Researched Argument Essay – Literary Analysis
Draft due by Thursday, March 16th
Final due by Thursday, March 30th
Instructions
By this time in the course, you have had opportunities to discuss and analyze short
stories and/or poems. For this research assignment, you will select a work of fiction you have
already read and analyzed and make a decision about the type of research you want to do:
cultural, biographical, critical, or theoretical. Limit your research essay to just one of these
types. The following explanation of research types for literary analysis was adapted from Barnet
et al. Literature for Composition (Chapter 10).
Cultural Research focuses on the cultural or historical context of a literary work. You
locate historical and cultural material and examine how it helps you understand the work.
Example: You connect Edwidge Danticat’s “Children of the Sea” to religious and/or
socio-political events in Haiti’s history.
Biographical research is about how the work is understood through the author’s actual
life. You connect the work to events in the author’s life. You look for biographical material on the
author which includes interviews, press releases, social media, etc.
Example: You connect how Hemmingway’s life influenced or inspired the short story “Cat in the
Rain.”
Critical research is about the critical debate on the particular work or author’s style. You
look for material where other readers offer different interpretations of the work. This is how to
make connections between your own interpretation and those of other readers. Literary
Interpretations are often published in academic journals. You might also find interpretations
written by publishers and general readers.
Example: You explain different interpretations for the “The Man to Send Rainclouds” by Leslie
Marmon Silko, and argue a position for one of the interpretations
Theoretical research requires that you be familiar with a widely recognized theory. The
theory does not have to be from the field of literature. It could be from another field such as
linguistics, psychology, etc. You apply this theory to the literary work with the idea of explaining
it.
Example: You explain Emily’s character in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner in terms of
Freud’s psychosexual theory.
You should have a strong thesis statement, integrate at least three sources, and express
your voice clearly and separately from the voices of the sources. Your essay will be 3 to 5 pages
(not counting the Works Cited page) in length and adhere to MLA format and style.
You are required to submit specifically assigned paragraphs from your research essay
for review at least one week prior to submitting the final draft; otherwise, you will lose
opportunity for feedback.
This essay receives two scores: a similarity score and a rubric score. Before you can
receive a rubric score, you need to submit the full essay for a similarity score. Emailing the
essay to me will result in a score of zero since it needs a similarity score. Your similarity score
needs to be below 20%. Anything 20% or above results in a score of 0 out of 100. If you have
technical issues when submitting the essay in the assignment folder, notify me via email AND
contact tech at MDC Canvas Support immediately. MDC offers 24/7 live chat assistance at
https://www.mdc.edu/remote-learning-students/canvas/
SAMPLE Researched Argument
There is a sample literary analysis research essay in your textbook beginning on
page 405 in Chapter 10. The researched argument essay is written by Mike Ramos. Ramos’
essay is an example of critical research because he asserts his own interpretation of Emily
Dickenson’s poetry over that of other critics.
For a sample of Cultural or Social-Political Research essay, you can find an
essay in the Samples of Writing in Files. This essay is actually a chapter from a
student’s thesis, Elizabeth Spraque, who discusses Edwidge Danitcat’s The Dew
Breaker in terms of the dictatorship and prisons in Haiti.
