Survey of English Literature II Paper topics:

Research Paper Assignment

May 24, 2012

a) Explain how Wildes play The Importance of Being Earnest deals with Victorian social issues. Your research should start at and is limited to the following web page: http://victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/index.html b) Make an analysis/interpretation of Kurtz in Conrads Heart of Darkness. Your research should start at and is limited to the following web page: http://www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Conrad.htm Write a paper of about 800 words in length (Font Times New Roman, size 12, if possible). Use the MLA style of documentation. This means that your paper has to have a heading and title; use double spacing throughout the paper; all quotations should be in quotation marks and have subsequent parenthetical references; provide Works Cited at the end of your paper; number the pages. This is a research paper and, apart from the primary text which is the basis of your paper, you are expected to look for, read and cite some secondary sources; however, your research should be limited to the assigned web pages and the Norton Anthology. The best papers usually have a clear thesis (somewhere in the introductory paragraph), a clear line of development, and arguments clearly presented and supported by textual evidence. When you cite other people, make sure you use quotation marks. You are not allowed to present other peoples work as your own: it is called plagiarism. Remember, plagiarism is a deadly sin. Paper Due: June 8, 2012 Papers should be submitted in electronic form on the assigned date. Late papers will be penalized. Papers handed in after June 8, 2012 will NOT be accepted. Useful tips: Titles have to be more specific than topics. Dont shift the tenses; stick to the present tense when discussing plot in fiction or content of books. Titles of books, plays and long poems should be in italics; titles of short stories, short poems and chapters of a book should be in quotation marks. Use formal language in academic writing. Edit carefully and proofread for spelling. To identify the web page as the source of information that you are using in the paper, include the complete title of the web page, its URL, date of its publication on the Internet and the date you accessed it, along with the other relevant documentation (name of the particular article and its author).
Grading Criteria On time/late (0 or 5 pts) Thesis (max 5 pts) Form/style (max 5 pts) Line of development/clarity (max 5 pts) Use of sources (max 5 pts) Spelling, grammar, vocabulary (max 5 pts)