Short Story Literary Analysis Research Planner

PLEASANT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY Information Literacy for Lifelong Learning

Short Story Literary Analysis Research Planner

Student Name:

Grade/Class:

Teacher:

Author:

Title:

Literary criticism is an analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of a work of literature. A literary criticism paper goes beyond creating a simple report, summary, or personal appraisal. It answers the question, "What point or message did the author reveal that makes this book worth reading?" You will need to defend your thesis with textual evidence from primary and secondary sources.

Essays you read may interpret the literature's meaning, analyze its structure and style, classify the work according to its genre, defend the literature against moralists and censors, and/or judge its worth by comparing it with other works. (The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms)

Table of Contents

Accessing the Library Pathfinders Inside Cover

Literary Analysis Project Checklist 1-2

Thesis Project Organizer 3

Literary Criticism Annotated Works Cited Generator 4

Short Stories for Students Citation Sheet 5

Works Cited Examples for Short Stories for Students 6-7

Research Check-In #1 8

Research Check-In #2 9

Student Self-Evaluation Reflection 10

Research Process Grade Sheet Back Cover

©Pleasant Valley High School Library 6/18/2013

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Accessing the Library Pathfinders

Literary Analysis Project Checklist

Classroom/Independent Activities

I. Review project assignment requirements and deadlines.

2. Read primary work, record quotes and responses in a reading journal.

3. Complete Research Check-In #1 indicating your impressions about your primary work.

4. Conference with your teacher about your reading journal.

Library Day 1

I. Verify enrollment in Turnitin class.

2. Cite the primary work in NoodleTools and share project with your teacher.

3. Using the Library Handbook, format Word® document in MLA format; save to student network drive folder.

Locate thefor Students article in the Gale Virtual Reference Library and email it to yourself.


1, Read yourfor Students article and talk to the text considering connections to your working thesis focusing on the themes, style, historical context, critical overview and criticism sections.

2. Complete Research Check-In #2 indicating your thoughts and feelings about your research progress.

3. Conference with your teacher about your thesis idea.

4. Complete Thesis Project Organizer.

5. Take notes differentiating among summarizing, paraphrasing, direct quoting and using your own ideas.

7. Construct an outline for your paper and conference with your teacher.

8. Write, peer-edit, and self-edit your paper.

9. Save first draft to your student network drive folder.

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Library Day 2

1. Generate an annotated list of works cited in NoodleTools

2. Export your list of works cited from NoodleTools in o your first draft.

3. Upload your first draft into Turnitin.


1. Conference with your teacher about your first draft and Turnitin originality report.

2. Edit and revise your draft.

Save your final paper to your student folder.

4. Upload final paper into Turnitin.

5. Complete Student Self Evaluation Reflection.

Thesis Project Organizer

Thesis Statement:

Supporting Assertions: Explanation/Quotes

Supporting Assertions: Explanation/Quotes

Projected Conclusion: Powerfully restate the stance of your thesis in light of the evidence you presented.

3 Adapted from Power Research Mak Copyright tO 2003 Joyce Kasman Valenza All rights reserved except those which may be granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976

Literary Criticism Annotated Works Cited Generator

Directions: Use the following questions as prompts for writing your annotation. Items marked with an asterisk * must be included in your annotation.

MLA Citation:

Annotation: 1) *Who is the author of the essay? What are her/his credentials?

2) In what source was this essay originally published?

3) *Which literary element or elements are analyzed in the essay? (Character, structure, narrative/voice, plot, setting/mood, etc.)

4) *In your own words, explain the main idea of this article.

5) Identify one or two sentences that summarize the author's thesis.

6) To which evidence in the primary text does the author refer?

7) *Is the work relevant to your potential thesis? How? What evidence does it provide and how will you use it to support your thesis?

8) Discuss what you found to be the most interesting point in this article. Do you agree or disagree with the author's assessment? How does this author's view compare with other criticism you have read?

4

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CHARACTER OVERVIEW, CRMCAL ESSAY, WORK OVERVIEW, BIOGRAPHY, PLOT SUMMARY

The Scarlet Ibis Short Stories for Students Ed. Anne Marie Hacht, VoL 23. Detroit: Gale, 2006. p225-243. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale, COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning

Short Stories for Students Citation Sheet

URL:

Database:

Author:

Article Title:

Source:

Editor:

Volume:

Publisher: Publication City:

Copyright Date:

Pages: Date of Access:

5

Works Cited Examples for Short Stories for Students

Example #1: Reference book article

The Scarlet Ibis -The Scarlet Ibis," by James urst. was first put, James Hurst lishixl in the July- 1960 Issue of the Atiuniit - Munt/tfy magazine, The story is also available in Elements of Li:et-Ware: Third Course (published by Holt. 1960 R inehart. and W in slot]. 1997 The story focuses on the troubled relationship between two young, boys: the narrator and his mentally and physically dis-abled brothcl. l)oodle. It explores the conflicts be-tween love and pride and draws attention to the effects of familial and societal expectations on those who are handicapped. The narrative unfolds against the background of the carnage of World War I. with its associated themes of the dangers of attempting to make others trier in one7s own im-age, the brotherhood of all mankind, and the waste of life resulting from a tack of love and cornpas-sion. In the course of the story. fhvdie becomes symbolically identifted with a rate and beautiful scarlet ibis which. finding itself in a hostile envi-

Introductory material is cited as a reference source article

ith no author

Example #2: A critical essay written specifically for the reference book

Doodle is alive, his penitent tears over Doodle's dead body and his reflections elsewhere in the story on the dangers of pride show that he has learned at last, albeit at the cost of Doodle's life. This is another suggested link between Doodle and Christ: both had to die so that those left alive could learn the gospel of love and compassion. In sheltering Doodle's body with his own from the "heresy of rain" (another Christian reference), Brother finally gives Doodle the selfless love and protection that proved so elusive while he was alive.

Source: Claire Robinson, Critical Essay on "The Scarlet Ibis," in Short Stories for Students, Thomson Gale, 2006.

Look at the end of the article to ge t the information for your

citation

This critical essay wa s by Claire Robinson for

Short Stories for Studen

en

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Works Cited Examples for Short Stories for Students

When working with the Short Stories for Students series you must determine what type of information you are using in

order to cite it properly. Each critical essay must be cited individually. Below you will find citation examples for the print

and eBook versions.

Type of Information Used

NoodleTools Citation Format

#1 Introductory material (author biography, plot, themes, style, etc.)

Reference Source

#2 A critical essay written for Short Stories For Students Reference Source

Example #1:

Introduction, author biography, plot, themes, style, historical context, critical overview

"The Scarlet Ibis." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 23. Detroit: Gale,

2006. 225-43. Print.

"The Scarlet Ibis." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 23. Detroit: Gale,

2006. 225-43. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2013.

<http://go.galegroup.com >.

Example #2:

Critical essay written specifically for the reference book

Robinson, Claire. "Claire Robinson." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 23.

Detroit: Gale, 2006. 234-37. Print.

Robinson, Claire. "Claire Robinson." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 23.

Detroit: Gale, 2006. 234-37. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2013.

<http://go.galegroup.com >.

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Research Check-In #1

What do you think about your short story? What do you like? What don't you like?

Rate your short story:

Poor Excellent

* * * ** * * * * * * * * * *

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Describe how the research process is going for you. Mark an X on each continuum line indicating your current feelings and thoughts.

Feelings about my research project

Nervous/Anxious Confident/Calm

Thoughts about my research project

Confused

Focused

Write about your progress: what's working and not working for you? What can you do to improve the process? What questions do you have about your research project?

9

Student Self-Evaluation Reflection

Planning: Reflect on the process of focusing your research. What challenges did you encounter in developing a thesis?

Gathering: Describe any problems or successes you had as you searched. Did any particular search strategies work well or disappoint you? Which sources worked best for you? Did you find enough criticism on your work?

Organizing: How did you ensure that your research information covered all aspects of your thesis? How and why did you modify your original thesis? Was your note-taking method satisfactory?

Documenting: What issues did you encounter as you documented your sources?

Presenting/Communicating: Were you proud of your product? How might you have improved it?

Looking ahead: What changes would you make to improve the research process for your next project?

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Research Process Grade Sheet

Date Due Research Activity Points Possible

Points Earned

Reading Journal


Short Stories For Students Highlights/Notes


Thesis Project Organizer

Outline

Annotated Works Cited

Rough Draft (including Turnitin.com submission)

Final Draft (including Turnitin.com submission)

Student Self-Evaluation Reflection

Documents

Short Story Literary Analysis Research Planner