Karen Arnold Public Domain Pictures
Activity 1
For your final essay, you will be comparing two works of literature by the same author. For this essay, you need to find one other primary source (a story, poem, or play) to compare with your first primary source (a story, poem, or play read in class). Remember that both works must share some significant point of comparison.
You then have to find at least two secondary sources that discuss the stories, poems, or plays you have chosen. These sources can be literary critiques, articles or biographies. Googled sources, such as Wikipedia, blogs, and dot.coms are not acceptable for college-level academic research essays. Fortunately, everything you need to do your research paper can be found in BMCC’s online library. It can truly be a one-stop shopping experience.
See Week 11 Activity 5 for full directions.
Activity 2
Click here for a quick explanation of primary and secondary sources.
Public Domain
Activity 3
Click here to access a library guide to locating secondary literary resources in the BMCC library. Browse through a few of them to see which you like best.
Activity 4
Click here to access a clear and simple guide to MLA formatting in the BMCC library.
Activity 5
Try this experiment in one-stop shopping for secondary sources. Click this link to access the BMCC library database Biography in Context. Then, in the search bar type in the name of the author you want to write about. You will suddenly be brought to a page with numerous articles, critiques, and biographies about this author, which you can use as your secondary sources.
For example, if you type Kate Chopin in the search bar, you will be taken to this page. Scroll down and you will find a wealth of information about Kate Chopin, including 2 websites, 7 biographies, 42 academic journals, and 15 magazine articles.
Here’s what happens if you type in Guy de Maupassant, author of “The Necklace.”
Public Domain
Activity 6
Click here for a general outline of the research essay.
Click here for a student sample essay, which received a grade of A. (Printed with permission of student).
Activity 7
Click here to access the Week 12 Discussion Board.
