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Analyze Your Research Needs Before You Search
- What is your assignment?
- "Find ONE article, book chapter, etc. on a work already read in the course, to summarize it, and to respond to it, based on [your] reading of the work." (Professor Taylor's email to me)
- What types of information sources does Professor Taylor want you to find?
- Find ONE article, book chapter, etc. on a work already read in the course
- The work you will focus on is a "primary source," the journal article, book chapter, etc., is a "secondary source."
Select a Research Topic
- Begin with one of the works you have read this semester:
- Salvation
- Araby
- Cathedral
- Moonlight
- Perceval
- Matters for Death of a Naturalist
- To a Daughter at Fourteen Forsaking the Violin
- King Lear
- Phantom Tollbooth
- Think about how you might explore aspects of this work in your research paper:
- For instance:
- themes
- point of view
- genre
- purpose
- audience
- setting
- characters
- imagery
- Make a list of key words that reflect your research topic.
- Begin with key words from your work and the author.
Urgent Advice from the Librarian
- Because you just have to find one article, book chapter, make it a good one!
- Find and read several articles and choose the one that speaks to you.
- Start early!
- A literary critique requires time for you to think not only about your work, but also, the secondary source, and most importantly, what you are going to say about them.
- Reach out for help!
- If you are not satisfied with the secondary sources you've found, email/text Nancy Dennis asap.
- She will try to find articles, book chapters, etc.
- If she is unsuccessful, you might think about shifting your topic.
