Writing a formal critical research paper is a task you will perform frequently in college. It is therefore important that you learn the correct techniques to write such a paper. You are supposed to have already learned the fundamentals of research writing in a previous English course. However, even if you haven’t had such instruction, you are still responsible for the quality of both the content and the documentation of your critical paper.
In this paper, the emphasis is on the interpretation of the literary selection. Remember that an interpretation is not a re-telling of “what happens” in the selection; rather an interpretation focuses on some larger overall theme or idea that the selection seems to deal with.
Do NOT use the first-person point of view. This is a formal, objective essay.
Biography is to be avoided. The author’s work, not his/her life, is the focus of this assignment.
DO NOT summarize the plot of the piece. You can assume that your readers are already familiar with the text you chose. The summary should only be used BRIEFLY in the introduction as a way to remind the reader of the text(s)–just two or three sentences. Save the rest of the paper for analysis. Also, do not cite a summary from another source. As the reader, you are capable of summarizing the primary source’s plot or an event on your own. Critical sources should ANALYZE your primary source; therefore, you should be citing analytical material, not the summary.
The work you choose to research is your primary source. You must cite lines from the primary source in order to supplement your analysis, to show the reader what you are explaining and to help specifically prove your point.
All literary assignments are written in the present tense.
You must also include a minimum of TWO additional critical sources AND cite from them in the essay. A critical source is one that comments upon or analyzes the text, the specific subject of your paper (be careful here!) and/or the writer’s techniques used in the text. Please use the CTC databases for finding appropriate sources, not internet searches (no .com sites).
Do not use sources to cite information that already appears in your primary source unless it is part of a specific point the author is making. In other words, cite John Smith from Smith himself, not from another writer citing Smith’s own words.
The thesis statement you plan to use must control your essay; the thesis is generally one sentence that controls the main idea of the entire essay. The thesis is NOT a statement of intent (“In this essay, I will . . . ” is a statement of intent, for example), nor is the thesis a statement of fact (The author uses symbolism in the stories). Instead, the thesis is an argument to be proven or supported.
A thesis WILL NOT include statements like “The author uses ______ to give meaning to, to help the reader understand better, to appeal to readers, etc.”. We cannot know the author’s intentions for the reader specifically; mentioning these kinds of things provide only an opinion, and this paper will focus on an objective argument instead. If you find the symbolism interesting and think it gives more meaning to the novel, ask yourself what that meaning is. Doing so can lead to a connection between symbolism and theme–and the basis of a thesis. In addition, AVOID statements like, “The novel wouldn’t be the same without _____.” Any novel and any literary device could complete that statement; it’s a given, as is saying that comics would not be the same without (pick any superhero to insert here).
Remember to avoid plagiarism. Use MLA in-text citations to document your quotes or paraphrases from your critical authorities. Don’t “over-quote” from your sources; this critical paper is supposed to be mostly your words (even though the critics agree with and may have given you your main ideas for interpretation). Avoid using long quotations; if you must use one, be sure to double-space it. Focus more on paraphrasing or summarizing your sources than quoting, because paraphrasing and summarizing make you use your own words, which help to keep your style consistent. Remember to end the paper with a proper Works Cited page.
Don’t “prettify” the paper with fancy artwork or similar typographical gimmicks. In short, don’t call attention to the technical details of your paper; use of proper MLA style.
Important: Masterplots, Cliffs Notes, Barron’s, BookRags, Pink Monkey, Spark Notes, Schmoop, enotes, Classic Notes, GradeSaver, Book notes, WIKIPEDIA, and any other similar items are not acceptable critical sources since they merely summarize the work; while you may use the Bible as a reference, it does not count as a critical source because it does not comment upon your author’s work. In addition, paper mills such as 123helpme.com, academia.com, antiessays, and freeessays.com are NOT acceptable sources. If you are unsure of your source’s value, please check with the instructor. Again, using CTC’s databases can eliminate most of these issues.
