Grade 8 | Catcher Research Paper Resources
Research Paper
The Rationale
Many high schools and AP courses require you to submit a major research project. Therefore, the knowledge of the research process and paper development is an invaluable tool for success in high school. Furthermore, the research and citation processes will be an integral part of your college career. In other words, even though you may be grumbling now, you will thank me for this one day!
The Assignment
You will demonstrate your understanding of the research process by writing a paper in MLA format on a topic relating to Catcher in the Rye using proper citations. You will keep track of your sources and create an annotated “Works Cited” page for your paper. There is no requirement for length, but you should include a thorough analysis of at least three secondary sources in addition to Catcher in the Rye as your primary source.
Argument
You are required to choose a topic that you have a genuine interest in. Once you have a proposal for a topic, you will write about it in your Dear Reader Letter. Then I will approve it. Some students achieve a great deal of success by deciding their opinion after they complete their research.
Research
You must have at least 3 resources secondary sources. One secondary source must be one of the texts we have read in class. Secondary resources may mean books and articles other than Catcher but are not limited to them. I also have access to additional materials you can use—just ask. Other resources may mean films, interviews, artwork, as well as other things I may not have thought of. However, they must be from reliable, academic sources; Google searches will not suffice.
Requirements
Dear Reader Letter
Outline
Draft
Annotated Works Cited Page
Final Draft in MLA Format
Guidelines for Success
¨ Communicate: if you are having difficulty, schedule an appointment with me.
¨ Provocative thesis statement: something new, or presented in a new way
¨ Depth preferable to breadth: torture one point until its secrets spill out
¨ Annotated Works Cited page: “I will use this source because…”
¨ Apt, well-applied research: minimum 3 secondary sources
¨ Accessible style: clear, varied sentence structure
¨ Follow through with the thesis: don’t stray
Due Dates
Dear Reader Letter – 11/ 30
Annotated Bibliography – 12/13
Outline – 12/21
Draft – 1/____
Final Draft in MLA Format – 1/___
Solid Sources:
Sign up for an account with JSTOR to find articles for your research project.
If you are looking to write about grief and Holden's/Salinger's loss, here is a good resource (another google book preview.)
IMPORTANT THESIS QUESTIONS.
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose?
•If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument. DON’T DO THIS.
Does my thesis pass the “so what?" test?
•If a reader's first response is “so what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is "how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader.
•See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.
Sample Thesis Statements
•There is rarely a sense that Holden is trying to mislead or lie to the reader, or that his lies to other characters are malicious or sociopathic. He is only “mistaken” in his interpretation of events.
•The weight of the novel is in Holden’s voice– his non-stop peculiarities and idiosyncrasies and jumbled thoughts– which is Salinger’s ultimate triumph.
•Salinger’s play with monologue and dialogue—from euphemisms to idiosyncrasies to slang—constructs an authentic voice and an enduring teenage identity in American Literature.
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