Conversation is not confined to just "thesis statement" discussions. You may post about "anything research paper related." I think it makes all of us feel more secure to "talk"... maybe it is just me;) I like being able to talk with all of you about your ideas:)
Something I was confused about but mrs Edwards clarified was that this is a standalone section, an intro to the paper, and needs it's own intro and conclusion.
So I must write an introduction to the three pages on author background and information on literary movement and then write a conclusion for it? So will I write a separate introduction to the paper eventually?
Kelsey. There are three parts to this project. Look at the task description. The first part is a focused look at author and literary period. The second is a broad perspective of the author's work as a whole. The third is a literary analysis of a work of your choice, by that author. Does that help?
Well, I understand the three parts, but I have a question about part one. While I am writing about Allende's background and about magic realism, do I need to include the introduction to the entire essay itself or should I just write about the background and literary movement?
Kelsey. An excellent question:) Just worry about the author and period. This is a "parts-to-whole" approach to investigative writing; it is something new to you. The logic behind this is that your learning becomes dimensional, instead of merely linear (the usual approach to literary analysis). The idea is that you will gain a deeper, broader, more introspective understanding, of not only the novel, but also the author and the period. Our payout will be that we can bring more to the table on the AP test, rather than just knowledge in just one area. It makes you more diversified as a learner. Also, it introduces you to annotation and dissertation style.
Oops. I have another question. For the citations: I found many sources from the Cincinnati Library website and on most of them, it gives a source citation with all of the information and such. Is it okay to use this information?
Kelsey. Yes:) Cincy Library is good to do that for us:) It should say something like "Citation info" and then give the citation information. Isn't it nice when that happens;) BTW, didn't Allende also write historical fiction as well??
Okay. That's good. Thanks. It is very nice that they do that. It saves a lot of time.
Yes, she did. A lot of her works, while magical realist, can also be considered historical fiction. House of the Spirits is part of magical realism, but it chronicles the history of her family (using new names) and the coup in Chile in 1973 (once again, using fictional characters).
Emily. That is fine. Many times you will find a critic that is expert in your area of investigation. However, avoid having more than two by the same author; diversification is always best in these matters. A wide array of opinions enriches your knowledge base.
Mrs. Edwards When we are doing part 2 works cited, are we putting specifically how this source will be used in the paper, or are we putting how it will contribute to our knowledge of the author's work as a whole?
Kevin. The rubric for the second task is online. Part 2's Work Cited will reflect the annotation articles used in Part 2. Look over the rubric description and see if it makes sense to you. I plan on talking to the class as a group about this next week. However, if you are working ahead, I can answer questions about it now. Let me know:)
Mrs. Edwards I looked over the rubric for what is due the day after break and I think the part that is confusing me is what we are supposed to write for how the annotations reflect the importance of the source to the paper. Are we supposed to know exactly how we plan to use the source, or is this annotated works cited just for how it will contribute to our knowledge of the author's work as a whole?
I'll post an example of one of my citations to make my question more clear:
Poquette, Ryan D. "Critical Essay on Lord Jim." Novels for Students. Ed. David M. Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 31 Dec. 2010.
This critical review is covering “Lord Jim”, which is another of Conrad’s most recognizable and famous pieces of literature. This novel, written during the first phase of Conrad’s career as an author, further develops my paper’s understanding and analysis of the first phase of Conrad’s career. By understanding parts of the career, a better understanding of the career as a whole can be achieved. The essay explores the development of religion in the novel, likening Jim to a Christ-like figure. It also analyzes the modernist influence present in the book in that it leaves the reader neglecting a decisive interpretation.
For Part One, does 2-3 sources mean 2-3 quotes needed? Or that we need to cite where the information was located... Also do these sources need annotation as well?
Kevin. Are you asking about the annotation for the second part, pertaining to your first task? If so, yes. This demonstrates the citation and the annotation that discusses the source's importance.
I'm so confused right now. Are we just supposed to talk about the literary period our author fits into or are we also supposed to show why our author belongs in that period? I outlined romanticism and gave examples as to why Jane Austen's literature is Romantic. Is this wrong?
Also, for part 2 can I choose sources that just refer to Pride and Prejudice or should they all cover all of her works?
Sam. Read the description. It says that part one is about author and period. Part two is about the author's work as a whole. It has been a little while since you have been in class. Rereading the task description will help:)
Should we format our annotated bibliography like Kevin did with a skipped line between the citation and the annotation, or should the annotation come directly after the end of the citation? Different sources seem to say different things about this.
Also, is the purpose of the annotations for Part 2 to explain how each literary criticism serves to broaden our perspective on the author's work as a whole?
Emily. Good! You get it:) The purpose of section two is to gain a BROAD perspective of the author. Notice how Kevin discussed the author in relation to this selection. It gives a multifactedness to his perception and portrayal of the author.
KEVIN: Watch your title designations. Lord Jim is a novel. Lose the quotation marks.
Also, what Jake asked about is confusing me too. Does that mean that any information used needs to have a citation, or do we need quotes with citations?
Kevin. I called Jake. He was a little behind on our conversations due to his absence. That being said, if you have a Works Cited, you must be citing something... Now, whether that is via a direct quote or a paraphrase, it only makes sense. Just cite if you found something very specific. Much of the author background will be common knowledge. I imagine that the cited info will relate to some of the literary period info. Sound reasonable?? let me know:)
BTW... I am suffering from a flu that I have had since Christmas Day; I may need to rest a little. I WILL check back in on you guys though:) I am VERY glad that we are blogging:)Feel free to talk to one another:)
I don't really understand part II... I know that it is a works cited with annotations, but I don't understand what we are citing or how it relates to the author's work. Are we supposed to find articles where someone discusses one of the authors' works? and what goes in the annotation exactly? why it is important for our paper? Or why we need to know about that work for an understanding of the author? I'm pretty lost...
Corie- From my understanding of it, we are finding criticisms of a variety of the author's work and his/her career in general. The annotations are supposed to be how the citation contributes to our knowledge of their work/career as a whole, as well as what specifically in the source gives you this knowledge. That is just how I did mine based on what we talked about in class and on the blog. Hope that helps.
Okay, this flu has me feeling pretty bad. I'm going to rest for a bit. I will try and check back in if I can. Please keep sharing and talking together. No question is a silly question... Ask and post:)
Okay, so I don't mean to sound like a broken record when I ask this, but I went through all the blogs and a light bulb began to glow above me and I found the answers, but then felt the confusion of everyone else and now I am feeling a little fuzzy about some things. I understand part one and two. The only thing I am struggling to comprehend are the citations of part one. Are we supposed to use a separate works cited for the citations used in part one, or would the annotations of part two contribute to that?
Mrs. Edwards, I looked through my paper to attempt to shorten it to the page limits that were set, and I managed to cut it down from 5 pages to 3 2/3 pages. I could not find anything else to take out of the paper, as everything left in it is key to Conrad's life and the literary period. Is this length ok?
Christine. Look at your task sheet. A dedicated Works Cited is needed for Part One; albeit, it only needs to have 2-3 citations. If you recall from our time in the library, there were sources more conducive to Part One, specifically those that deal in period.
Kevin. Is there anything that you can cut for now and use in Part 3? Look it over again and see what you can do. That being said, don't just delete it; save it for Part 3. It may be a matter of distributing "the wealth" and allocating that information to Part 3:)
When citing documents from the online databases through the library, do we need the url? It cites itself without the website:
"New Novels by Lady G. Fullerton and Currer Bell." Christian Remembrancer 25 (Jan.-June 1853): 401-443. Rpt. in Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Kathy D. Darrow. Vol. 229. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Jan. 2011.
Nicole. Yes, that is actually the way that MLA is doing it now. I am glad that they do it that way; the url is such an pain to deal with from a formatting standpoint. Question...does it give you page numbers when you acccess it? I notice that it lists page numbers inside of the citation. If they give you a page number, you should probably cite that. If not, you do not use a page number. You reference it internally while you write or by first maj. word of the title, i.e. ("New").
It gives page numbers in the actual citation information, but you can't tell which page a particular part of the article is from when you're reading it.
Emily. Thanks for the clarification:) If that is the case, when you cite it within the body of your paper, you may do it while writing: According to Dr. Lofty from IM Smart University... or (Lofty) ....or ("New"). It used to be that it was by the page number of print, but that is considered archaic now.
I just wanted to clarify something about the literary period aspect of part one. Are we suppose to say (in my case) George Orwell is from the Modernist period then just give general characteristics of that period?
Joe. I think it would be best to build relationships. Does he demonstrate indicators of the period? Does he stand in contrast to the period? Did he make contributions to that period? To do it otherwise would feel disjointed. Does that help?
Mrs. Edwards. Thank you for clarifying so many of our questions. One structural question of mine is do you want the tentative works cited to be in MLA format or just whatever. Also, will we be allowed to add other sources to our part 2 if we find that what we have isn't sufficient for the actual writing portion?
Skylar. You are most welcome:) I am always glad to help you:)
Use MLA format. This will save time later... you know, "do it right the first time," so to speak. Nicole and Kelsey found that the Cincy Library sources do this for you (see above blogs).
Also, you may change sources before you solidify your approach to Part 2. Writing is fluid. This shows me that you have "something to work with" when it comes to the second task. If you would like to see the second task, the rubric is online.
Corie. There is not a perscriptive amount of paragraphs for any type of writing. It depends on your approach to the subject and your own writing style. Make sure that you cover the content and use the amount of paragraphs that are necessary to do the task:)
I know when writing a formal paper one is suppose to use present tense, but a majority of the material I am discussing is in the past. So should I use present tense where possible?
Joe. This is what I wrote to Emily E.; see if this helps...
I think that I understand what you are talking about in relation to this aspect. Literary present should be maintained when you are talking about the author's work. I.E... "The author's work demonstrates..." Obviously, if he is dead, you will speak about "events" in his life as in the past. "The author lived in England for most of his life..." Literary present will be more important when you get to subsequent parts of the paper.
In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte departs from the traditional Victorian woman and presents a feminist heroine through the portrayal of religion, love, and hardship.
Post to edwardsthesis2.blogspot.com. Remember that we decided to start a fresh blog. The one listed here is the one that was listed on the board last week. There are some good ideas on the new blog:) Check them out:)
Conversation is not confined to just "thesis statement" discussions. You may post about "anything research paper related." I think it makes all of us feel more secure to "talk"... maybe it is just me;) I like being able to talk with all of you about your ideas:)
ReplyDeleteSomething I was confused about but mrs Edwards clarified was that this is a standalone section, an intro to the paper, and needs it's own intro and conclusion.
ReplyDeleteSo I must write an introduction to the three pages on author background and information on literary movement and then write a conclusion for it? So will I write a separate introduction to the paper eventually?
ReplyDeleteKelsey. There are three parts to this project. Look at the task description. The first part is a focused look at author and literary period. The second is a broad perspective of the author's work as a whole. The third is a literary analysis of a work of your choice, by that author. Does that help?
ReplyDeleteWell, I understand the three parts, but I have a question about part one. While I am writing about Allende's background and about magic realism, do I need to include the introduction to the entire essay itself or should I just write about the background and literary movement?
ReplyDeleteKelsey. An excellent question:) Just worry about the author and period. This is a "parts-to-whole" approach to investigative writing; it is something new to you. The logic behind this is that your learning becomes dimensional, instead of merely linear (the usual approach to literary analysis). The idea is that you will gain a deeper, broader, more introspective understanding, of not only the novel, but also the author and the period. Our payout will be that we can bring more to the table on the AP test, rather than just knowledge in just one area. It makes you more diversified as a learner. Also, it introduces you to annotation and dissertation style.
ReplyDeleteAlright. Thank you so much. That helps out a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteKelsey. I am so glad:) I will be excited to read about magic realism!! It sounds fascinating!
ReplyDeleteIt is very fascinating. It's unlike other periods that we've studied and much more "magical." No pun intended, of course.
ReplyDeleteOops. I have another question. For the citations: I found many sources from the Cincinnati Library website and on most of them, it gives a source citation with all of the information and such. Is it okay to use this information?
ReplyDeleteKelsey. Yes:) Cincy Library is good to do that for us:) It should say something like "Citation info" and then give the citation information. Isn't it nice when that happens;) BTW, didn't Allende also write historical fiction as well??
ReplyDeleteOkay. That's good. Thanks. It is very nice that they do that. It saves a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteYes, she did. A lot of her works, while magical realist, can also be considered historical fiction. House of the Spirits is part of magical realism, but it chronicles the history of her family (using new names) and the coup in Chile in 1973 (once again, using fictional characters).
Hi Mrs. Edwards,
ReplyDeleteIs it okay if two of our literary criticisms are by the same author, as long as they are about different topics?
Emily. That is fine. Many times you will find a critic that is expert in your area of investigation. However, avoid having more than two by the same author; diversification is always best in these matters. A wide array of opinions enriches your knowledge base.
ReplyDeleteEveryone: Have a SAFE and HAPPY New Year! You guys are the BEST!!!!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards
ReplyDeleteWhen we are doing part 2 works cited, are we putting specifically how this source will be used in the paper, or are we putting how it will contribute to our knowledge of the author's work as a whole?
Thanks, Mrs. Edwards!
ReplyDeleteKevin. The rubric for the second task is online. Part 2's Work Cited will reflect the annotation articles used in Part 2. Look over the rubric description and see if it makes sense to you. I plan on talking to the class as a group about this next week. However, if you are working ahead, I can answer questions about it now. Let me know:)
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards
ReplyDeleteI looked over the rubric for what is due the day after break and I think the part that is confusing me is what we are supposed to write for how the annotations reflect the importance of the source to the paper. Are we supposed to know exactly how we plan to use the source, or is this annotated works cited just for how it will contribute to our knowledge of the author's work as a whole?
I'll post an example of one of my citations to make my question more clear:
ReplyDeletePoquette, Ryan D. "Critical Essay on Lord Jim." Novels for Students. Ed. David M. Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 31 Dec. 2010.
This critical review is covering “Lord Jim”, which is another of Conrad’s most recognizable and famous pieces of literature. This novel, written during the first phase of Conrad’s career as an author, further develops my paper’s understanding and analysis of the first phase of Conrad’s career. By understanding parts of the career, a better understanding of the career as a whole can be achieved. The essay explores the development of religion in the novel, likening Jim to a Christ-like figure. It also analyzes the modernist influence present in the book in that it leaves the reader neglecting a decisive interpretation.
Is this how the annotations should be written?
For Part One, does 2-3 sources mean 2-3 quotes needed? Or that we need to cite where the information was located... Also do these sources need annotation as well?
ReplyDeleteKevin. Are you asking about the annotation for the second part, pertaining to your first task? If so, yes. This demonstrates the citation and the annotation that discusses the source's importance.
ReplyDeleteJake. For Part one, you need 2-3 sources that demonstrate where the info came from in Part one. Is that what you are asking?
ReplyDeleteJake. The annotations are in relation to Part 2. Does this help you?
ReplyDeleteEveryone. Perhaps this will help...
ReplyDeletePart 1: Bio and literary period info. You will use source information (2-3). There needs to be a Works cited for this (no annotation).
Part 2. This is about the author's work as a whole. This is where you utilize annotation.
Does this help you? Also, this is your first grade for third quarter.
I'm so confused right now. Are we just supposed to talk about the literary period our author fits into or are we also supposed to show why our author belongs in that period? I outlined romanticism and gave examples as to why Jane Austen's literature is Romantic. Is this wrong?
ReplyDeleteAlso, for part 2 can I choose sources that just refer to Pride and Prejudice or should they all cover all of her works?
Sam. Read the description. It says that part one is about author and period. Part two is about the author's work as a whole. It has been a little while since you have been in class. Rereading the task description will help:)
ReplyDeleteEveryone: Remember our discussion from class: Part One's keyword is BALANCE, and Part Two's keyword is BROAD.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards,
ReplyDeleteShould we format our annotated bibliography like Kevin did with a skipped line between the citation and the annotation, or should the annotation come directly after the end of the citation? Different sources seem to say different things about this.
Emily. Kevin's form replicates what we talked about in class. You may use it as a model:)
ReplyDeleteOkay thank you!
ReplyDeleteAlso, is the purpose of the annotations for Part 2 to explain how each literary criticism serves to broaden our perspective on the author's work as a whole?
Emily. Good! You get it:) The purpose of section two is to gain a BROAD perspective of the author. Notice how Kevin discussed the author in relation to this selection. It gives a multifactedness to his perception and portrayal of the author.
ReplyDeleteKEVIN: Watch your title designations. Lord Jim is a novel. Lose the quotation marks.
Mrs. Edwards
ReplyDeleteThanks for your help, I will model the rest of mine off of the one that I posted and will watch titles.
Also, what Jake asked about is confusing me too. Does that mean that any information used needs to have a citation, or do we need quotes with citations?
ReplyDeleteKevin. I called Jake. He was a little behind on our conversations due to his absence. That being said, if you have a Works Cited, you must be citing something... Now, whether that is via a direct quote or a paraphrase, it only makes sense. Just cite if you found something very specific. Much of the author background will be common knowledge. I imagine that the cited info will relate to some of the literary period info. Sound reasonable?? let me know:)
ReplyDeleteBTW... I am suffering from a flu that I have had since Christmas Day; I may need to rest a little. I WILL check back in on you guys though:) I am VERY glad that we are blogging:)Feel free to talk to one another:)
I don't really understand part II... I know that it is a works cited with annotations, but I don't understand what we are citing or how it relates to the author's work. Are we supposed to find articles where someone discusses one of the authors' works? and what goes in the annotation exactly? why it is important for our paper? Or why we need to know about that work for an understanding of the author? I'm pretty lost...
ReplyDeleteI cited direct quotes in my paper it was just the way he phrased that question that confused me. Thanks for clearing that up.
ReplyDeleteCorie-
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding of it, we are finding criticisms of a variety of the author's work and his/her career in general. The annotations are supposed to be how the citation contributes to our knowledge of their work/career as a whole, as well as what specifically in the source gives you this knowledge. That is just how I did mine based on what we talked about in class and on the blog. Hope that helps.
Kevin. You are correct. Your model for annotation is a good one. Others should use it as a model.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mrs. Edwards
ReplyDeleteKevin. Thank you:) And also...thanks to others that have posted. We are stronger when we work together:)
ReplyDeleteOkay, this flu has me feeling pretty bad. I'm going to rest for a bit. I will try and check back in if I can. Please keep sharing and talking together. No question is a silly question... Ask and post:)
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I don't mean to sound like a broken record when I ask this, but I went through all the blogs and a light bulb began to glow above me and I found the answers, but then felt the confusion of everyone else and now I am feeling a little fuzzy about some things. I understand part one and two. The only thing I am struggling to comprehend are the citations of part one. Are we supposed to use a separate works cited for the citations used in part one, or would the annotations of part two contribute to that?
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards,
ReplyDeleteI looked through my paper to attempt to shorten it to the page limits that were set, and I managed to cut it down from 5 pages to 3 2/3 pages. I could not find anything else to take out of the paper, as everything left in it is key to Conrad's life and the literary period. Is this length ok?
Christine. Look at your task sheet. A dedicated Works Cited is needed for Part One; albeit, it only needs to have 2-3 citations. If you recall from our time in the library, there were sources more conducive to Part One, specifically those that deal in period.
ReplyDeleteKevin. Is there anything that you can cut for now and use in Part 3? Look it over again and see what you can do. That being said, don't just delete it; save it for Part 3. It may be a matter of distributing "the wealth" and allocating that information to Part 3:)
When citing documents from the online databases through the library, do we need the url? It cites itself without the website:
ReplyDelete"New Novels by Lady G. Fullerton and Currer Bell." Christian Remembrancer 25 (Jan.-June 1853): 401-443. Rpt. in Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Kathy D. Darrow. Vol. 229. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Jan. 2011.
Is this ok?
Nicole. Yes, that is actually the way that MLA is doing it now. I am glad that they do it that way; the url is such an pain to deal with from a formatting standpoint. Question...does it give you page numbers when you acccess it? I notice that it lists page numbers inside of the citation. If they give you a page number, you should probably cite that. If not, you do not use a page number. You reference it internally while you write or by first maj. word of the title, i.e. ("New").
ReplyDeleteIt gives page numbers in the actual citation information, but you can't tell which page a particular part of the article is from when you're reading it.
ReplyDeleteEmily. Thanks for the clarification:) If that is the case, when you cite it within the body of your paper, you may do it while writing: According to Dr. Lofty from IM Smart University... or (Lofty) ....or ("New"). It used to be that it was by the page number of print, but that is considered archaic now.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to clarify something about the literary period aspect of part one. Are we suppose to say (in my case) George Orwell is from the Modernist period then just give general characteristics of that period?
Joe. I think it would be best to build relationships. Does he demonstrate indicators of the period? Does he stand in contrast to the period? Did he make contributions to that period? To do it otherwise would feel disjointed. Does that help?
ReplyDeleteYes, Thank You!
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards. Thank you for clarifying so many of our questions. One structural question of mine is do you want the tentative works cited to be in MLA format or just whatever. Also, will we be allowed to add other sources to our part 2 if we find that what we have isn't sufficient for the actual writing portion?
ReplyDeleteIn part 1, what are you looking for in terms of paragraphs? Should I do one for biography, one for period, and an intro and conclusion?
ReplyDeleteSkylar. You are most welcome:) I am always glad to help you:)
ReplyDeleteUse MLA format. This will save time later... you know, "do it right the first time," so to speak. Nicole and Kelsey found that the Cincy Library sources do this for you (see above blogs).
Also, you may change sources before you solidify your approach to Part 2. Writing is fluid. This shows me that you have "something to work with" when it comes to the second task. If you would like to see the second task, the rubric is online.
Corie. There is not a perscriptive amount of paragraphs for any type of writing. It depends on your approach to the subject and your own writing style. Make sure that you cover the content and use the amount of paragraphs that are necessary to do the task:)
ReplyDeleteMrs. Edwards,
ReplyDeleteI know when writing a formal paper one is suppose to use present tense, but a majority of the material I am discussing is in the past. So should I use present tense where possible?
Joe. This is what I wrote to Emily E.; see if this helps...
ReplyDeleteI think that I understand what you are talking about in relation to this aspect. Literary present should be maintained when you are talking about the author's work. I.E... "The author's work demonstrates..." Obviously, if he is dead, you will speak about "events" in his life as in the past. "The author lived in England for most of his life..." Literary present will be more important when you get to subsequent parts of the paper.
That helps a lot. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteHere's my thesis statement:
ReplyDeleteIn Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte departs from the traditional Victorian woman and presents a feminist heroine through the portrayal of religion, love, and hardship.
Post to edwardsthesis2.blogspot.com. Remember that we decided to start a fresh blog. The one listed here is the one that was listed on the board last week. There are some good ideas on the new blog:) Check them out:)
ReplyDelete