Research Paper /Format

Research Paper /Format

1  After you have chosen which theme or themes you want to apply to your research paper and have completed your sentence outline ( an outline of the theme from the article or essay you chose), you are to start looking for that theme in the novel or selection and how it is presented or represented..

2  Since your research paper is a literary analysis paper, you will be looking for how your particular theme works in the novel/selection once you begin your paper.  I suggest that you do not attempt to work on the paper until you have a clear and concise understanding of your theme and have read the entire novel/selection. 

3  Make sure you mark significant passages in your novel/selection that will help to strengthen your argument.

4  Always introduce your direct quotation, paraphrase and summary. Also make sure you comment afterwards.  By doing this introduction and commentary, your voice will be sure to be heard in the paper.

5  Make sure you remain as objective as possible. Note using the first person “I” in a paper makes it subjective. The second person “you” is not an indefinite pronoun.  A useful pronoun to use is “one” then follow it with “s/he.”  Or make the subject plural and follow it with “they.”

6  The length of your paper should be 6-8 full pages for ENGL 102 and 8-10 for Humanities with the Works Cited page not counting as one of those pages.

7  All pages should be numbered beginning with the first and ending with the Works Cited page. Papers are to be submitted in Word 97-2003.

8  For a paper this length you should have at least 6 sources.  Three of these sources must be critical, from a collection of essays or an article in a refereed journal.  A refereed journal is a journal that specializes in the topic where the paper has been sent to at least three of the author’s peers and then published.  Do not use Wikipedia as a source.  You may use it as a means to obtain a clear and precise idea of you topic.  Sometimes Wikipedia will give you a link to a credible source that you may be able to use.

9  If you do a cover page, MLA dictates that an outline of the paper should follow.  You will be turning all materials into me in a portfolio on the due date. Do not bold, underline or italicize your titles, and please try to be creative with them.

10  JSTOR, MLA Bibliography, ABELL are just a few of the databases where you can obtain a refereed article.  They are under Literature and Languages via of research port.  They are online databases that you can retrieve from the University Library homepage.