- Term Paper
Writing 102 Term Paper
Selecting a Topic
Your term paper for Writing 102 needs to focus on a work of literature. Your paper should be some form of literary analysis or interpretation.
For your primary source or sources (the work or works of literature you will discuss), select work by one or more of the writers in our text. (If you want to use the works of a writer not represented in our text, clear it with me first.)
You have a great deal of latitude in selecting and developing a focus for your paper. This allows you to pursue issues of interest to you. Options include the following:
- centering your research and study around the work of a specific writer or poet.
- interpreting or analyzing a specific novel, short story, or poem.
- researching and analyzing a specific theme (such as race relations or cross-cultural interactions, class systems, poverty, family relationships, gender roles, or any other themes) in several literary works.
- analyzing character type (such as strong women, heroes, villains, mythical characters, or others) in one or more works of literature.
- examining through research and analysis the effect of the context of a particular work (such as the writer's background and views, politics, social issues, historical events, religion, psychology).
- exploring and analyzing the way a term or symbol (such as nature or the wilderness, light and dark, the moon, "baggage", houses, cars, or any other symbol) is used in a work or works of literature.
- developing your own approach.
Students have commented that the earlier they select their topic, the more time they have for needed research and thinking.
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