Literary Research Paper

Literary Research Paper
This eight-unit guide will help you conduct research and write an effective essay in literature courses.

Getting from Topic to Thesis
Visiting the Library Revising the Thesis Taking Notes Creating a Work Cited Page Avoiding Plagiarism and Use Quotations Writing the First Draft Making Revisions

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.

Table of Contents Pat’s Assignment 4 Selecting a Topic 5-6
Creating a Thesis Pat’s Thesis Question 9 Pat’s Tentative Thesis 10 Pat’s Next Step: Library Visit Unit II

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.

This is an interesting story, but which topic to choose?
The rest cure? Hysteria? The yellow wallpaper? Gothic elements in the story?

The narrator sees a woman crawling around in it.
The wallpaper must be important—it’s in the title. . . The wallpaper has a special meaning— there must be a lot written about symbols in the story. . .

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.

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.

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

I need to do some research now!
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!

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 (?)

Pat’s Cluster/Map wallpaper pattern What about complex like the
woman’s confused thoughts What about John? wallpaper as prison bars Symbolism of wallpaper symbol of the “Cult of True Womanhood” Wallpaper symbolizes the home because it is a part of home décor

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.

II. Visiting the Library

Pat’s English class visits the BCC Library to locate literary criticism on Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

Table of Contents Choosing a Topic 4-5 Finding Literary Criticism 6
Literature Resource Center 7 Finding Books Gale Literary Index Finding Periodical Articles Web Sources Research Tips 20 Useful Links 23

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?

I need to find some criticism to help me get started…
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?

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.

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

yellow wallpaper gilman
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Using Library Databases to Find Articles
Go to the Library Web site ( 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.

Frequently Used Databases
These databases have articles on most topics, including literature: Academic Search Premier Academic Onefile Proquest Research Library

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.

Database Searching I’m finding articles in the database called Academic Search Premier. I’ll scan the article titles and abstracts to find the ones that mention the symbolism of the wallpaper. To watch a short demo of keyword searching click here. For step-by-step instructions click here.

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 If you use a search engine, carefully evaluate what you find. Google Scholar may retrieve more scholarly sources than other search engines.

Evaluating Web Sites How does this information compare to what I found in other sources? What is the Web site’s purpose? Are they selling me something here? Who put this online? A professor or a student? When was the Web site last updated?

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.

Need more information? Stop by the Reference Desk
Call the Reference Librarian a librarian Ask-a-Librarian

Pat’s next step is thesis revision
Help! I found a lot of information at the Library! Let me find a quiet place now…

Useful Links Off campus access to the Library Ask a Librarian Library Catalog Citation guides

Searching the Literature Resource Center
On the Library Web site go to Full List of Databases and click on “L”. Click on Literary Resource Center. Click on Literary Resource Center again. Under Other Searches click on Title. Enter the title Yellow Wallpaper and click in the All Words Entered radio button. Enter Gilman in the author name search box and click Search. Click on the title of the overview article to see the full text. Click on Articles (green) box. Click on the titles of articles of interest to see full text. Use Print or options at top of page.

Searching Academic Search Premier
On the Library Web site, go to Find Articles. Under Frequently Used Databases click on Academic Search Premier. In the search box type: Gilman and yellow wallpaper. Click in the box next to Full Text and click the Search button. Click the Academic Journals link at the top of the list of articles. Scan the list of titles; click on those that sound relevant and read the abstracts and/or the full text of the articles. Articles can be printed or ed using icons near the top of the screen.

Finding Books On the Library Web site under Find Books…type Gilman, Charlotte in the search box. Click in the Subject radio button and then click Search. Scroll down the list of subjects and click on Gilman, Charlotte…….The Yellow Wallpaper. Click on the titles of items of interest to see the detailed descriptions. Click Return to List button twice to return to subject list. Click on Gilman, Charlotte…Criticism and Interpretation to see more works of criticism.

Searching the Gale Literary Index
On the Library Web site, go to the Full List of Databases. Click on “G” and then on Gale Literary Index. Click on Author search. Type Gilman, Charlotte in the search box. Click on Start of Last Name radio button and Search. Click on Gilman’s full name. Scroll down to Works by Author and find “The Yellow Wallpaper” to see which reference books include criticism of this work. Print this list. Use handout or Library catalog to find call numbers of reference books.

III. Revising the Thesis
As Pat reads more about her topic, she comes to the conclusion the original thesis needs revision.

Table of Contents Results of the Preliminary Research 3
Interpretations 3. Selected Interpretations 5 4. Revising the Thesis 5. Pat’s Next Step: Taking Notes

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!

Interpretations Symbol of The Cult of the True Womanhood
Everyone sees something different in the wallpaper. Symbol of the new mother’s self-hate?! Symbol of women’s struggle for freedom. Symbol of mental breakdown.

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).

She looks for a linking idea.
Wallpaper as symbol of confining values of “True Womanhood” Wallpaper as symbol of “pattern” women’s social and political dependence on men Wallpaper as symbol of narrator’s mental breakdown during the rest cure

And the narrator’s response to it!
She finds a connection . . . All three interpretations all deal with the repression of the 19th century woman. And the narrator’s response to it!

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.

Pat Is Ready to Take Notes
I’m ready to go back to the source materials to take notes.

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.

Table of Contents Frustration with Source Material 3
What to Mark in Source Material How to Take Notes Review Notes How to Use Source Material Useful Links Pat’s Next Step: Works Cited Page Unit V

Frustration is part of the process.
I have so much information …but where do I begin? I feel lost!

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.

I think I need to do some writing.
Now I understand how to begin! I should look for information that is connected to my thesis.

How to Take Notes on Source Material
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.

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?

How to Use Source Material In-text
Direct Quote This is a word-for-word representation of the original passage in MLA format. Example “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 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 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).

Pat is ready to create works cited.
But I’d better review MLA format for citations and Works Cited. I have lots of good source material to use. I have a lot of questions about MLA format..

These links are really helpful!
Useful Links Notetaking and Choosing Supporting Ideas Evaluating Content in the Source Materials MLA Format Quotation, Paraphrase, Summary

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

Reading Response Journal
Instructions for the Reading Journals: For each selected quotation, interesting idea, or chapter of the book write a page long double-entry response. Follow the given format. On this side write a quotation, interesting idea, or the title of the chapter from the book you are reading here. Use quotation marks and add the page number for reference. On this side you will write about what comes to your mind when you think about the sentence on the left side. Suggestions: in your responses you may write about reactions; your ideas about the text, questions; your comments on an issue that the text raises; connections - comparisons or contrasts with similar things, predictions: what you think is going to happen next.

Pat’s Free Write

Pat has found some really great passages, and she has decided to create note cards. Later she will see where she might use the passages in her paper. Pat has put the source of the passage into MLA format to help her with the Works Cited page later on. Card #1 [He chooses] for her a room in the house that was formerly a nursery. It is a room with barred windows originally intended to prevent small children from falling out. It is the room with the fateful yellow wallpaper. The narrator herself had preferred a room downstairs; but this is 1890 and, to use Virginia Woolf's phrase, there is no choice for this wife of "a room of one's own." (Hedges 106). (front of card) Hedges, Elaine R. “Afterword.” The Yellow Wallpaper. By Charlotte Perkins Gilman New York: The Feminist Press, Reprinted in Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol Detroit: The Gale Group, Print. (back of card)

Card #2 (front of card) (back of card)
For many years I suffered from a severe and continuous nervous breakdown tending to melancholia--and beyond. During about the third year of this trouble I went, in devout faith and some faint stir of hope, to a noted specialist in nervous diseases, the best known in the country. This wise man put me to bed and applied the rest cure, to which a still-good physique responded so promptly that he concluded there was nothing much the matter with me, and sent me home with solemn advice to "live as domestic a life as far as possible," to "have but two hours' intellectual life a day," and "never to touch pen, brush, or pencil again" as long as I lived. This was in I went home and obeyed those directions for some three months, and came so near the borderline of utter mental ruin that I could see over (“Why I Wrote ” 52). (front of card) Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’.” The Captive Imagination: A Casebook on “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Ed. Catherine Golden. New York: Feminist Press, Print. (back of card)

Taking Notes on Source Material

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!

Table of Contents MLA Format 3-5 Example of a Works Cited Page 6
General Rules for Works Cited Entries 7 Works Cited Entry: Book 8 Works Cited Entry: Periodical 9 Works Cited Entry: Gale Literary Criticism Series 10 General Rules for Web Sources 11 Works Cited Entry: Web site Additional Research Sources/Information Pat’s Next Step: Using Quotations Unit VI

What is MLA format? My professor says I need to use MLA format when creating a Works Cited page. What is that?

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.

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.

OK: so what does it look like?
Centered Title Works Cited 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 Press, Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Paula Kepos. Vol. 37. Detroit: The Gale Group, Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. “The Yellow Wall-paper.” The YellowW Other Stories. New York: Modern Library, Print. “Hanging” Indent All text is double-spaced, and there are no line spaces between entries. Indented too many spaces??

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.

Works Cited Entry for a Book
Wow! Look at the connection! 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). Works Cited Entry Works Cited Showalter, Elaine. A Literature of Their Own. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Print.

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) Literature Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Web June 2006.

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 (1984): Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Paula Kepos. Vol Detroit: The Gale Group, Print. Hedges, Elaine R. “Afterword.” The Yellow Wallpaper. By Charlotte Perkins Gilman New York: The Feminist Press, Rpt. in Twentieth- Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Dennis Poupard. Vol. 9. Detroit: The Gale Group, Print.

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. Deleted rule about URL. Insert new rule (include URL if it the site/page might be hard to find?)

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 Indented too much? 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 Web. 26 June 2006.

Additional Research Sources
Lecture or Speech Chapter in a Book Newspapers Interview Television or Film Hmm… what if I am using something else as a research source? Yes, something like this…

For More Information Visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab for more information about formatting various Works Cited entries in MLA format at

How can I use quotations and avoid plagiarism?
Now I need to learn how to use the information from my sources in my paper. How can I use quotations and avoid plagiarism?

And Incorporating Sources without Plagiarism
VI. Using Quotations And Incorporating Sources without Plagiarism

Table of Contents Defining Plagiarism 3-4
More Information about Plagiarism 5 Three Steps to Using Quotations 7-9 Signal Words Examples Signal Phrases to Introduce Quotations 12 “Short” vs. “Long” Quotations Avoiding “Dropped” Quotations Direct Quotation vs. Indirect Quotation 17 Pat’s Next Step: Final Draft Unit VII

PLAGIARISM IS AN ACT OF FRAUD
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!

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

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.

Students have to check their papers carefully to avoid plagiarism!
Plagiarism Links Turnitin.com at Students have to check their papers carefully to avoid plagiarism!

How can I find out how to use my source materials and cite them correctly in MLA style?

Three Steps to Using Quotations
Introduce Cite Analyze What does introducing, citing, and analyzing look like?

How to Introduce, Cite, and Analyze
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 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” (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. Cite Analyze

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 Postulates Thinks Believes Contends Grants Predicts Warns Claims Declares Illustrates Refutes Writes Denies Implies Reports

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.”

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,

How do I know the difference between a long vs. a short quotation?

Short vs. Long Quotations
A quotation is “long” if it is more than four lines. Block Indent (Hit “Tab” twice) Whereas the wallpaper can be interpreted as a reflection of the narrator’s individual struggle, the wallpaper pattern can also be seen as the “pattern” of the social and economic dependence of women, or even as prison bars that confine women to the domestic sphere. Paula A. Treichler views the woman in the wallpaper as a slave in the domestic sphere. She argues that “the yellow wallpaper represents. . . the “pattern” of social and economic dependence which reduces women to domestic slavery. . . all women” (190). The narrator writes about her discovery that not one but many women are hidden behind the pattern: Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out. The front pattern does move--and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind, and sometimes only one and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over. (Gilman, “Yellow ” 16) Notice difference in period placement between short and long quotations.

What is a “dropped” quotation?

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).

Direct Quotation vs. Indirect Quotation (Paraphrase)
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). 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 angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions” (Gilman, “Yellow” 5). Indirect Quotation Indirect quotations (paraphrases) must be cited!

Hooray. I know how to use my sources
Hooray! I know how to use my sources! Now it’s time to write the final draft!

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.

Table of Contents Pat’s Roles as Research Writer 3-6
Audience Awareness 7 How to Start Writing the Body What the Conclusion Does Review the First Draft 17 7. Pat’s First Draft 18 8. Pat’s Next Step: Making Revisions Unit VIII

Pat’s Roles in Writing Her Paper

Pat as a Seeker of Truth What does the yellow wallpaper symbolize and what message does it give to the reader?

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.

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.

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.

Body or Introduction First?
I think I’ll start by giving some background about the story to prepare the reader for my thesis. 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. l

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 Don’t come to the topic from “outer space.” It is okay go from general to more specific, as Jamie does, but watch out for rambling introductions that take too long to arrive at the REAL subject. Get important material up front that leads to your thesis.

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.

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. 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

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.

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.

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)

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.”

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!

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.

Pat’s First Draft Revision is the last step in writing a research paper. That first paragraph looks too long. I’ve got to sharpen my thesis!

VIII. Revising the Research Paper
More than proofreading More than correcting grammar

Table of Contents On Revision 3-5 Steps of Revision 6
A. Thesis Statement B. Coherence, Order of Ideas, Support Material C. Introduction and Conclusion D. Editing - Vocabulary, Clarity, Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics E. MLA Review 3. Pat’s Revised Paper and Grade

Put the paper away for a day
ZZZZ. ZZZZ.ZZZZ. I’m tired. I can’t look at this paper any more. Click for short video on revision from English Composition.

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.

Pat comes back to the paper ready to actively revise.
How will another reader respond? What doesn’t sound “quite right” ? Does the paper make sense?

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:

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.

Pat’s Original Thesis “The symbolic yellow wallpaper in Gilman’s story offers multiple interpretations.” All of them relate to the relations between men and women. I’ll include the specific interpretations I’m discussing.

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.”

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:

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.

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.

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.

I’ve almost finished… But…

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.

Final Editing Proofread for the types of errors frequently made such as run-on sentences, fragments, subject-verb 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.

Review MLA format. Check the rules for documentation and for the Works Cited page. For more information on MLA guidelines, visit this site: writing/mlaguide.html or the BCC Library’s Citation Guides

Click for video to review ideas for revision from English Composition.
I did my best! I hope I get a good grade. Click for video to review ideas for revision from English Composition.

Pat’s Grade Well done, Pat! A thoroughly researched, well organized and well-written paper! Here is Pat’s grade. A

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.

Focus on a limited aspect, e. g
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 full-scale 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.

Select a subject you can manage
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.

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.

Pay attention to domain name extensions, e. g. ,
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.

Be selective of. com (commercial) sites. Many
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.

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

• 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:

• Online reference materials (including databases, e. g
• 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.)

• 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.)

Subject Specific software (e. g
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.

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.

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.

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.

STEP 4. MAKE A TENTATIVE OUTLINE
All points must relate to the same major topic that you first mentioned in your capital Roman numeral.

I. INTRODUCTION -Example of an outline: Example of an outline: (Brief comment leading into subject matter - Thesis statement on Shakespeare)

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

2. Shakespeare's marriage
a. Life of Anne Hathaway b. Reference in Shakespeare's Poems

B. Shakespeare's works 1. Plays a. Tragedies i. Hamlet ii. Romeo and Juliet b. Comedies i. The Tempest ii. Much Ado About Nothing

c. Histories i. King John ii. Richard III. Henry VIII 2. Sonnets 3. Other poems

C. Shakespeare's Later Years
1. Last two plays 2. Retired to Stratford a. Death b. Burial i. Epitaph on his tombstone

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

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.

Include in your outline an INTRODUCTION, a BODY, and a CONCLUSION
Include in your outline an INTRODUCTION, a BODY, and a CONCLUSION. Make the first outline tentative

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?

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.

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.

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.

This is the most important stage in writing a research paper
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.

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 audio-visual aids.

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.

Plagiarism is definitely out of the question
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.

Devise your own method to organize your notes
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,

Literary Research Paper

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