(TUC) Thematic Unit: Choices - Writing the Paper Lesson

A literary research paper--unlike a research paper on a medical or legal topic--focuses on critically analyzing/interpreting the meaning of literature. What's more, the term "research" implies that you will be incorporating research from reputable secondary sources into your paper. In short, you will be analyzing/interpreting a piece of literature and supporting your analysis with "research."

A research paper that is organized around a theme, such as death, life, love, race, gender, class, cultural identity, etc., generally includes a focused discussion on the role a particular theme plays in several pieces of literature.

Parts of the Research Paper

The Thesis Statement:

A thesis statement is the main point you are trying to make about the literature you are discussing. All of the information in your paper should, in one way or another, work to support your thesis statement. A good thesis statement is arguable in nature and is supported with a detailed interpretation of the text (or texts). You do not want a factual thesis statement (Raymond Carver is a man), or that is speculative (What if Raymond Carver is really a woman?), or that states an opinion (Not only is Raymond Carver a bad writer, he's also ugly).

Primary Material:

The text, or texts, that you choose to write about are called your primary sources. They are the main material that your thesis is organized around. In other words, information from your novel will serve as your primary form of support (textual evidence). Your primary material will be the novel itself and quotes from the novel.

Secondary Material:

The research you will do about the author, text, and/or ideas is considered your secondary source or "outside" material. In other words, you will be gathering information from outside sources that are relevant to your thesis and which help support your main points. Your goal is to balance your paper with your own analysis, with direct quotes from the text(s), and with quotes from other sources (secondary sources) who have written about the author(s), the topic, and/or the text(s) you are discussing. While using quotes, be sure to incorporate your own words to explain the quote further. You should write at least three sentences in your own words for each quote that is used.

Conducting Research:

When conducting research on a piece of literature, you should attempt to confine your research to reputable sources. In general, books and journals are considered reputable sources, while magazines and newspaper articles are considered non-reputable sources because they often contain bias opinions. Websites are also permissible, but you must be careful which sites you choose. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule, so if you find something that you would like to include in your paper as a secondary source, feel free to discuss the matter with your instructor.

Tips To Remember When Writing Research Papers

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