1. Research Methods and the Researched Argument Essay

2. Your essay will include two main elements : Your own argument about the text, including … Incorporation of outside sources, which will support the points you make. Direct quotations from the text Paraphrasing of ideas/scenes/excerpts from the text

3. What’s my argument again? The goal of a literary analysis is to find a point worth making and to support this with evidence from the text itself, as well as with secondary sources. Ask yourself : * What issues engage me as I read this work? * What questions does this piece raise that I’d like to explore? * What puzzles or surprises me? * What characters, literary devices, or plot elements strike me as most interesting? * What upsets me most or seems contrary to my own values?

4. More specifically, ask yourself … * How does the plot unfold? * Are certain happenings recurrent? * What kinds of conflict are in the play? * How does the author develop the characters? * How does knowledge of Renaissance culture/society affect your understanding of the play? * What do you make of the play’s setting? * Do certain objects seem symbolic? * Can you draw comparisons between the two plays we’ve read? * Can you argue that specific sources contributed to the development of the play(s)?

5. Whatever YOU DECIDE is the answer to a question you ask about the text … … that’s your ARGUMENT. * For more good ideas for topics, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/618/02/

6. You’ll find your outside sources through … RESEARCH Why do I need it? How do I do it? Where should I look?

7. * The purpose of a researched argumentative essay is NOT to simply summarize what everyone else says about your topic. Remember, this is NOT just a research paper! * You should start by coming up with your OWN idea, though this idea may change slightly as you read what others have to say about your topic. So, you will conduct research … To learn what’s already been said about your argument To support the textual evidence you plan to present in your essay Why do I need it?

8. How do I do it? * Research, as the name implies, involves searching for knowledge * The direction of your research will depend on what your essay is about Eg. # 1) What kind of information would you need to support an argument that a Renaissance audience would have been OK with Prospero being a sorcerer? Sources on magic in the Renaissance Other examples of well-loved magicians in Renaissance literature or society Eg. # 2) What kind of information would you need to support an argument that Desdemona’s handkerchief is a symbol of her chastity? Sources on symbolism in Shakespeare Other examples in Renaissance literature of similar items being used to represent similar things Articles about the symbolism of the color white in literature

9. What kinds of sources are o.k. to use? * Your sources should always be “scholarly” (or, written by scholars who specialize in the subject they are writing about) * For example, “Wikipedia” is not a scholarly source, nor is some random guy’s blog about why he loves “The Tempest.” * Other student essays (e.g. the type you can buy online…) are also not scholarly, whether you cite them properly or not. * Homework help websites like Shmoop and SparkNotes are also not scholarly. * You can find more help with evaluating sources at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ (Choose “Conducting Research,” then “Evaluating Sources of Information.”)

10. Where do I look? Your basic research tools are … Books Search Engines Articles

11. Books * HCC’s library system either stocks or provides access (through interlibrary loan) to hundreds of books about Shakespeare and his plays. * Helpful books for research purposes include … Biographies about Shakespeare’s life Books about the Renaissance in general or (more specifically) about Renaissance lifestyles, culture, views on certain subjects, etc. (e.g. a book about magic in the Renaissance) Collections of scholarly articles about a specific play (e.g. a collection of critical essays on Shakespeare’s The Tempest”) Collections of scholarly articles about a specific theme in Shakespeare’s plays (e.g. a collection of critical essays on racism in Shakespeare or symbolism in Shakespeare’s tragedies)

12. Scholarly Articles (aka Critical Essays) * There are many journals and magazines that regularly publish articles on Shakespeare’s plays. * You can access a number of databases through HCC’s library website. Some of my favorite databases for researching Shakespeare are … * A database is like a search engine that lists (and provides access to) such journal and magazine articles. JSTOR Project Muse

13. * For example … if you wanted to argue that Iago’s racism reflects the attitudes of Shakespeare’s society, what key words might you enter into a search engine? “Shakespeare” “Renaissance Society” “Racism” “Iago” “Othello” *** Try different combinations (and orders) of key words to come up with the most results! *** Search Engines * A search engine can help you to see what is out there that matches the key words you’ve entered. Some of the best available search engines for finding books and articles on Shakespeare are … Google Books Google Scholar

14. How much research will I need to do for my final essay? * Your final researched argumentative essay will be 6-8 pages long and will require you to make use of at least 5 outside sources. (Please note that the two plays we considered do not count towards these five sources.) * You will learn how to make an annotated bibliography, which will include 3 of these sources. * You should try to demonstrate your familiarity with a variety of sources. (In other words, don’t use only websites or only articles.)

15. What if I need more help? In the near future, we’ll spend half of our class time visiting the brand new Alief campus library for a library orientation More tips on writing about literature can be found on http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/ (Search under “Subject Specific Writing” or “Research and Citation”)

16. Develop a thesis about the work you are reading, making sure to test its viability as a foundation for further research. Then, read the text again, this time with your new thesis in mind. Look for pieces of evidence that support your claim (e.g. quotations, incidents, characters, figurative language, etc.) Make notes! Next, find secondary sources which support (or refute) your argument. These will become the basis of your annotated bibliography. Next, write a rough draft; decide what structure you plan to give your argument. As you research, stay open to new ideas. Focus on your thesis; don’t allow yourself to wander into unnecessary discussions of the author’s biography or the historical period unless such considerations relate to your central claim. Then, write a proposal, listing the major points you plan to make, the opposition you may have to argue against, etc. Here’s how it will work:

17. For Wednesday’s Class …. Read Acts 3.1-3.3 in Othello Refer to Focus Questions on Learning Web