Research Essay : UNIT 3 – Night by Elie Wiesel
Topics: Choose one of the following:
How did the relationship between Elie and his father change in the course of the year on which the book focuses? How do you account for that change? Use examples.
How has Elie tried to keep you from responding to his story the way he and his father once responded to the one Moishe the Beadle told them at the beginning?
Choose one of the themes of Night and trace its relevance throughout Elie’s experience.
Breakdown of Research Essay:
3-5 Secondary Sources from Database/Books – use at least 10 quotes total from these sources. You must quote from each source at least one time, so if there is one source that is better and you want to quote from it multiple times and use the others less, that is fine, as long as the total for secondary source quotes equals 10. Each source you use must be in the Works Cited
Attributive Tag the first time you use a source/author with his or her first and last name.
Primary Source (Night)- use at least 3 direct quotes with proper citation.
Outline
Rough Draft- Underline Thesis and bold every quotation and citation.
Final Draft- Underline Thesis and bold every quotation and citation.
Make it perfect! It counts 20% of your final grade for this class.
Directions and Steps:
You will get your information to support your analysis from 3-5 secondary sources. You do not need to use more sources than this because a short research paper as this does not need to be bogged down with quotations and too many sources. You need to organize your research and state your finding in your own words. The majority of the paper will be your own ideas. (Do not use Wikipedia- make sure it is a credible source with a .org or .edu). The rest must be from a Database (Ebsco Host) and/or books.
Don’t forget the library as one of your greatest resources and the Reserve Room. You are required to use each secondary source once. Remember: Sources add to your thoughts and back you up. ** Write down all source information so that you can document your source.
Create an outline to organize your information. Suggestion is to form your thesis/argument first, reread the story and underline/copy quotes and examples that prove the point you are making. (Hint: you have to know your point before you do this ; ) Write your essay just like you’ve done with your other essays- using Night to prove your claim, setting up topic sentences, supporting details in the body, concluding sentences at the end of each paragraph. Next you will read the secondary sources you’ve found and skimmed and highlight quotes that the author wrote that makes a point similar to yours or helps explain one of your points or it can be something you completely disagree with and you use the text to prove the author wrong.
Type a 3-4 page paper, using source information and the original text to inform your reader about your topic. (double-space, 1 inch margins, 12 font) .
***In rough draft and final draft: Underline your Thesis Statement. Bold every quotation and citation within the paper, including quotes from the text and from your secondary sources.
Give credit to your sources within your paper, using parenthetical documentation. Any information you use from a source, direct quotes and paraphrases must be given credit using parenthetical documentation. You will put the author’s last name and paragraph number or page number in parenthesis after the information it refers to. Ex: (Wilkins 53). Remember if a source in online or has no page numbers, you count the paragraph numbers and use this in citation. Example: (par. 3). If you use one sentence of information in your paper, then you will put the parenthesis after that one sentence.
You must cite at least one secondary source per paragraph.
Give credit to your sources outside of your paper on a works cited page. List only the sources you used in your paper in ABC order. (Use your textbook or handouts for help. ) Use MLA documentation. You list all of your sources. Must be typed. You will use Ch. 6-7 in your textbook for Using MLA Style like your Bible as a guide for writing this paper. Don’t bother to write or turn in this paper without a Works Cited page. It’s kinda the point and without it, it’s plagiarism.
Plagiarism:
“Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s writing without giving proper credit or perhaps without giving credit at all to the writer of the original. Whether plagiarism is intentional or unintentional, it represents a serious academic offence . . .” (McCrimmon 499).
You are to use direct quotes- writing word for word what the source says. Do not use over 4 lines or this is a block quote [look it up]. You may NOT use block quotes in your paper. You can also use summarizing/paraphrasing – taking your source’s information and putting it completely in your own words.