For the research paper assignment, you will choose a piece of literature from the reading list as the focus of your writing. You should begin your initial research about your chosen literature with some biographical information about the author then begin to read as much analysis of your particular selection as possible. When you are ready to begin writing your research paper, the biographical information should be very brief as an introduction to your literature.

Keep in mind that the purpose of your paper is to critically analyze your chosen work, focusing on some aspect of the overall work that helps to define and unify a central argument. Possible research questions might include:

• What is unique about the work that makes it worthwhile? • What technique(s) does the author use? • What argument(s) are central to this piece? • How effective are these argument(s)? • What is unique about the way the writer presents these argument(s)? • How do the writer’s techniques help define this piece as literature of importance?

• 2000-word scope • One primary source (chosen piece of literature) • No less than three credible, academic secondary sources (research) • Correct use of in-text documentation and Works Cited page (MLA format)

Wikipedia and other WWW sources are not always reliable. You should be able to find biographical information and some critical sources from the online library databases. Critical sources that you find online should be from previously published articles in a reputable magazine, journal, or newspaper, and can be found in an academic database.

Readings to chhose from

Digging” (Heaney)

– “Advice to My Son” (Meinke)

– “Delta” (Rich)

– On Tidy Endings (Fierstein)

– “Everyday Use” (Walker)