Skip to Main Content

ENC 1102 - Willman (Brandon): ENC 1102 - Research Paper Instructions & Resources

This guide is designed for students in Professor Willman's ENC 1102 course.

Locating Resources for the Research Paper

Your research for this research paper requires you to use a variety of sources, at least two from the library databases. The sources below will be helpful for locating information about both your play, poem, or short story, and the author of that work, as well as information that will be useful if you are researching a literary theory related to your work. You might use all of the sources or might have great luck with just one or two of them!

As you research, remember to reach out to your campus librarians for assistance and carefully review the instructions from Professor Willman.

Video tour of the library for this assignment

 

Useful Databases!!

Search HCC Libraries

Find books, articles, videos, & more

MLA Citation Resources

Books in the Library

Books in the Brandon Campus Library that provide definitions and more information about the different schools of literary criticism. 

Frequently asked questions about research for this assignment

How do I find information about my author or short story using the library resources?

  • All library resources can be found by going to the HCC Libraries Online - click on the link in the left navigation area of the course in Canvas

Accessing the library from Canvas left navigation button

  • To locate books, or other items that are in the library, type in the author's name OR title of your short story/poem/play in the search box

Library catalog search box

  • When reviewing the results, limit by selecting if you want to see only what is at a particular campus and/or by marking that you want only Books or only items currently available

narrowing results with specific criteria

 

  • To find critical analysis articles and online biographical information - access the library Databases
  • Databases are listed alphabetically, but can easily be identified by looking at them by Subject topic

Accessing the library databases

databases by subject identifying biography and literature

 

ENC 1102 Research Paper Instructions

For ENC 1102

Directions: Using one of the thesis statements below, you must write a well-developed research paper between 750 - 1000 words.  Your essay must contain some scholarly research (at least 2 outside sources from the library data base) and should avoid summary.

As with any essay, this one needs a proper introductory paragraph, body paragraphs that SUPPORT the thesis statement, evidence from the story in the form of SHORT quotes/paraphrases with in-text citations. The last page will contain the works cited entries.

Thesis statements to choose from:

  • In “A&P,” Updike illustrates that Sammy’s immaturity is evidenced in his judgmental attitude, disrespectful personality, and sexist beliefs.
  • In a “Rose for Emily,” Faulkner emphasizes the struggle between tradition and change, revealing that progress is inevitable and one must adapt in order to maintain their position in society. 
  • In Ibsen’s controversial play, the personas of Torvald, Nora, and Krogstad prove to be misleading. (Compare your first impressions of them through Acts I and II to what they are really like once adversity strikes in Act III.)
  • Ibsen accurately portrays what gender inequality looked like during this time using themes such as money, condescension, and oppression.

Be sure to use specific evidence from the text to support your analysis. This essay MUST contain quotes and/or paraphrases to support your main points. This evidence must have in-text citations and be listed in your Works Cited page.

For Honors:

Your research paper will analyze one of the plays, poems, short stories we have read from the literary perspective of your choice from below:

  • formalist
  • new historicism 
  • feminist 
  • mythological/archetypal
  • psychoanalysis
  • biographical
  • Marxist