focus on a short story or play from our text book

ENGLISH 102
Research Paper Guidelines
Format Requirements
• The paper must be written in MLA style 8th edition
• The paper must include in-text citations and a works cited page. (Failure to include these will result in
a failing grade on the assignment.)
• 1 inch margins all around
• Double spaced throughout
• 12 point font in Times New Roman, Arial, or an equally plain font.
• 1,000 to 1,500 words
Source Requirements
• The paper must include a minimum of five scholarly sources in addition to the textbook. This means
you will have a minimum of six entries on your works cited page.
• The paper may not include more than eight sources in addition to the textbook. This means you will
have a maximum of nine entries on your works cited page.
• ALL electronic sources must come from one of the databases included in the Alabama Virtual Library
or the NACC Library’s EBSCO Discovery Service.
• Use of an electronic source that did not come from an AVL database or the EBSCO Discovery
Service will incur a severe grading penalty.
• You may use physical sources (books), but they are NOT a requirement this semester.
• You must submit copies of all your sources at the same time you submit your research paper.
Download the articles you get from the above mentioned sources as PDFs. You can then submit
those PDFs the same way you will submit your research paper. Just keep submitting files until you
have submitted your paper and a copy of all the sources you used in your paper. If you use a book
sources, use your phone to scan (take pictures) of the cover, the front and back of the title page, and
any and all pages you used while writing your paper or creating your works cited entry. You can then
submit those pictures (jpg. or jpeg.) just like any other file. This is only for book sources other than
the textbook. I have a copy of the textbook, so there is no need to take pictures of it.
Topic Requirements
• The topic is largely up to you. But it should focus on a short story or play from the textbook, one that
we have not already written an essay on, and not an author. (For example: You might write about
the use of symbolism in Hamlet, but you would not write about William Shakespeare, the author.) Feel
free to run your topic ideas by me. (Don’t wait until the paper is almost due and then start asking me
questions! Instead, ask questions early and often.)
• There are a handful of stories that I am tired of reading about. So don’t write on the following:
• Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”
• Anything written by Edgar Allan Poe
• Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper”

Choose a work that you find to be particularly interesting out of those in the text. Do some critical
research on the work. Look for articles where other scholars have written about the story.
(Example: What other scholars think about the use of symbolism in A Raisin in the Sun.) The
literature reference books in the library would be a good place to start. Any of the librarians would
be glad to help you if you just ask.
• An electronic copy of your research paper and sources is due during the last week of class.
There will be a link in the last week’s module that you will use to submit the paper and sources.
• If you need an MLA style guide, perhaps the best option is at the OWL, Purdue University’s
Online Writing Lab The Owl offers an up-to-date guide free of charge. Here is a link. It is up to
you to find a current MLA style guide and make sure your paper is following it. If you have
specific questions concerning MLA style, you can direct those to me or one of the tutors in the
Northeast Writing Center.
• Speaking of the NACC English tutors, I highly recommend that you get one of them to proof your
research paper (and all your other essays for that matter) before you turn it in. You can make an
appointment for a virtual meeting with a tutor using AdvisorTrac. Their services are free, and they
are very good at what they do. It’s almost like they are that house on Halloween where the family
is ready to go to bed but they want to get rid of their candy first, so they just start handing out
ridiculous amounts of candy to anyone that shows up at the door. Only, instead of handing out
candy, the tutors hand out points. “Oh! I love your stressed-out college student costume! Here
have an extra letter grade for your research paper!” Why would you say no to that?

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