1. Humanities Research Papers

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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”

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Primary Sources: Speeches
Socrates’ “The Apology” (399 B.C.E.)
Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” (1775)
Frederick Douglass’ “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery” (1852)
Susan B. Anthony’s “Women’s Rights to the Suffrage” (1873)
President John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” (1961)
Susan B. Anthony

8. Primary Sources: Memoirs
Walden (1854) by Henry David Thoreau
The Moral Basis of Democracy (1940) by Eleanor Roosevelt
Night (1956) by Elie Wiesel
Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir (1988) by Paul Monette
Yes, Chef by Chef Marcus Samuelsson (2012)

9. Primary Sources: 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)
Cavendish: measured gravity in a laboratory
Charles Darwin

10. 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
See “identifying Primary and Secondary Sources” for more examples.

11. 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

12. Narrow Your Topic 1. Time Period 2. Place 3. Audience 4. Viewpoint
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.

13. Narrowing a Topic Strategy
General Topic
Narrower Topic
Research Paper Topic

14. 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”

15. 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

16. Narrowing a Topic Strategy
Police Brutality
Police Brutality in the United States
Police Brutality in the U.S. today
How can we retrain police to reduce police brutality in the U.S. today?
How can we use psychology to retrain police in order to reduce police brutality in the U.S. today?

17. Narrowing a Topic Strategy
Prisons
Prisons in the United States
U.S. prisons today
How can we reform U.S. prisons today?
How can we reform U.S. prisons today to focus on job and skill training?

18. 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”

19. 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 McBoing-Boing” (1950)
Topic: Analyzing Dr. Seuss’ role in generating U.S. propaganda during WWII
“Gerald McBoing-Boing” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

20. 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

21. George Lucas
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
George Lucas and J.J. Abrams

22. 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
Primary Source: “Apocalypse Now”

23. 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 Co-Stars?,” which would be a primary source to study the issue of wage inequality

24. 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

25. RZA
Wu-Tang Clan producer and rapper RZA wrote a New York Times bestseller called The Tao of WU, a memoir about the Staten Island projects. This or any of the work of RZA could be a primary source

26. 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

27. 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 page college-level research paper

28. 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 six to ten (6-10) Research Questions.
3. Identify one (1) PRIMARY SOURCE
4. Identify three (3) of your SECONDARY SOURCES
5. Explain the next step in your research process

29. 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

30. Author’s Ethos 1. Degrees 2. School 3. Field(s) of Study
4. Major Publications
5. Major Professional Experience
American Horror Author Stephen King

31. Summary
Who?
What?
Why?
Where?
When?
How?

32. Types of Mediums
Article
Book
Film
Newspaper
Magazine

33. Brief List of Textual Genres
Speech or Debate
Short Story
Personal or Autobiographical Essay
Journal Entries
Personal Letter
Poetry and Song Lyrics
Play
For a rhetorical analysis essay, any of these genres are appropriate.
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Globe Theatre, London, 2010

34. Audience
Examples of an audience for an annotated bibliography include:
Undergraduates in Health
Graduate students in Ecology
Doctoral Students in Political Science

35. Author’s Purpose Author’s purpose is an author’s reason for writing
P.I.E. is an easy acronym for author’s purpose
Persuade
Inform
Entertain

36. 5-Step Abstract 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.”

37. Finding a Research Idea
“It is a huge mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts.”—Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock Holmes” (2009)

38. Confirmation Bias
Confirmation Bias: According to Encyclopedia Britannica, this is, “the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one’s existing beliefs”

39. Organizing the Research Paper
I. Introduction
Hook
Background
Essay Map
Concise Thesis
II. Modern History of the Topic
III. Literature Review
IV. Research Questions (6-8 questions)

40. Organizing the Research Paper
V. Analysis of Primary Source (part 1)
Analysis of Related Secondary Sources
VI. Analysis of Primary Source (part 2)
VII. Analysis of Primary Source (part 3)
This section can have as many parts as are needed.

41. Organizing the Research Paper
VIII. Counter-Argument (if appropriate)
IX. 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

42. Wisdom of Another I.
II.
III.
IV. V.
VI.
VII.
VIII IX
Write a sample outline of your research paper. Then, share these outlines with a partner or group. Offer suggestions to each other.

43. 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?

44. Introduction 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

45. 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.

46. Literature Review
A Literature Review is, “a comprehensive survey of the research literature on a topic. Generally the literature review is presented at the beginning of a research paper and explains how the researcher arrived at his or her research questions”

47. 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

48. 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?

49. 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

50. 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

51. Types of Evidence 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

52. 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”).
The three periods in a row (…) are called an ellipse; it signifies that the quote continues, but there is text missing.

53. Block Quotes A block quote is used when a quote is 5 or more lines
See the example on the next slide

54. 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)
Ellipses (…), like we see in the above example, are used to show you have moved ahead in the passage, but you are still quoting from the same source and probably the same paragraph.

55. 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

56. 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).

57. Conclusion: Synthesis
Synthesis occurs when you combine new information with prior knowledge and form a new perspective or insight

58. 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

59. 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?

60. Example of Addressing the Limitations of a Study
“However, early reading and writing cannot simply be measured as a set of narrowly-defined skills on standardized tests. These measures often are not reliable or valid indicators of what children can do in typical practice, nor are they sensitive to language variation, culture, or the experiences of young children” (National Association for the Education of Young Children)
From “Learning to Read and Write: What Research Reveals” by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

61. Future Studies
1. What questions should future scholars in this field answer?
2. What research or studies should future scholars in this field conduct?

62. Example of Future Studies
“The next logical step is for researchers to look at how readers and writers, as both individuals and members of a variety of groups, approach reading and writing as constructive tasks that are embedded in life’s situations” (Langer and Flihan 2000).
This passage is from: Writing and Reading Relationships: Constructive Tasks
By Judith A. Langer and Sheila Flihan
* This excerpt is a chapter in Writing: Research/Theory/Practice, Roselmina Indrisano and James R. Squire, Eds., Newark, DE: International Reading Association, 2000.

63. Final Reflection 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

64. Interviewing

65. Unstructured Interviews
Unstructured Interviews, “take place with few, if any, interview questions. They often progress in the manner a normal conversation would"

66. In-depth Interviewing
In-depth Interviewing is, “a research method in which face-to-face interviews with respondents are conducted using open-ended questions to explore topics in great depth. Questions are often customized for each interview, and topics are generally probed extensively with follow-up questions”
David Frost and U.S. President Richard Nixon

67. Cognitive Interviewing
Cognitive Interviewing is, “a research method used to pretest interview questions or items on a questionnaire. Cognitive interviews collect information on how respondents answer questions, their interpretation of the questions asked and their reasons for responding in a particular way”

68. 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

69. 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

70. Evidence and Citation 1. In-text citations within your essay
There are 2 parts to MLA citation:
1. In-text citations within your essay
2. A Works Cited Page
*See The St. Martin’s Guide, The Bedford Handbook, the Purdue OWL website, or The MLA Handbook for more information

71. 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).

72. 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 Web. 3 Mar
Singer, Peter. “The Singer Solution to World Poverty.” 50 Essays. Ed. Samuel Cohen. 4th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, Print.

73. Research Terms

74. False Balance
“False balance, sometimes called ‘false equivalency,’ refers disparagingly to the practice of journalists who, in their zeal to be fair, present each side of a debate as equally credible, even when the factual evidence is stacked heavily on one side”
From The New York Times, “The Truth about ‘False Balance’ by Liz Spayd, 9/10/2016.

75. Context Sensitivity
Context Sensitivity is an, “awareness by a qualitative researcher of factors such as values and beliefs that influence cultural behaviors”
From “Glossary of Research Terms” at

76. Bias
Bias is, “a loss of balance and accuracy in the use of research methods. It can appear in research via the sampling frame, random sampling, or non-response. It can also occur at other stages in research, such as while interviewing, in the design of questions, or in the way data are analyzed and presented”
From “Glossary of Research Terms” at

77. Trend Samples
Trend Samples is a, “method of sampling different groups of people at different points in time from the same population”
From “Glossary of Research Terms” at

78. Outlier
An outlier is, “an observation in a data set that is much different than the other observations in the data set.

79. Grab
A grab is a, “short piece of recorded sound, usually taken from a longer interview and used in a news item”
From “Journalism and Media Glossary,”
Christian Slater in “Interview with a Vampire” (1994)

80. MLA Title Page

81. 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
Check MLA Appendix Format.

82. Multi-Modal Projects “Multimodal” “means more than one mode”
Modalities are “visual, audio, gestural, spatial, or linguistic means of creating meaning”
This project is non-traditional, has an audience, and helps you practice real-world skills
Sources:

83. 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

84. Multi-Modal Projects: Types of Media
PowerPoint
Prezi
Movie (iMovie)
Website
Podcast
Poster
Montage
Photo Essay
Advertisement
Infographic
Collage

85. Revising the Research Paper
By Dr. Dave Nelson and Robert DeFrance

86. Revising the Research Paper: Conceptual
1. Factual, conceptual errors: avoid misinterpretations of the text
2. Absence of evidence: an essay with few textual references cannot demonstrate knowledge of the readings

87. Revising the Research Paper: Rhetorical
3. Make sure that your Essay Map and Research Questions establish your overall purpose
4. Identifying genres: avoid genre mistakes like calling essays books or like calling Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj a novel (it is a non-fiction book)

88. Revising the Research Paper: Thesis
5. Avoid grammatical mistakes: edit your essay map and research questions several times
6. Avoid passive language: Generally, try to avoid using passive voice (like “Polynices was buried by Antigone”)

89. Revising the Research Paper: Development and Support
7. Proper use of evidence: edit your quotes according to MLA format
8. Use warrants: whenever there is evidence, there must be analysis
9. Support your claims and ideas: revise to make sure all your claims are supported by textual evidence

90. Revising the Research Paper: Structuring
10. Revise for topic sentences: use clear, arguable, definitive topic sentences
11. Paper must follow your thesis: after finishing your paper, return to your essay map and research questions
12. Use transitions: use topic sentences, concluding sentences, transitional phrases, words, and expressions

91. Revising the Research Paper: Language
13. Contractions: Do not use contractions (can’t is written cannot)
14. Ambiguous pronouns: Within each sentence or two, clarify the noun or subject
15. Subject-verb agreement: edit your paper for subject-verb agreement
16. Verb tense: avoid awkward shifts in verb tense
17. Colloquial phrases: avoid colloquial (sad not blue), slang (“the down low”), and cliché phrases (“the rest is history”)

92. Revising the Research Paper
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

93. RADaR Revision Strategy
R—Replace words that are not specific, words that are overused, and sentences that are unclear
A—Add new information, descriptive adjectives and adverbs, rhetorical or literary devices
D—Delete unrelated ideas, sentences that sound good but create unity problems, unwanted repetition, and unnecessary details
and
R—Reorder to make better sense or flow better and so details support main ideas
Kelly Gallagher’s Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts

94. 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 or after the final day of class

95. References A Student Guide to Writing at UC Irvine. 13th edition.
Spayd, Liz. “The Truth about ‘False Balance.’” The New York Times. Sept. 10, 2016.
The Anteater’s Guide to Writing and Rhetoric. 1st edition.
The Bedford Researcher. 4th edition.