Problem
A skill-building activity in World Literature. I chose the literary works, "The Aeneid", books 1, 2, 4, and 6 only and "The Epic of Gilgamesh". Here are the instructions:
For your Research Paper in this course (due in week 7), you will investigate a topic related to specific course texts, analyze that topic, and ultimately compose a coherent and convincing argument that proves your thesis. This week's skill-building activity will help us get started on this project.
To begin, read the Research Paper instructions posted in this week's Online Learning Resources. Next, choose a literary work or works (no more than 2) on which to focus; then, select a general topic or subject area within that literature; next, devise a research question and working thesis statement that helps guide your eventual research; finally, explain what you propose to do in more detail. This activity will help provide a solid foundation for the project, and your submission will allow me to provide useful feedback to you once the activity is graded next week. (Therefore, be sure to check next week's grade feedback, as you may need to adjust or change your topic depending on your feedback).
A. List the author name(s) and literary work(s).
B. Provide a research question. This is the question you most want to answer as you proceed in your research project. (Example Research Questions: What is Homer saying in The Iliad about the suffering and loss in war? What do The Iliad and The Odyssey collectively suggest about the role of women in that time period?)
C. Provide a clearly-labelled working thesis statement. This should be a one-sentence declarative statement that clearly announces the purpose/intent of your eventual paper- what is it out to prove in its argument? You might think of this working thesis statement as a possible answer to your research question. (Example Working Thesis Statement: Homer employs harmful gender stereotypes in his depiction of women in The Iliad.)
D. Then a proposal paragraph in which you explain why you are interested in this literature, what led you to this topic, what you hope to learn as you proceed in your research, and any possible challenges or concerns you might face as you work on this project.