ENG 3U1

Literary Research Essay

Indigenous Novel Study

Task: Write a 1250 word (five pages) essay based on a teacher -approved research topic/issue.

Steps to follow:

1.Read your novel and complete the Literature Circle Roles for each stage of reading.

2.While reading, decide on what you are interested in learning more about.

3.Choose a research topic and submit a one-paragraph research proposal outlining how your research topic is relevant to the text you are reading. (Marks will be assigned)

4.Develop a minimum of three specific research questions to answer. Gain teacher approval for your research questions.

5.Collect, analyze, and organize information from your research sources. Make connections to your novel.

Research Requirements:

Use: School databases from Library Commons (e.g., Statistics Canada), Curio Canada, CBC Short Docs, National Film Board of Ontario, CBC News in Review, The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, CBC Indigenous, Maclean’s magazine, Turtle Island News and credible websites to gain information to answer your research questions. YouTube is a viable option so long as you evaluate the source for credibility. CBC also has a series of podcasts (investigative journalism) that may enrich your understanding of your chosen research topic.

You need at least4 sources to complete this assignment. You are encouraged to speak with people in the community who have knowledge about your research topic. Students who use a variety of sources will score better on this assignment.

Remember: Your research questions must relate to details and ideas in your novel. Quoted evidence from your novel AND from your reliable research are necessary to pass this assignment.

Use in-text citations in MLA format to do this. Using the Library Commons tutorials will guide you in accurate MLA formatting.

In-text Citations

Basic MLA Citations for Websites

EasyBib for Citation Generation

You will need to create an account if you don't have one. The Coupon Code is henryhs650


Essay Formatting:

See the tutorial on the Library Commons Webpage:

Include a left-margin aligned heading similar to the following:

To: Ms. Henderson

From: [student’s name]

Date:

Subject: ENG 3U1

Include a creative title, centred, below your heading.

  • INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

*The first paragraph of your essay will be the introduction and purpose.

*Introduce the novel studied and a brief background to the author and text.

*State the research topic you chose to investigate in relation to the text;

*Briefly introduce the research questions you investigated, and how they broadly connect to your novel;

*Introduce the research material you gathered, and describe your research process

*State the aim/thesis of your essay.

Thesis statement: Does the novel accurately represent the facts of your topic/issue, and why are these insights interesting or important? How does the research enrich your understanding of the novel in part, and as a whole?Your statement will be developed with the aid of Ms. Henderson or Ms. Maxwell. Your thesis statement must be approved before you begin writing your essay.

  • BODY PARAGRAPHS

*Arrange bodyparagraphs in accordance with the research questions you have chosen to analyze. You may use headings if you think it will benefit the organization.

*In these paragraphs, you will be reporting and analysingthe findings of your research questions. Make connections between your novel and your research. You must report on information from your primary source (novel) AND your secondary sources (documentaries, database, websites etc).

*Direct references to the text and your research are essential to your essay. Include a minimum of three quotations per paragraph.

  • CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

*Your final paragraph will be your Conclusion

Your conclusion is a summary of what you learned about your topic. Connect the evidence between your specific topic/issue within your novel to the research you completed. Make sure to restate your thesis. Why are your findings interesting or significant? What should readers be left thinking about? What should we do now? Why does your topic/issue matter in the grand scheme of things?

  • COMPLETE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY at the end of your report. This is a Works Cited page, in MLA format, that includes at least one paragraph summarizing, assessing, and reflecting on the usefulness of EACH source. Stay tuned for a lesson on this aspect of the assignment. Ms. Henderson will choose the sources you will include in your Annotated Bibliography.

Please use MLA8 format for your Works Cited. Register and use Easybib account, if it is helpful to you.

Evaluation Criteria to follow.

Due date:

1