Reference no: EM132330371

Research Paper and Prospectus Instructions

1. The Process:

Your paper begins with the selection of a topic and basic research.

Topic: Choose a topic that relates to the study of humanities, that interests you, and that can be connected to present day life and the content found in your textbook. Your thesis should reflect all of these objectives. A word of caution: biographies of famous people are not acceptable as a topic. If you want to write about a person, you must do so in the context of his/her contributions to the humanities and your interest in that person.

The greatest danger with your topic selection is that it will be too broad. Please narrow your topic so that it can be covered in a short paper, five-seven double-spaced pages. For instance, the Roman Empire is not a narrow topic. However, the Roman penchant for blood sports would work quite nicely and could certainly be related to the modern day concept of recreation (televised team sports, wrestling, boxing, or video games with violent confrontations, etc.).

Here is another example of narrowing your topic. Perhaps you have a great interest in children. Relate that interest specifically to the humanities. You could focus your paper on how one particular artist depicts children or compare two artists in different time periods and their paintings of children. Then relate that artwork to current trends such as portrait photography of children. You could look at literature, music, movies, or television shows for or about children. Any age group would work.

Also you could take one of the themes in Part III of your book: Religion, Morality, Happiness, Love, Life-Affirmation, Nature, Freedom and trace one specific aspect of it through one of the arts - visual art, three-dimensional art, literature, music, theater, film, or television.

The main thing to remember is to connect your topic to the study of humanities. Google topics for humanities' papers to gain some more ideas.

2. Prospectus and Research
As you are conducting your research, narrow your topic and create a bibliography of at least ten sources. One reference should be a book.

Your working bibliography in MLA format and a prospectus are a separate assignment from your research paper and are due at midterm in the semester. This prospectus and bibliography count as one of your class assignments.

A prospectus is a brief summary, about a paragraph in length, that discusses your overall topic, states your thesis, explains why you chose the topic, relates your topic to the study of humanities and everyday life, and outlines your approach. Also specify your three main points that you will make in your paper. Your prospectus should help you organize your paper.

3. Research Paper:
Your paper itself will be a blend of scholarship and your own opinions and ideas. It must be five-seven double-spaced pages in length (exclusive of the bibliography), not be an example of plagiarism, and include parenthetical documentation and a bibliography of at least ten sources. Follow MLA guidelines for your paper and bibliography. MLA format information is available in Microsoft Word and many internet sites. Use current guidelines, those after 2016.

Check your Projected Learning Schedule found in Getting Started on the course Home Page for the due date. (20% of your final grade)