English Language and Literature: Home

Identify and Develop a Topic

Selecting a research topic is much like deciding on a travel destination. Once you have narrowed your ideas to an interesting subject, write down a brief statement about this topic. For example: "Rock groups of the 60s, their popularity and major influence on the music industry."  Once the topic is selected, write down specific questions that you'll want to answer. The research process will drive your destination. Your original topic may develop into something entirely different. You may choose to follow an alternate path and go down a different road.

Find Background Information

After determining the topic, you can map out your route. You must identify the types of sources that will provide the information needed, then determine where to find these sources. Types of sources that should be considered include books, periodicals, the Internet, and other libraries (through interlibrary loan).

The key to finding books is the online library catalog called Discovery.  Search in Discovery by selecting a keyword that best describes your topic. You can also search by title, author, subject, or keyword. In addition to books, the catalog allows you to search for periodicals, government documents, audiovisual material, and Special Collections.   

 If you get lost during your sight-seeing trip, stop and ask directions. The following reference sources will be most useful to acquire quick answers to any questions you may have.

•  Begin with Encyclopedias, then to get off the main drag, use Subject Encyclopedias.

•  What does it mean?  Use a Dictionary.       

•  How much, how many?  Find Statistical Information.

•  Who?  Find Biographical Information.

•  How can I get in touch?  Use a Directory.

•  Where do I go from here?  Bibliographies.

Find Journal Articles

Periodicals include newspapers, magazines, and journals. They are published regularly, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly. Journals are periodicals containing articles written by experts in a particular field of study. If the researcher wrote the article, is it a primary source. If reporters write the article, such as in popular magazines, it is a secondary source. Typically, journal articles contain extensive bibliographies that lead to additional sources.

Journal List - If there is a specific journal that you are looking for, this will take you directly to McFarlin's holdings.

Discovery - If there is a specific article that you are looking for, you can search Summon with that article's title.

Database List - If you don't have a specific journal or article in mind, then McFarlin's databases will allow you to search multiple journals with a keyword.

Literary Analysis

A literary analysis is a paper on one, or many, of the key elements in a text and how they support a main idea or purpose. When writing a literary analysis, you are not just identifying elements in a text, but analyzing those specific elements. The following elements are common in a literary analysis paper.

Introduction

1. Begin with an engaging hook to capture the reader's attention.
2. Provide relevant background information about the literary work and its author. 
3. End the introduction with a clear, concise thesis statement that presents your main argument or interpretation of the text.

Body Paragraphs

1. Organize your body paragraphs around key topics, literary devices, or elements of the text that support your thesis. Common elements to analyze include:
   • Characters and their development
   • Symbolism and imagery
   • Setting and atmosphere
   • Point of view and narration style
   • Figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc.)
   • Themes and motifs
2. Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea or focus of that paragraph.
3. Follow the topic sentence with textual evidence in the form of direct quotes or paraphrased details from the literary work to support your analysis.
4. Analyze and explain how the evidence supports your argument and overall interpretation of the text. Discuss literary devices and their effects.
5. Use transitions between body paragraphs to create a logical flow of ideas.

Conclusion

1. Restate your thesis statement and summarize your main points without introducing new evidence.
2. Explain the broader significance or implications of your analysis. How does it contribute to the understanding of the work as a whole?
3. End with a thought-provoking observation that captures the essence of your analysis.