes and put it
into the paper?
57
How to Use Source Material In-tex
Direct Quote
Example
This is a word-for-word
representation of the original
passage in MLA format.
“True, she expresses love and concern for the
baby, yet she is also solicitous toward her
husband, and we know that behind this
surface calm lies unconscious aggression. Is
she similarly hostile toward her baby?”
(Berman 199)
Paraphrase
Example
Take the original passage and
put it into your own words.
Make sure to represent all
points and give the original
author credit.
Berman argues that we know that she has
unconscious aggression towards her husband
and wonders if she feels aggression towards
the child as well (199).
Summary
Example
Condense all of the original
information and then use only
the main points.
According to Berman, the narrator’s loving
concern for the baby may mask aggression as
it does in her feelings for her husband (199).
58
Pat is ready to create works cited.
I have lots of
good source
material to use.
But I’d better review
MLA format for
citations and Works
Cited.
I have a lot of
questions
about MLA
format..
59
Useful Links
These links
are really
helpful!
• Notetaking and Choosing Supporting Ideas
http://www.bergen.edu/owl
• Evaluating Content in the Source Materials
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_e
valsource3.html
• MLA Format
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_
mla.html
• Quotation, Paraphrase, Summary
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_q
uotprsum.html
60
Pat’s Outline
I. Intro – general statement about “The Yellow Wallpaper”
Thesis statement
II. Wallpaper – narrator’s deteriorating mental state
III. Wallpaper – as “pattern” of social and economic dependence
IV. Wallpaper – as symbol of restraints of “True Womanhood”
V. Conclusion
61
V. Creating a Works Cited Page
It is not an easy task to create
a correctly formatted Works Cited page.
Pat will give herself a lot of time to do it!
67
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
MLA Format
Example of a Works Cited Page
General Rules for Works Cited Entries
Works Cited Entry: Book
Works Cited Entry: Periodical
Works Cited Entry: Gale Literary Criticism Series
General Rules for Web Sources
Works Cited Entry: Web site
Additional Research Sources/Information
14
10. Pat’s Next Step: Using Quotations
VI
3-5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13Unit
68
What is MLA format?
My professor says
I need to use
MLA format when
creating a Works
Cited page.
What is that?
69
MLA Format
• MLA stands for Modern Language Association.
• MLA format, developed by the Modern Language
Association, provides the style (page layout of the
essay, header, quotations, Works Cited, etc.) most
instructors in the humanities require for papers.
• However, there are other formats such as APA
(American Psychological Association) or the
Chicago Manual of Style. Each format has its own
set of rules. For papers in literature you must use
MLA format.
70
Rules for MLA Format
• The bibliography is called “Works Cited.”
• Double space everything on a Works Cited
page.
• Center the title Works Cited (no bold, italics, or
underlining) and place it at the top of the
page.
• Use a “hanging indent” after the first line of
each entry.
71
OK: so what does
it look like?
Works Cited
Centered
Title
Berman, Jeffrey. “The Unrestful Cure: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and ‘The
Yellow Wallpaper’.” The Talking Cure: Literary Representations of
Psychoanalysis. By Jeffrey Berman. New York: New York
University
“Hanging
” Indent
Press, 1985. 33-59. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary
text
Criticism. Ed. Paula Kepos. Vol. 37. Detroit: The Gale Group,All
1991.
198-is
doublespaced, and
200.
there are no
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wall-paper.” The YellowW
line spaces
between
Other Stories. New York: Modern Library, 2000. Print.
entries.
72
More Rules for Works Cited
• The author’s last name is usually first in a Works
Cited entry, followed by the source title(s) and
publication information.
• Place the titles of articles, short stories, book
chapters, poems, and songs in quotation marks.
• Italicize the titles of books, plays, journals,
magazines, newspapers, and films.
• Capitalize each word in titles, except articles, short
prepositions, or conjunctions.
• Include publication medium (Print or Web) in each
citation.
73
Works Cited Entry for a Book
In-text Citation
Elaine Showalter would disagree with the
interpretation of the demonized baby that
poses a threat to the mother, “in particular
the weight gain that was considered an
essential part of the cure was a kind of
pseudo-pregnancy” (247).
Wow!
Look at
the
connection
!
Works Cited Entry
Works Cited
Showalter, Elaine. A Literature of Their Own. Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1998. Print.
74
Works Cited Entry for a
Periodical Article from a Database
In-text Citation
Jonathan Crewe claims that “the exasperating effect of pattern wallpaper
on invalids was a medical commonplace of Gilman’s time” (qtd. in
Roth).
Works Cited Entry
Roth, Marty. “Gilman’s Arabesque Wallpaper.” Mosaic 34.4 (2001)
145-163. Literature Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Web.
27 June 2006.
75
Works Cited Entries for the
Gale Literary Criticism Series
Follow the examples below to cite material from the Gale Literary
Criticism Series. The first example shows how to cite material originally
published in an article; the second illustrates how to cite material
reprinted from books:
Treichler, Paula A. “Escaping the Sentence: Diagnosis and Discourse in ‘The Yellow
Wallpaper’.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature 3.1-2 (1984): 61-77. Rpt. in
Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Paula Kepos. Vol. 37. Detroit: The
Gale
Group, 1991. 188-194. Print.
Hedges, Elaine R. “Afterword.” The Yellow Wallpaper. By Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
1973. New York: The Feminist Press, 1973. 37-63. Rpt. in TwentiethCentury Literary Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 9. Detroit: The Gale
Group, 1983. 105-107. Print.
76
Rules for Web Sources in Works Cited
• All Web sources need two dates: the date that
the Web page was last updated and the date the
information was accessed from the Internet.
77
Works Cited Entry for a Web Site
In-text Citation
Deborah Thomas notes that in Charlotte Gilman’s view, “women were
constricted to the set parameters that men determined. . .[and]
conditioned to accept these boundaries and remain in place, in the private
sphere.”
Works Cited Entry
Thomas, Deborah. “The Changing Role of Womanhood: From True Woman to
New Woman in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’.”
American Literature Research and Analysis Web Site. Florida Gulf Coast
University. September 1997. Web. 26 June 2006.
78
Additional Research Sources
• Lecture or Speech
• Chapter in a Book
• Newspapers
• Interview
Hmm…
what if I am
using
something
else as a
research
source? Yes,
something
like this…
• Television or Film
79
For More Information
Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab for more
information about formatting various Works
Cited entries in MLA format at
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print
/research/r_mla.html.
80
Now I need to learn
how to use the
information from my
sources in my paper.
How can I use
quotations and avoid
plagiarism?
81
VI. Using Quotations
And Incorporating Sources
without Plagiarism
82
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Defining Plagiarism
More Information about Plagiarism
Three Steps to Using Quotations
Signal Words
Examples
Signal Phrases to Introduce Quotations
“Short” vs. “Long” Quotations
Avoiding “Dropped” Quotations
Direct Quotation vs. Indirect Quotation
Pat’s Next Step: Final Draft
3-4
5
7-9
10
11
12
13-14
15-16
17
Unit VII
83
PLAGIARISM IS AN ACT OF FRAUD! IT
INVOLVES STEALING SOMEONE’S WORDS
AND LYING ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS.
Wow! I have to learn
more about what
plagiarism is and how to
avoid it!
84
Definition of Plagiarism
According to BCC Catalog’s Statement on Academic
Integrity, “Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking
someone else’s words, opinions, or ideas and claiming
them as one’s own” (43).
Examples given in BCC Catalog:
Instances when a student
• Knowingly represents the work of others as his/her
own
• Represents previously completed academic work as
current
85
More Examples of Plagiarism
• Submits a paper or other academic work
for credit which includes words, ideas,
data or creative work of others without
acknowledging the source.
• Uses another author’s exact works without
enclosing them in quotation marks and
citing them appropriately
• Paraphrases or summarizes another
author’s words without citing the source
appropriately.
86
Plagiarism Links
• http://plagiarism.org/research_site/e_what_is_plagi
arism.html
• Turnitin.com at http://www.turnitin.com/
Students have to
check their papers
carefully to avoid
plagiarism!
87
How can I find out how to
use my source materials
and cite them correctly in
MLA style?
88
Three Steps to Using
Quotations
• Introduce
• Cite
• Analyze
What does introducing,
citing, and analyzing
look like?
89
How to Introduce, Cite, and
Analyze
Introduce
Elaine Showalter would disagree with the interpretation of the demonized
baby that poses a threat to the mother; using a feminist approach, she
emphasizes the social and economic conditions that bind women and drive
Cite
them into insanity.
According to her, the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper”
is “a woman driven mad by her enforced confinement and passivity” whereas
the rest cure “is a sinister parody of idealized Victorian femininity: inertia,
privatization, narcissism, dependency. In particular, the weight gain that was
considered an essential part of the cure was a kind of pseudo-pregnancy”
Analyze
(247). The narrator is on the brink of insanity not because of her own
weakness of any kind, but because she is driven into insanity by
unreasonable and unfair expectations.
90
Signal Words to Use
Acknowledges
Comments
Describes
Insists
Responds
Adds
Compares
Disputes
Maintains
Reveals
Admits
Concludes
Emphasizes
Notes
Says
Agrees
Concedes
Endorses
Observes
Shows
Argues
Confirms
Finds
Points out
Suggests
Asserts
Considers
Endorses
Postulates
Thinks
Believes
Contends
Grants
Predicts
Warns
Claims
Declares
Illustrates
Refutes
Writes
Denies
Implies
Reports
91
Examples
• Showalter emphasizes the social and economic conditions that
bind women and drive them into insanity (247).
• Paula A. Treichler, on the other hand, explains that Gilman
skillfully uses the wallpaper as a metaphor for women’s discourse
(188).
• Treichler observes that…
• Deborah Thomas notes that in Charlotte Gilman’s view, “women
were constricted to the set parameters that men determined. .
.[and] conditioned to accept these boundaries and remain in
place, in the private sphere.”
92
Useful Phrases to Introduce a Quote
or Paraphrase
• Showalter argues that
• Showalter points out that
• Showalter emphasizes that
• Showalter interprets ___ as
• Showalter describes ___ as
• According to Showalter,
• In Showalter's words,
• In Showalter's view,
93
How do I know the
difference between a long
vs. a short quotation?
94
Short vs. Long Quotations
A quotation is “long” if it is more than four lines.
Block Indent
Whereas the wallpaper can be interpreted
as twice) The narrator writes about her discovery that not
(Hit “Tab”
one but many women are hidden behind the
a reflection of the narrator’s individual struggle,
pattern:
the wallpaper pattern can also be seen as the
Through watching so much at night, when it
“pattern” of the social and economic dependence
of women, or even as prison bars that confine
changes so, I have finally found out. The
women
front pattern does move--and no wonder! The
to
the
domestic
sphere.
Paula
A.
Treichler views the woman in the wallpaper as a
slave in the domestic sphere. She argues that
woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think
the
there are a great many women behind, and
“pattern” of social and economic dependence
sometimes only one and she crawls around
“the
yellow
wallpaper
represents.
.
.
which reduces women to domestic slavery. . . all
women” (190).
fast, and her crawling shakes it all over.
(Gilman, “Yellow ” 16)
Notice difference in
period placement
between short and
long quotations.
95
What is a “dropped”
quotation?
96
Avoid “Dropped Quotations”
“I never saw a worse paper in my life. One of those sprawling,
flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin” (Gilman,
“Yellow” 5).
The narrator asserts, “I never saw a worse paper in my life. One
of those sprawling, flamboyant patterns committing every
artistic sin” (Gilman, “Yellow” 5).
97
Direct Quotation vs. Indirect
Quotation (Paraphrase)
Direct Quotation
The narrator states, “It is dull
enough to confuse the eye in
following, pronounced enough to
constantly irritate and provoke
study, and when you follow the
lame uncertain curves for a little
distance they suddenly commit
suicide-plunge off at outrageous
The wallpaper is dull and ugly, but the
narrator watches it closely for extended
periods of time. The unruly pattern
reflects the narrator’s own confused
mental state as she follows its
unpredictable paths that suddenly come
to illogical endings. (Gilman,“Yellow” 5).
Indirect Quotation
angles, destroy themselves in
unheard of contradictions” (Gilman,
“Yellow” 5).
Indirect quotations
(paraphrases) must
be cited!
98
Hooray! I know how to use
my sources! Now it’s time
to write the final draft!
99
VII. Writing the First Draft
Pat will now write her actual first draft from
thesis to conclusion. This will be a difficult,
but satisfying,task.
100
Table of Contents
1. Pat’s Roles as Research Writer
2. Audience Awareness
3. How to Start
4. Writing the Body
5. What the Conclusion Does
6. Review the First Draft
7. Pat’s First Draft
8. Pat’s Next Step: Making Revisions
3-6
7
8-9
10-15
16
17
18
Unit VIII
101
Pat’s Roles in Writing Her
Paper
102
Pat as a Seeker of Truth
What does the
yellow wallpaper
symbolize and what
message does it give
to the reader?
103
Pat as the Project Director
I decide how to organize
the interpretations of the
symbolism and what
quotes and facts I will
bring in to provide proof.
104
Pat as a Trial Lawyer
• The tone of her argumentative paper is
serious, confident, persuasive. Click for
brief discussion of “tone” from the
video English Composition.
• Pat presents proof objectively, avoiding
“in my opinion” or “I think.” Let the
proof speak.
105
Audience Awareness
• Guide the reader through the points of the argument
step-by-step. Imagine the reader as a person who is
following the argument.
• Provide analysis/ explanations and use transitions to
keep the reader from getting lost.
• Persuade the reader by understanding and
anticipating his/her feelings, questions or objections.
106
Body or Introduction First?
I think I’ll start by
giving some
background about the
story to prepare the
reader for my thesis.
l
• It is often a good idea to write
the body paragraphs first and
come back to the introduction
later.
• Since Pat has an idea for her
introduction, she will start
there.
107
Writing the Introduction
• State general background information or
definitions of terms readers need to understand.
• Use a quotation to spark the reader’s attention
• Place the thesis at the end of the first (or
second)paragraph
108
Writing the Body
• Focus on the points in the outline.
• Write a sub-thesis that summarizes each point.
• Add specific proof (facts, quotes) to support each
point.
• Write up each point in one or more paragraphs.
109
Pat reviews the working
thesis and outline
Thesis: In all of these interpretations, the wallpaper is a symbol of the
repression of the 19th century woman and her response to the society that
confines her.
I.
Wallpaper as a sign of mental deterioration (see Roth)
II Wallpaper as pattern of social and economic dependence (Berman)
III. Wallpaper as symbol of values of True Womanhood (Welter;
Berman; Showalter) and as metaphor for women’s response to
repression (Treichler)
IV. Conclusions
110
Pat’s research notes provide
support for each point.
• For notes typed on
computer, cut and paste
relevant material into the
outline.
• For notes on note cards,
arrange proof (facts, quotes,
paraphrases) in numbered
“Topic Piles” which
correspond to the points in
the outline.
111
Now Pat will take each main point in her outline and
from it create a sub-thesis sentence to provide the
overview of the paragraph or section it begins and
then add her supporting proof.
112
A sub-thesis idea is key.
• Help the reader following your argument by starting
each paragraph or section with a sub-thesis idea
that provides an overview of the content and
relates back to the main thesis.
• Make the sub-thesis sentence an analytical or critical
statement, not just a fact.
• Break paragraphs when needed. (A paragraph
should not be longer than ¾ page)
113
Pat writes her body paragraphs.
Pat’s Sub-thesis sentence for Body Paragraph I:
(Sub-thesis) The wallpaper becomes the narrator’s focal
point.
Supporting proof:
• (Quote from YW 5) “It is dull enough to confuse the eye
in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate
and provoke study . . .”
• She watches it for long periods of time.
• (Quote from Berman 199) Wallpaper’s “unheard of
contradictions” and chaotic pattern reflect narrator’s
confusion about the contradictory forces in her own life
“her need for security yet fear of dependency and
entrapment.”
114
Finally, the Conclusion
The conclusion of an argument should review the main points, confirm
the thesis, and leave the reader with a clear sense of what has been
proved.
•Do not introduce any new ideas in the conclusion.
•Sum up the points made.
•Restate the thesis idea.
•Leave the readers with something to think about.
I did it! I’m done!
115
First Draft Rules to Remember
• Be sure the thesis is clearly stated at the end of the
first (or sometimes second) paragraph.
• Be sure points are organized logically and have
sufficient proof.
• Give each paragraph/section a sub-thesis
and pay attention to paragraph structure.
• Provide transitions where needed.
• Make the first draft as correct as possible in sentence
structure, grammar, spelling.
• Make sure citations are in correct MLA format.
116
Pat’s First Draft
Revision is the last step in writing a research paper.
I’ve got to
sharpen my
thesis!
That first
paragraph
looks too
long.
117
VIII. Revising the Research
Paper
More than proofreading
More than correcting grammar
118
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
On Revision
Steps of Revision
A. Thesis Statement
B. Coherence, Order of Ideas,
Support Material
C. Introduction and Conclusion
D. Editing - Vocabulary, Clarity,
Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics
E. MLA Review
Pat’s Revised Paper and Grade
3-5
6
7-9
10-12
13-15
16
17
18-19
119
Put the paper away for a day
I’m tired. I
can’t look at
this paper any
more.
ZZZZ.
ZZZZ.ZZZZ.
Click for short video on revision from
English Composition.
120
Pat really liked putting the
paper away— too much!!
But
Revision won’t happen without her.
Click for brief video on ideas for revision from
English Composition.
121
Pat comes back to the paper
ready to actively revise.
Does the
paper make
sense?
How will
another reader
respond?
What doesn’t
sound “quite
right” ?
122
Steps of the Revision Process
Look at the whole paper.
• Revise in parts
Focus on the thesis statement, coherence,
order of ideas, and support material.
Review the introduction and conclusion.
• Edit the paper in detail.
• Check current MLA format.
For information on how to prioritize revision:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_hocloc.h
tml
123
Focus on the thesis statement.
• The thesis statement answers the research
question.
• It is concise and specific.
• It controls the evidence/support used in the
paper.
Click for a brief video giving advice on the thesis statement from
English Composition.
124
Pat’s Original Thesis
“The symbolic yellow wallpaper in Gilman’s
story offers multiple interpretations.”
I’ll include the
specific
interpretations
I’m discussing.
All of them
relate to the
relations
between men
and women.
125
Pat’s Revised Thesis
Critics have interpreted the yellow wallpaper in many ways. Three
popular interpretations of its symbolism show the tension of sexual
politics between men and women in nineteenth-century America:
(1) the wallpaper as an expression of the narrator’s deteriorating
mental state (2) the wallpaper as a “pattern” of social and
economic dependence which reduces women to domestic slavery,
and (3) the wallpaper as a symbol of the confining values of the
ideal of “True Womanhood.”
126
Reread the essay for coherence.
• There should be a logical flow of ideas within
the paragraphs and from one paragraph to
the next.
• There should be clear transitions between
paragraphs.
For more information on coherence, check this
site:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/general
/gl_cohere.html
127
Review the order of ideas.
The ideas don’t
flow smoothly. I
need to move this
paragraph.
And, this
information is not
relevant to my
thesis. It should be
deleted.
128
Review support material.
Yes, my support is effective. I
back up every point I make with
relevant material.
Click for video clip on reviewing
source material from English
Composition.
129
Sharpen the introduction.
The introduction is too
long--maybe some of
these details belong in a
body paragraph.
Click for video clip from English
Composition.
130
I’ve almost finished… But…
131
Polish the conclusion.
• An effective conclusion gives the reader a
sense of closure.
• It leaves the reader feeling the paper has come
to a logical end.
132
Final Editing
• Proofread for the types of errors frequently made
such as run-on sentences, fragments, subjectverb agreement and typographical errors.
• Remember spell-check checks only the spelling.
It does not check to see that the correct word is
used.
• Check vocabulary to see if the most appropriate
word or phrase is selected.
• Review for clarity and conciseness.
133
Review MLA format.
Check the rules for documentation and for the
Works Cited page.
For more information on MLA guidelines, visit
this site: http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/
writing/mlaguide.html
or the BCC Library’s Citation Guides
http://www.bergen.edu/library/pages/2306.asp
134
I did my best!
I hope I get a good
grade.
Click for video to review ideas for revision
from English Composition.
135
Pat’s Grade
Well done, Pat! A thoroughly researched,
well organized and well-written paper!
Here is Pat’s grade.
A
136
How to Write an A+ Research
Paper
• STEP 1. CHOOSE A TOPIC
• Choose a topic which interests and
challenges you. Your attitude towards the
topic may well determine the amount of
effort and enthusiasm you put into your
research.
137
• Focus on a limited aspect, e.g. narrow it
down from "Religion" to "World Religion"
to "Buddhism". Obtain teacher approval
for your topic before embarking on a fullscale research. If you are uncertain as to
what is expected of you in completing the
assignment or project, re-read your
assignment sheet carefully or ASK your
teacher.
138
• Select a subject you can manage. Avoid
subjects that are too technical, learned, or
specialized. Avoid topics that have only a
very narrow range of source materials.
139
• STEP 2. FIND INFORMATION
• Surf the Net.
• For general or background information,
check out useful URLs, general
information online, almanacs or
encyclopedias online such as Britannica,
or Encarta, etc. Use Search Engines and
other search tools as a starting point.
140
• Pay attention to domain name extensions,
e.g., .edu (educational institution), .gov
(government), or .org (non-profit
organization). These sites represent
institutions and tend to be more reliable,
but be watchful of possible political bias in
some government sites.
141
• Be selective of .com (commercial) sites.
Many .com sites are excellent; however, a
large number of them contain
advertisements for products and nothing
else
• Learning how to evaluate Web sites
critically and to search effectively on the
Internet can help you eliminate irrelevant
sites and waste less of your time.
142
• To find books in the Library use the OPAC
(Online Public Access Catalog).
• Check out other print materials available
in the Library:
• Almanacs, Atlases, AV Catalogs
• Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
143
• • Government Publications, Guides,
Reports
• Magazines, Newspapers
• Vertical Files
• Yellow Pages, Zip or Postal Code and
Telephone Directories
• Check out online resources, Web based
information services, or special resource
materials on CDs:
144
• • Online reference materials (including
databases, e.g. SIRS, ProQuest, eLibrary,
etc.)
• Wall Street Executive Library
• Index to Periodicals and Newspapers
(e.g. MagPortal.com,
OnlineNewspapers.com, etc.)
145
• • Answers.com - an online dictionary and
encyclopedia all-in-one resource that you
can install
on your computer free of charge and
find One-Click Answers quickly.
• Encyclopedias (e.g. Encarta,
Britannica, Canadian Encyclopedia, etc.)
146
• Subject Specific software (e.g. Discovering
Authors, Exploring Shakespeare, etc.)
• Read and evaluate. Bookmark your
favorite Internet sites. Printout,
photocopy, and take notes of relevant
information.
147
• As you gather your resources, jot down
full bibliographical information (author,
title, place of publication, publisher, date
of publication, page numbers, URLs,
creation or modification dates on Web
pages, and your date of access) on your
work sheet, printout, or enter the
information on your laptop or desktop
computer for later retrieval.
148
• If printing from the Internet, it is wise to
set up the browser to print the URL and
date of access for every page. Remember
that an article without bibliographical
information is useless since you cannot
cite its source.
149
• STEP 3. STATE YOUR THESIS
• Do some critical thinking and write your
thesis statement down in one sentence.
Your thesis statement is like a declaration
of your belief. The main portion of your
essay will consist of arguments to support
and defend this belief.
150
• STEP 4. MAKE A TENTATIVE
OUTLINE
• All points must relate to the same major
topic that you first mentioned in your
capital Roman numeral.
151
I. INTRODUCTION
• -Example of an outline:
Example of an outline:
(Brief comment leading into subject
matter - Thesis statement on
Shakespeare)
152
II. BODY
• - Shakespeare's Early Life,
• Marriage, Works, Later Years
• A. Early life in Stratford
• 1. Shakespeare's family
• a. Shakespeare's father
• b. Shakespeare's mother
153
• 2. Shakespeare's marriage
• a. Life of Anne Hathaway
• b. Reference in Shakespeare's Poems
154
• B. Shakespeare's works
• 1. Plays
• a. Tragedies
• i. Hamlet
• ii. Romeo and Juliet
• b. Comedies
• i. The Tempest
• ii. Much Ado About Nothing
155
• c. Histories
• i. King John
• ii. Richard
• III. Henry VIII
• 2. Sonnets
• 3. Other poems
156
• C. Shakespeare's Later Years
• 1. Last two plays
• 2. Retired to Stratford
• a. Death
• b. Burial
• i. Epitaph on his tombstone
157
III. CONCLUSION
• A. Analytical summary
• 1. Shakespeare's early life
• 2. Shakespeare's works
• 3. Shakespeare's later years
• B. Thesis reworded
• C. Concluding statement
158
The purpose of an outline
• The purpose of an outline is to help you
think through your topic carefully and
organize it logically before you start
writing.
• A good outline is the most important step
in writing a good paper.
• Check your outline to make sure that the
points covered flow logically from one to
the other.
159
• Include in your outline an
INTRODUCTION, a BODY, and a
CONCLUSION. Make the first outline
tentative
160
• INTRODUCTION - State your thesis and
the purpose of your research paper
clearly. What is the chief reason you are
writing the paper?
• State also how you plan to approach your
topic. Is this a factual report, a book
review, a comparison, or an analysis of a
problem?
161
• Explain briefly the major points you plan
to cover in your paper and why readers
should be interested in your topic.
• BODY - This is where you present your
arguments to support your thesis
statement. Remember the Rule of 3, i.e.
find 3 supporting arguments for each
position you take.
162
• Begin with a strong argument, then use a
stronger one, and end with the strongest
argument for your final point.
• CONCLUSION - Restate or reword your
thesis. Summarize your arguments.
Explain why you have come to this
particular conclusion.
163
STEP 5. ORGANIZE YOUR
NOTES
• Organize all the information you have
gathered according to your outline.
Critically analyze your research data.
Using the best available sources, check for
accuracy and verify that the information is
factual, up-to-date, and correct. Opposing
views should also be noted if they help to
support your thesis.
164
• This is the most important stage in writing
a research paper. Here you will analyze,
synthesize, sort, and digest the
information you have gathered and
hopefully learn something about your
topic which is the real purpose of doing a
research paper in the first place.
165
• You must also be able to effectively
communicate your thoughts, ideas,
insights, and research findings to others
through written words as in a report, an
essay, a research or term paper, or
through spoken words as in an oral or
multimedia presentation with audiovisual aids.
166
• Do not include any information that is not
relevant to your topic, and do not include
information that you do not understand.
Make sure the information that you have
noted is carefully recorded and in your
own words, if possible.
167
• Plagiarism is definitely out of the
question. Document all ideas borrowed or
quotes used very accurately. As you
organize your notes, jot down detailed
bibliographical information for each cited
paragraph and have it ready to transfer to
your Works Cited page.
168
• Devise your own method to organize your
notes. One method may be to mark with a
different color ink or use a hi-liter to
identify sections in your outline,
169