How to Write a Fantastic Literary Research Paper
The first thing you should do is select a topic of your interest. Keep in mind that picking a topic that is interesting to you personally ensures a well-written paper. The student should not only be able to analyze previous work done by scholars in the chosen field of research but also base their conclusions on it. Start by jotting down your ideas, then find some sources (books or websites), and after that, proceed with conducting research.
While writing the literary research paper, pay attention to the exciting arguments derived from the sources you've collected. Before getting down to the actual writing, it is advisable to come up with an outline of how you are going to structure the collected information. This may prove to be very helpful to the reader, as it will allow them to follow your train of thought quickly.
Because you may slightly deviate from the working hypothesis in the process of writing, it is necessary that your introduction mirrors your conclusion, so be sure to paraphrase it at the end, if needed. Carefully select information essential to your research, including references to it in the References section. That way you'll show your acknowledgment and appreciation to other writers', whose ideas you referred to in your work.
The literacy review lies at the core of your paper, so it should be well-structured and show your creative approach to the task. Structuring makes it easier to include subtopics in your article. You are also expected to provide expert analysis of your test or essay, as well as come up with the thesis statement so that the readers understand why you decided to write your research paper. The argument should be provided to create a debate for the chosen subject, too. You are also required to provide theoretical framework concepts and ideas suggested by other scholars in the past.
It is essential to include the title page in your research paper so that the focus of your argument is on the reader.
Different students have different writing styles, but we suggest following these simple steps:
- Have a thesis statement to showcase your ideas about the work.
- Provide evidence backing up your thesis.
- Do research to collect ideas of other scholars relating to and supporting your thesis.
What is a literary research paper
In the academic arena, 'literature' stands for a collection of scholarly works and articles that are specifically related to a specific topic and were published in academic journals. The literature review is the significant part of your paper, allowing you to blend arguments and ideas together in the summary.
The literary research paper definition is as follows: this is a compilation of substantive research of different previously published scholarly works pertaining to the given topic. It also involves methodological and theoretical contributions to a specific chosen topic. In other words, it represents ideas by different scholars that are gathered and molded into a single paper.
Writing a literature research paper
The purpose of writing a literature research paper is to break down and analyze some aspect of a literature piece. There are various reasons regarding why writing the literature research paper is important: it may be either revealing how the conflicts in the book expose the theme, or contrasting and comparing the book's characters. Keep in mind that the idea you're elaborating on always depends on the topic.
While writing this kind of paper, students should demonstrate their ability to understand and clearly explain the hidden meaning of a certain literature piece. Having collective research of previously published sources assists in gathering the best information and ideas prior to exploring the topic. It also aids in keeping you well informed about the latest trends and findings in relation to your topic. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot come up with your own research questions.
Students taking English Literature course may use a particular guideline while writing their research papers. However, it is always a good idea to read tutorials to improve your writing skills and pick up some crucially important information on paper writing.
Research paper introduction
Students often wonder how to write an introduction for a literary research paper, and it is of little surprise that they do. Being the first thing the reader will see, it is supposed to grab and hold their attention. The introduction paragraph should be short and at the same time describe the topic and main idea of your paper. It is always a good idea to begin your introduction by providing a thought-provoking or controversial quote.
However, the literary research paper introduction is only supposed to announce the topic, while the reason for the paper and research questions should be revealed in the hypothesis. The literature review helps to show why there is a need for further research into the previously researched problems and how the paper can meet this objective. It should also show how and why the paper differs from the previous research materials.
In some cases, you may begin by introducing the author and their book. The topic you have selected should be clear not only to you but to the reader as well. A specific thesis statement should then be written, but you need to make sure that it is not phrased in the form of a question. End your introduction with a thesis statement. It may be a good idea to begin writing the introduction after your entire paper is finished. Briefly summed up, your introduction should achieve the following goals:
- Launch the topic of your research paper.
- Analyse and evaluate literature sources.
- State your working hypothesis or research questions.
- Provide literature review.
- Inform the reader about what to expect next and let them decide whether or not to continue reading. Tip: the introduction has to be so captivating that putting down your paper isn't even an option.
Just two sentences at the end of the introduction will suffice. Students often ponder on how to write a thesis for a literary research paper. The thesis statement should state the major purpose and idea of the paper. When writing the thesis, keep in mind a few important things:
- Clearly present the aspect you would like to write about after narrowing down your topic.
- Do not forget that the literary paper is all about analysis, so be sure to provide your interpretation and opinion prior to writing the body of the text. Sometimes, there are some questions that you may need to explore before writing your thesis.
Writing the body paragraphs
This is a stage at which your chosen topic should be argued upon, described, and explained. Each body paragraph should convey the main point of your paper and be in a proper format. It is best to start with the most crucial information and then gradually move on to less important facts and ideas. Each new idea should be introduced in a separate paragraph, meaning that if you have three or four of those, you should, consequently, have three or four main body paragraphs. However, remember to use your outline so as not to drift away from the topic. Do not use only short sentences, because it will make your paper less sophisticated and more general.
Each of the paragraphs should clearly explain the idea and contain concisely elaborated points that support it. Reveal how the evidence provided proves the claims made in the thesis statement. Keep in mind that linking back to the thesis makes it easy to move on to the next paragraph.
Conclusion writing
This is the final paragraph of your paper so you should start it by restating your thesis. The major points and ideas in the body paragraphs are then summarised, and the purpose of your topic is explained.
Literary research paper topics
It is always a good idea to choose a topic that is interesting to you. This way you can ensure that you will get a well-written research paper that was not only a delight for you to work on but also a joy for your readers to study. Remember that this is the critical analysis paper and the issue of how to choose a topic for a literary research paper is very important.
20 literary research paper topics list
- Identify the major topic of the book.
- Explain why the USSR fell apart.
- Describe feminism and how it came into existence.
- What role does comedy play in the work of literature?
- What is the reason behind the planetary movement?
- Explain the nature of electrical energy and electricity.
- Explain what and how life was like for women in the 19th century. Make a comparison to their standing in the society before and now.
- Does the story appear to be about forgiveness to you?
- How do you understand the effect the poem or the play exerts?
- Sexual identity and ethnicity in the twentieth century.
- How are the relationships between people affected by geography?
- How are countries with and without sea access differ?
- Describe political motives in Shakespeare's dramas.
- How was Great Britain defeated by the Roman Empire?
- Describe the types of abuse and violence in young teenage couples and couples in their thirties.
- Causes and consequences of emigration and immigration.
- How are people's everyday lives affected by the global food crisis?
- Schizophrenia: how it affects people of different genders.
- Describe the tools to make spending and taxes more effective.
- What views on the gender roles are the prevailing ones in modern society?
Literary research paper outline
This is a format that students often prefer while writing research papers because it lets them organize their thoughts and ideas efficiently. It also makes their papers easy to follow and ensures that none of their main points is left out during the writing process. In simple terms, the research paper outline enables you to present your ideas, thoughts, points, and arguments in an organized manner, and then draw inspiration from it while writing.
Let's take a look at some literary research paper outline example:
- Create the thesis statement - inform the reader of the overall reason for your research paper. It is a controversial statement of points in your paper.
- Structure of the research paper.
- Introduction - Topic of what to expect or read about
- Body - Main points of argument, ideas.
- Conclusion - Elaboration and clarification of points included in the body
Some literary research paper tips
Here are some follow-up tips that have the power to boost your paper's success if implemented correctly.
- Citing sources in the argument - sources of your paper are to be written. For example, include the quotations the article contains as they are the original source. This is just a way of acknowledging the actual owner of the quotes used.
- Proofread format - Ensuring the proper formatting (that includes the title, length, reference, and bibliography). It is very important to follow the style recommended by your professors.
- The title of the page should be included even if the reader decides not to proceed with reading the article. It gives them an idea of the argument of the research paper.
- Professor requests followed - Name, class and any other information stated by the professor should be included.
- Proofreading - have other people check your paper for any spelling and grammatical errors before finally submitting it to your professor.
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Jonne Graham
Education in the field of arts and cinema