Lesson:
We are embarking on our final MLA research project for the year. This paper serves as the final exam for this course.
I distributed the first batch of handouts for the project, and we discussed the overall style of the paper (which is to contain an "argumentative edge"), the scoring system, and the week-by-week deadlines.
This class will need to write papers of at least 5-7 pages (not counting the title page, outline, and works cited page) though 8 - 11 pages would be preferred. We will be following the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. All rough drafts, note cards, and source cards must be turned in with the final report.
First, we spoke about the nature of research and its role in higher education, particularly in obtaining advanced degrees and furthering the accepted body of knowledge in the world. We discussed the difference between primary (first-hand accounts written at the time or shortly after an event) and secondary sources (second-hand, after the fact), and how to select appropriate and credible sources.
We discussed how to choose a suitable topic of sufficient interest with enough material available and not too broad in scope to be treated within this length. Examples of topic categories include:
- an author, artist, musician, or filmmaker and his or her impact
- a historical figure or event and his/her/its significance
- a scientific discovery/invention and its importance
- a controversial topic about which the student has not yet written
Most of the students had a rough idea for their topic before class ended.
Having chosen a general topic, students will need to make sure they have focused in on a narrow enough slice of that topic. Then, they will need to develop a hypothesis, which is a rough draft of the thesis they expect their research will support. It may be something quite simple, such as "Emily Dickinson is an innovative and brilliant American poet" or "Emily Dickinson is an emotionally imbalanced and overrated American poet." The hypothesis is to be written on its own 3 x 5 card, and will guide the students in choosing reference materials, and help to keep them on track while taking notes. Students may change their hypotheses if subsequent research leads them to changes their minds. Eventually, their hypothesis, revised or not, will become the thesis of their final paper.
Next, I explained how students are to go about their research, beginning with a survey of any materials at hand, but certainly including several hours at the library SOON. The best advice I can give in that regard is to gather few friends, a pile of index cards, a few pens, and a fat pocketful of change for the library copy machine; get thee to the library as soon as possible; and ASK THE LIBRARIAN FOR HELP! Those good people have training and degrees in how to find just what students need, so take advantage of that. (Give them a break --- go at off hours, be clear and patient, and say please and thank you.)
Finally, we discussed how to gather and format source cards and note cards. Cards are to be written on 3 x 5 index cards for ease of use, and written in pen so that they are still legible after weeks of shuffling and handling.
Sources: Students need to gather information from at least 5 good sources (though a few more wouldn't hurt).
Sources may be books, magazines, no more than one encyclopedia, no more than one textbook, and reliable internet sites, though not all sources may be online.
Each source is to be recorded on its own source card according to the examples given in class handouts. For internet sites where students may be uncertain which example to follow, bookmark those into a common heading for this project for now, and we will look at those more closely. (TIP: email those site links to yourself if you are on a library computer.)
Notes: Each single bit of information that a student might use must be written on its own note card and properly cited. Each idea or statement gets its own card.
When taking notes, students should write the author and page number of the source on the top right corner of each note card, while they have that information in front of them. That will make it simple to incorporate and cite their sources into the body of their paper as per the MLA format, as well as to prepare their Works Cited page. (See the examples on the class handouts.)
Another helpful tactic will be to write the specific sub-topic on the top left corner of each note card, as illustrated in the class handouts. This will be valuable when sorting and arranging notes for the outlining and actual composition of the paper. For example, if writing about a person, possible sub-topics might include childhood, education and training, marriage and family, etc.
Students will write three different types of note cards: quote, summary, and paraphrase. Students should label each note card accordingly (as a quote, summary, or paraphrase) at the center of the bottom line.
Quote cards: Quotes must be copied EXACTLY, with identical wording, spelling, and punctuation.
Quote when:
~ a particular phrase or sentence is so emotionally powerful or well-worded that you cannot improve upon it, or
~ the statement comes from a famous person whose name adds the weight of authority to your work.
No more than 1/4 to 1/3 of your note cards should be quotes.
Summary cards: A summary is simply the main idea of a statement put into your own words and your own sentence structure. Summaries are shorter than the originals, which is much of the point of summarizing. Often, a paragraph or several paragraphs can be condensed into a few sentences or less.
Summarize when:
~ you need to cite the basic information without all the detail included in a source
~ the original is not especially well-worded
Probably 1/2 of your note cards will be summary cards.
Paraphrase cards: To paraphrase is to rewrite the original statement completely, phrase by phrase, into your own words and structure. A paraphrase is not substantially shorter than the original.
Paraphrase when:
~ you want to cite all the information, including the specific detail, included in the original, yet
~ the words and style are not skillful, memorable, or emotionally powerful
Probably at most 1/4 of your note cards will be paraphrase cards.
Assignment:
By the next class on April 17, students are to have done their research and taken their notes. They are to bring to class on note cards, properly completed:
~ a hypothesis
~ at least 5 good source cards
~ at least 20 note cards, though double or triple that would not be at all too many
It is possible that the next step, writing an outline, might reveal gaps that would require more research, but let's try to avoid that by making the most of this extra week before our next class.
I am available for an extra research session next week at the Frisco library if that would be helpful, though I hope no one waits that long to start.
With the extra week, any student who wishes to do so may submit an original poem or short story for extra credit.
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