Write a well-organized, effectively developed, 900-1100 word analysis of at least one of our course texts (including the fairy tales). The word count should be the essay only, not including the heading (see format below) and Works Cited page.The paper should critically analyze the way the text engages a significant issue of social responsibility. Anchor your paper’s argument with a clearly articulated thesis statement and use careful analysis of textual evidence to support your claims. You may choose from one of following prompts. Be sure to read the parameters carefully and use them to guide your work. Avoid turning this essay into a sociology paper that avoids close readings of the text(s) and tends to treat the characters as if they were real people. Please look under Course Materials to view a well-written, solidly organized, and properly researched sample paper.
After you have chosen one of the above topics, you will need to follow these parameters:
1. Choose one of the works featured in this course as your primary text.
2. Conduct library research (online or in person) to locate critical material (secondary texts) related to your primary text.
Choose TWO critical/scholarly essays (from a book or journal) that you believe bring up important points of discussion about your primary text. They should be LITERARY sources as you want to avoid turning your essay into a sociology study. Remember, these are characters are NOT real people so we have to look to the text for clues about them (and not psychology journals). Here is a list of credible sources:
Scholarly articles (e.g., academic articles published in peer-reviewed journals; you can find citations for these articles by using the MLA International Bibliography database, JSTOR, or Project Muse—all of which UTA’s library gives you access to online)
Scholarly books or book chapters (it’s a good bet a book is scholarly if it’s published by an academic press, such as Duke University Press; if you’re not sure, ask your instructor)
Historical documents (e.g., old newspaper articles, letters, speeches, journal entries) from academic databases (see the History subject guide on the library website for ideas)
If you’re interested in using a source that isn’t listed here, check with your instructor. You MUST have two relevant literary sources besides the story or novel as it’s a major requirement and worth 20% of the grade. Note that cheater essay websites, dictionaries, Wikipedia, Sparknotes, encyclopedias, and student papers are NOT legitimate sources.
Use this UTA Libraries link (Links to an external site.) to see MLA formatting tips as well as helpful databases for finding appropriate articles.
3. Compose a 900-1100 word paper (not including heading and works cited) that addresses your chosen topic, using the outside sources to help stress and develop your points. It is fine to quote or paraphrase these authors but be sure to properly document this. Avoid overly long quotes in a paper of this length.
4. Use MLA format throughout the project. Include a Works Cited page with primary and secondary sources listed. See the Helpful links in the Research Report to know where to find sources and understanding proper MLA style. Double-space papers, 12-pt New Times Roman font, 1 inch margins. Be sure to include your Word Count at the top of your paper.
5. Use parenthetical documentation in the body of your work if you quote or paraphrase from the essay or primary text. Short quotations and paraphrasing are encouraged as a means to introduce or explain a point in your analysis. Remember, it’s better to have an author’s name leading into their quote and then have the page reference at the end of the sentence.