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Humanities Research Papers
Table of Contents
• 1. Humanities Research Papers and Steps in
Writing a Research Paper
• 2. Primary and Secondary Sources
• 3. Narrowing down your Topic
• 4. Proposal Letters, Annotated Bibliographies, and
Abstracts
• 5. Organizing a Research Paper
– Introduction
– Body
– Conclusion
• 6. Plagiarism
• 7. Evidence and Citation
• 8. Additional Parts of the Research Paper
Humanities Research Papers
• Humanities Research Papers are
Interpretive, not merely factual
• Make an interpretive argument
about the significance or impact
of a specific primary source
document
Careers Related to Research
• Archaeologist
• Cartographer
• Operational
Researcher
• Patent Attorney
• Politician’s Assistant
• Research Scientist
(math, medical, or
physical sciences)
Harrison Ford as “Indiana Jones”
Steps to Writing a Research
Paper
• 1. Identify your TOPIC
and conduct preliminary
research
• 2. Locate potential
PRIMARY SOURCES
• 3. Perform in-depth
RESEARCH
• 4. Evaluate sources and
write an Annotated
Bibliography
• 5. Collect Evidence
• 6. Write
• 7. Revise
• 8. Edit
Primary v Secondary Sources
• Primary Sources are firsthand accounts of
historical events
– For example, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a
Dream” speech to analyze the U.S. Civil Rights
Movement
– Letters, diaries, speeches, works of art, government
documents, published scientific studies, memoirs, etc.
• Secondary Sources analyze primary sources
– For example, scholarly articles you find in your
library’s databases
– Newspapers, magazine articles, biographies,
encyclopedias, scholarly articles, book reviews,
editorials, etc.
Famous Scientific Studies
• Henry Cavendish’s
torsion bar
experiment (1798)
• Natural Selection by
Charles Darwin
(1859)
• “Sickle Cell Anemia, a
Molecular Disease”
by Linus Pauling, et.
All (1949)
Charles Darwin
Identifying Primary and
Secondary Sources
HISTORICAL EVENT
OR TOPIC
PRIMARY SOURCE
DOCUMENT
SECONDARY SOURCE
DOCUMENT
The Revolutionary War
“The Declaration of
Independence” by
Thomas Jefferson
“Intertextuality and the
Discourse Community”
by James E. Porter,
Rhetoric Review
Ancient Greek Rhetoric
“Phaedrus” by Plato
“Persuasion in Ancient
Greece and Rome” by
Jon Hall, ADR Bulletin
Ancient Greek
Democracy
“Politics” by Aristotle
“Athenian Democracy in
the Light of Greek
Literature” by Abby
Leach, American Journal
of Philology
Research Paper Topics
• The reflection of historical events in a
piece of art or music
• The social, political, religious, or historical
significance of a particular piece of art or
music, speech, or government document
Narrow Your Topic
• 1. Time Period
– Consider a Significant Event in history or the present
• 2. Place
– Consider various societies, political systems,
languages, or values
• 3. Audience
– Gender, sexuality, occupation, education, nationality,
ethnicity, or age
• 4. Viewpoint
– Legal, medical, ethical, philosophical, psychological,
economic, scientific, literary, sociological, political,
etc.
Narrowing a Topic Strategy
General
Topic
Narrower
Topic
Narrower Topic
Narrower Topic
Research Paper Topic
Narrowing a Topic Strategy
1980s Pop
Music
1980s German
Pop Music
German 1980s Pop
Musician David Hasselhoff
The social significance of the 1980s
Pop singer David Hasselhoff
The social significance of David Hasselhoff’s
1989 “Looking for Freedom”
Narrowing a Topic Strategy
Edgar Allan
Poe
Social impact of
Edgar Allan Poe
Social impact of Edgar
Allan Poe in the 1800s
Legal and Social impact of Edgar
Allan Poe in the 1800s
Legal and Social impact of Edgar Allan Poe’s
“The Mask of Red Death” in the 1800s
Narrowing a Topic Strategy
Aristotle
Aristotle’s The
Rhetoric
The impact of
Aristotle’s The Rhetoric
The impact of Aristotle’s The
Rhetoric on the Medieval Ages
The impact of Aristotle’s The Rhetoric
on St. Augustine in the Medieval Ages
Narrowing a Topic Strategy
Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy’s War
and Peace
Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace in
1941-42
The use of Tolstoy’s War and Peace in
1941-42 as propaganda by Stalin
How effective was the use of Tolstoy’s War and Peace
as political propaganda for Stalin and his party in
1941-1942?
How to Generate a Humanities
Research Paper Topic
• 1. Choose an artist or
writer that interests you
• 2. Research that artist
or writer
• 3. In your research, did
you find a possible
primary source?
• 4. If so, that may be a
good research paper
idea
Rick and Carl from “The Walking Dead”
Dr. Seuss
• During World War II, Dr.
Seuss worked for the U.S.
Military creating
propaganda films like
“Your Job in Germany”
(1945), “Our Job in
Japan,” “Private Snafu,”
and “Gerald McBoingBoing” (1950)
• Topic: Analyzing Dr.
Seuss’ role in generating
U.S. propaganda during
WWII
Walt Disney
• Topic 1: Many of Walt
Disney’s stories were
based on Aesop’s
Fables, so a
comparative analysis of
specific stories would
work
• Topic 2: Analyze the
significance of “The
Three Little Pigs” (film)
during the Great
Depression
George Lucas
George Lucas and J.J. Abrams
• Famous for Star Wars,
George Lucas also wrote
and directed “American
Graffiti” (1973), an
award-winning
portrayal of life in
Modesto, California in
the early 1960s
• Topic: One could use the
film as a primary source
to study Modesto,
California in the early
1960s
Francis Ford Coppola
• Winner of two Academy
Awards “Apocalypse Now”
(1979) provides a portrayal
of the Vietnam War, while is
also parallels Joseph
Conrad’s novel the Heart of
Darkness (1899)
• Topic 1: Using the film as a
primary source, what does
“Apocalypse Now” tell a
modern audience about the
Vietnam War?
• Topic 2: Do a comparative
analysis of “Apocalypse
Now” and Heart of Darkness
Jennifer Lawrence
• Winner of three
Academy Awards,
Jennifer Lawerence
wrote an article about
the gender wage gap,
titled “Why Do I Make
Less Than My Male CoStars?,” which would
be a primary source to
study the issue of wage
inequality
Sir Peter Jackson
• Using the films and
novels as primary
sources, a
comparative study of
“The Lord of the
Rings” or “The
Hobbit,” when one
looks at the novel and
the film would make
for a good paper
The Prohibition Era
• The Great Gatsby by F.
Scott Fitzgerald
• Studs Lonigan novels
by James T. Farrell
• The Man with the
Golden Arm by Nelson
Algren
• “The Whiskey
Speech” by Judge
Noah S. Sweat
Parts to the Research Paper
• The Research Paper Has 5 Components:
– 1. Proposal Letter
• This is a brief 1-2 page letter stating your proposed thesis
and preliminary research
– 2. Annotated Bibliography
• This is a detailed 2-3 page annotation of 5 sources you intend
to cite in your research paper
– 3. Multi-Modal Project (extra-credit)
• This is an extra-credit project that supplements your research
paper with visuals, media, pictures, music, and so on
– 4. Abstract (extra-credit)
• This is a ½ page paragraph that provides an overview of
your paper
– 5. Research Paper
• This is a 10-12 page college-level research paper
Proposal Letter: 5-Paragraph
Model
– 1. Explain how you became interested in the
topic
– 2. State your preliminary thesis or propose a
few different angles for your thesis. State
some of your research questions.
– 3. Identify your PRIMARY SOURCE
– 4. Identify 3 of your SECONDARY SOURCES
– 5. Explain the next step in your research
process
Annotated Bibliography:
5 Sentence Strategy
• 1. Establish the Author’s Ethos, credentials,
thesis, and provide a summary of their work
• 2. Identify the Medium and Genre
• 3. List the Types of Evidence the author uses.
For example, statistics, data, quotes from
authorities, narratives, etc.
• 4. Identify the Audience and Purpose of the
text. Be as specific as possible
• 5. Explain how you will use this source in
your research paper
5-Step Abstract
•
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1. Why did you do this study or project?
2. What did you do?
3. What type of evidence do you provide?
4. How does your study vary from past
studies on the subject?
• 5. What do your findings mean?
• Note: Avoid “I” or “we.”
Organizing the Research Paper
• I. Introduction
– Hook
– Background
– Essay Map
– Concise Thesis
• II. Modern History of the Topic
• III. Research Questions (6-8 questions)
Organizing the Research Paper
• IV. Analysis of Primary Source (part 1)
– Analysis of Related Secondary Sources
• V. Analysis of Primary Source (part 2)
– Analysis of Related Secondary Sources
• VI. Analysis of Primary Source (part 3)
– Analysis of Related Secondary Sources
Organizing the Research Paper
• VII. Counter-Argument (if appropriate)
• VIII. Conclusion
– 1. Synthesize your Argument
– 2. Propose a Solution or Compromise (if
appropriate)
– 3. Address Limitations of your Study
– 4. Address Avenues for Future Studies
– 5. Final Reflection
Wisdom of Another
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VIII
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• Write a sample
outline of your
research paper.
Then, share these
outlines with a
partner or group.
Offer suggestions
to each other.
Introduction
• In addition to model provided, consider
framing the discussion by identifying:
• 1. The Agent: a person, organization that is
acting in a particular manner
• 2. The Action: what is being done by the
agent
• 3. The Goal: why the agent carried out the
action
• 4. The Result: what is the outcome of the
action?
Introduction
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Your introduction may also include:
The Topic
The Context
Defining a Problem
A Surprising Statement
A Question
A Story or personal experience
Drawing a Contrast
Essay Map: Example
• Initially, I will review the history of English
colonialism in the Caribbean. Then, I will
explain Sandra Paquet’s theory of Lamming’s
work. Next, I will explore how Water with
Berries shows the various affects colonization
has on the colonized, through the main
characters. Finally, I will employ the writings
of Lamming himself in The Pleasures of Exile
to explore the significance of Water with
Berries as a parody of William Shakespeare’s
The Tempest.
Research Questions
• Research questions are a series of 6-8
analytical questions that a writer asks near
the beginning of their research paper
• Research questions must be arguable, timely,
and they must engage a challenging topic
• Your answers to these questions should make
up the bulk of your research paper
• Frequently, these are “how” and “why”
questions or questions framed as a paradox
Research Questions
• Topic: How Much the Greeks Taught Us
about Rhetoric and How Little Modern
Thought Has Advanced the Field
• Research Questions: What were the major
rhetorical contributions of Ancient
Greece? How did the contributions of
Aristotle and Cicero influence later
generations? Why were Aristotle and
Cicero studied more than Corax of
Syracuse? How have modern theorists
advanced rhetoric?
Research Questions Format
• (Five spaces or one TAB) What were the
major rhetorical contributions of Ancient
Greece? How did the contributions of
Aristotle and Cicero influence later
generations? Why were Aristotle and
Cicero studied more than Corax of
Syracuse? How have modern theorists
advanced rhetoric?
• That is it. NO topic sentence, concluding
sentence, evidence, bullet points, or
answers in a research question paragraph
Organizing the Body Paragraphs
• Consider which rhetorical modes best
suit your topic:
• Cause and Effect
• Pro and Con
• Comparison and Contrast
• Strengths and Weaknesses
• Costs and Benefits
• Problems and Solutions
Types of Evidence
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1. Direct Quotes: quoting a whole sentence
2. Integrated Quotes: quoting part of a sentence
3. Partial Quotes: quoting a word or phrase
4. Block Quotes: employing an extended quote
5. Modified Quotes: using [brackets] to change
a quote
• 6. Paraphrase: putting a quote in your own
words
• 7. Summary: identifying who, what, why, when,
where, and how
Integrated Quotes
• An integrated quote combines part of a
quote and part of your own original
sentence
• In his final paragraph, Singer clarifies the
purpose of his metaphors when he
proclaims, “when Bob first grasped the
dilemma that faced him as he stood by the
railway switch, he must have thought how
extraordinarily unlucky he was…But he
was not unlucky…We are all in that
situation” (“The Singer Solution to World
Poverty”).
Block Quotes
• A block quote is used when a
quote is 5 or more lines
• See the example on the next slide
Block Quotes
• In the Huffington Post article “These 12
Awesome Schools Could Change the Way
You Think of Public Education,” Rebecca
Klein states:
In 2010, Clintondale High School became
a ‘flipped classroom’ school, meaning that
homework is done during the day, and
instruction takes place at night in the
home via online videos…Principal Greg
Green says standardized test scores have
improved since the change. (par. 7)
Block Quotes
• Note the Differences from a Normal Quote:
• 1. The clause before a block quote identifies
author, source, and title
• 2. The clause before a block quote ends with
a colon (:)
• 3. No quotation marks are needed
• 4. Indent block quotes 1 inch from the left
margin (ten spaces or 2 tabs)
• 5. The period appears before the citation
Modified Quotes
• A modified quote is when you use brackets
to add a noun/pronoun, change verb tense,
change a verb or noun for subject-verb
agreement, etc.
• Original Quote: “He argued we’ve perhaps
figured out the structure of the way schools
should be set up” (par. 8).
• Modified Quote: “[Principal Green] argue[s]
we’ve perhaps figured out the structure of
the way schools should be set up” (par. 8).
Conclusion: Synthesis
• Synthesis occurs when you combine
new information with prior
knowledge and form a new
perspective or insight
5 Steps to Synthesis
• 1. Describe your research
– Review and summarize your sources
• 2. Note shared similarities between different
sources
• 3. Note any important differences between
your sources
• 4. Assessment or evaluation of your sources
• 5. Draw a conclusion about what you have
learned
Address the Limitations of the
Study
• How should readers interpret
your results in the bigger picture?
What are their limits? Where are
these results applicable? Under
what circumstances?
Future Studies
• 1. What questions should future
scholars in this field answer?
• 2. What research or studies
should future scholars in this field
conduct?
Final Reflection
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•
•
•
Select ONE of These Modes:
Additional Analysis
Speculate about the Future
Close with a Quotation that offers deeper
insight
• Close with a Story or a Question
• Call Your Readers to Action
Avoiding Plagiarism
• TYPES OF PLAGIARISM
• The un-cited use of passages from two or more
sources
• Creating fake citations to mislead a reader
• Copying or closely paraphrasing extended
passages and passing it off as one’s own work
• Copying an entire document and passing it off as
one’s own work
• Purchasing a document and passing it off as one’s
own work
Avoiding Plagiarism
• HOW TO AVOID PLAGIARISM
– 1. Use a Bibliography (in M.L.A. format)
– 2. Identify and Cite each quotation,
paraphrase, and summary
– 3. Use correct M.L.A. in-text citation
– 4. Cite each source that you utilize within
your paper
– 5. Check your Essay for Style Changes, which
may indicate a passage you neglected to quote
and cite
Evidence and Citation
• There are 2 parts to MLA citation:
• *See The St. Martin’s Guide, The Bedford
Handbook, the Purdue OWL website, or
The MLA Handbook for more information
In-text Citations
• In-text citations appear after quotes or
paraphrases to show the reader where the
quote, statistic, etc. came from
• For example, “At least 80% of humanity
lives on less than $10 a day” (“Poverty
Facts and Stats”).
• “And what is one month’s dining out,
compared to a child’s life? There’s the
rub” (Cohen 382).
Works Cited Page
• A works cited page should appear as the last
page(s) of ALL of your essays. They are in
alphabetical order. It is not in bold; that is
only used for emphasis in this lecture.
• For example:
• “Poverty Facts and Stats.” Global Issues.
Anup Shah. 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
• Singer, Peter. “The Singer Solution to World
Poverty.” 50 Essays. Ed. Samuel Cohen. 4th
ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014. 378384. Print.
Title Page
• 1. The title is centered about 1/3 of the way
down the page
• 2. Your name is centered around the
middle of the page
• 3. The following is centered near the
bottom of the page
– A. Course Name
– B. Professor’s Name
– C. Date (4 June 2015)
Title Page
Appendix
• Appendices contain detailed information
like:
• Mathematical proofs
• Lists of words
• Interview, research, or survey questions
• A detailed description of the apparatus
used in the research
• Transcripts
Multi-Modal Projects
• “Multimodal” “means
more than one mode”
• Modalities are “visual,
audio, gestural, spatial,
or linguistic means of
creating meaning”
• This project is nontraditional, has an
audience, and helps
you practice real-world
skills
Multi-Modal Projects: Modes
• Visual: color, repetition,
visual coherence, etc.
• Audio: sound effects,
music, etc.
• Gestural: facial
expressions and body
language
• Spatial: visual
organization, transitions,
etc.
• Linguistic: text or spoken
word
Multi-Modal Projects: Types of
Media
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•
•
•
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PowerPoint
Prezi
Movie (iMovie)
Website
Podcast
Poster
Montage
Photo Essay
Advertisement
Infographic
Collage
Research Paper Tips
• Almost without
exception, all body
paragraphs need
topic sentences,
evidence, and
analysis
• Use sub-sections or
sub-headings to
improve transitions
• If you use graphics,
use captions
Submitting your Research Paper
• When you turn in your research paper organize it
thusly:
• 1. Title Page
• 2. Abstract
• 3. Research Paper (Final Draft only)
• 4. Bibliography
• 5. Appendix and/or Graphics
• 6. Proposal Letter (copy or original)
• 7. Annotated Bibliography (copy or original)
• *Late Research papers will not be accepted via email or
after the final day of class
References
• A Student Guide to Writing at UC Irvine.
13th edition.
• The Anteater’s Guide to Writing and
Rhetoric. 1st edition.
• The Bedford Researcher. 4th edition.