The Literary Research Essay serves as the major course research paper. The focus

The Literary Research Essay serves as the major course research paper. The focus of this essay is
on the examination of a literary topic related to the assigned course novel. The purpose of an
analysis is to conduct a close examination of one identified literary element in relation to the
text or an assessment of the novel through the lens of one of the literary theories discussed
in the class.
The questions below address some possible choices:
– Does the novel contain a great deal of symbolism? Perhaps you could write a paper that deals
with the author’s use of symbolism in that novel.
– What imagery impacted you as a reader?
– Did you find irony within the story? How did irony enhance the meaning of the novel?
– What role does language play? How did the author use language to shape the story?
– Was character development a key element of the text? Consider conducting a detailed analysis
of the main character(s).
Once you identify the specific focus of your research paper, you will want to begin conducting
your research. Because this is literary analysis research paper, it will be important for you to
determine what other critics have already said regarding your topic to help you reach a
greater understanding of your own examination. You will want to make sure you are pulling
your research from credible sources. It is important that you are identifying perspectives from
scholars in the field. Do not use literary summary sites (eNotes, CliffNotes, Schmoop,
Wikipedia, etc.) or use “Google” to locate sources. The best place to identify sources is in the
Library database. This is NOT to be a summary of the reading or a general discussion about
the text or the author. You need to identify a specific literary focus for your piece and ensure
that all of your research is tied to this text in some fashion.
The Literary Research Essay should be presented as a quality, scholarly essay, where detailed
analysis related to a specific aspect of the text is clearly presented. By gathering quality sources
related to the text, you will be able to better understand the author’s approach, the writing itself,
and the literary element you are analyzing. You want to use this research to support your own
interpretation of the text to build your credibility as the author of the essay. One big important
aspect of this essay is ensuring that research is properly analyzed and related to overall critique
you are presenting. This is the challenge.
Essay Requirements:
o 8 – 10 Full Pages in Length (not including Works Cited page)
o Minimum of 6 Scholarly Sources Included
o Proper MLA 8th edition (see MLA Resources in the course for
guidance)
o MLA formatted header on left side of page.
o MLA header on all pages (last name and page number)
o General document formatting (1-inch margins; double spaced)
o MLA in-text citations (for both paraphrased ideas and direct
quotes)
o MLA Works Cited (complete list of references used)
o Descriptive Title
o No first person. Must use third person (e.g., the author).
o Use present tense (e.g., the author states).
o No summary needed nor definition of terms. Assume the audience is
familiar with both.
o A thesis statement stating the specific piece being examined and the
literary device being used.
o Specific evidence and outside sources to provide support for the
analysis. Outside research should not comprise more than 25% of
your overall essay. The rest should be your analysis of this research
and the text.