use both primary and secondary sources to discuss an important aspect of the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God that contributed to its lasting impact on American literature – Online Assignment Services

English IV Honors Assignment ~ Second Semester

Literary Research Paper: Their Eyes Were Watching God

For your Senior Research Paper, you will use both primary and secondary sources to discuss an important aspect of the

novel Their Eyes Were Watching God that contributed to its lasting impact on American literature. Students can also

include information on the historical time period (The Great Depression or The Harlem Renaissance) to demonstrate how

the times impacted the authors, their characters, and the general attitudes possessed throughout the works. Your essay will

be about 1200-1500 words (4 to 5 pages), and will include both primary source information from the novel, and secondary

source material from literary critics and historians who have analyzed the significance of the issue you are choosing to

address in your paper.

Topics for Exploration

Symbolism and Imagery in the novel

The novel as a “quest”

The search for identity

Race, Language, and Culture

Wealth and Class

Folklore and Storytelling

Narrative Voice

The role of Nature

Music, Blues, and The Renaissance

Treatment of Women

• Complete the “Brainstorming for Research Papers” handout to generate ideas for your research paper.
• Develop an appropriate thesis that asserts the significance of some aspect of the novel.
• Complete the “Outlining for Research Papers” handout to establish the trajectory of your essay.
• Your essay should be approximately 1200-1500 words typed and double-spaced, in 12 point font Times

New Roman or Arial, with 1 inch margins. In addition, your essay must:

o Avoid excessive plot summary.

o Have an appropriate and original title.

o Have a clearly defined thesis as the last sentence(s) in your introduction.

o Incorporate evidence from your primary source. Make sure that the quotes adequately support the

specific point you are proving.

o Use at least two other informative, reliable, sources that support your thesis. We will cover how to

quote and paraphrase information from sources following MLA format. Do not use “Google” or

any other search engine. DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA. Use approved Library Databases (Literature

Resource Center, Jstor, Project Muse, SIRS, Proquest, Infotrac, etc). Please note: you may use

applicable class handouts as sources.

o Be organized into paragraphs.

o Be written in third person point of view and maintain the literary present tense.

o Try to avoid the first person (I, me, my) or using phrases such as: “In this quote we see,” “I believe

this quote shows,” or “I think.” Instead, use “the reader notes,” “(the author) argues/espouses,” “(the

author)’s language demonstrates/reveals/underscores.”

o Include a Works Cited (last page).

o Be submitted to Turnitin.com (or emailed to msantiago@somersetacademy.com) by the due date.

o Avoid the use of contractions (couldn’t, shouldn’t, can’t, isn’t), slang, fragments, run-ons, fluff words

(things, great, a lot, so, like, stuff, very, good).

o Be grammatically and mechanically STELLAR…Proofread, proofread, proofread!

o Use 8 1⁄2 by 11 WHITE paper only and 1” margins on all sides.

o Use a header that will state your last name and the page number.

o Have a title page that looks like this:

• This assignment is worth 135 points. The rubric is as follows:

▪ _______/ 60 points- Content & Organization (Relevance to thesis/ argument is successfully

proven and cohesive)

▪ _______/ 20 points- Quotes from both primary and secondary sources (Note: You may

include only ONE block quote within your research paper)

▪ _______/ 20 points- Grammar conventions/ parenthetical citation/ MLA format

▪ _______/ 20 points- Works Cited Page (bibliography)

▪ _______/ 15 points- Adherence to requirements listed on this assignment sheet

• Important dates:

o Thesis due- 2/12 (B); 2/16 (A)

o Outline due- 2/19 (B); 2/22 (A)

o First page (Intro+1 Body) due- 2/25 (B); 2/26 (A)

o Final paper due- Tuesday, March 9th by 11:59pm to Turnitin.com

• Only valid sources available via the school or Broward County Library databases can be used as critical

analysis (literary criticism) for your secondary sources. Suggested databases include:

o Gale Academic OneFile

o Literature Resource Center

o Salem Press

• Here are some great websites for help with writing and MLA documentation:

“Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I

hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.”

~ Salman Rushdie

o MLA Style Guide

o Citation Machine

o Grammarly