Ex 5: Term Paper Presubmission Report (about 4 pages)
Ex 5 is advance work for your term paper. Your goal for the term paper is to use scholarly research (which includes a careful examination of primary texts -- in our case, a specific game or several games, as well as secondary texts -- in our case, academic articles and books) to defend a non-obvious claim about video game culture and theory. Your thesis should be worth arguing about -- that is, you should
present and account for (that is, refute) credible evidence that opposes the claim you
want to make.
Ex 5 asks you to do some important advance work for your term paper. You are free to change your thesis, your topic, and your whole approach after you complete this exercise, so don't feel that this exercise is supposed to lock you in. It's simply supposed to ensure that you start the process of writing your research paper the right way -- by seeking out academic research first, and then coming up with an appropriate thesis that is supported by the available research. (Don't write your paper first and then "look for quotes" to support the opinion you had formed before you looked at any scholarly works... the arguments within the scholarly works are the building blocks you use in order to create your thesis.)
For Ex 5, supply the following information:
Ex 5 asks you to do some important advance work for your term paper. You are free to change your thesis, your topic, and your whole approach after you complete this exercise, so don't feel that this exercise is supposed to lock you in. It's simply supposed to ensure that you start the process of writing your research paper the right way -- by seeking out academic research first, and then coming up with an appropriate thesis that is supported by the available research. (Don't write your paper first and then "look for quotes" to support the opinion you had formed before you looked at any scholarly works... the arguments within the scholarly works are the building blocks you use in order to create your thesis.)
For Ex 5, supply the following information:
1) Your thesis statement (including the precise opinion and blueprint
-- that is, a short list of your supporting points, in the order in
which you plan to discuss them in the full paper).
2) Several direct quotations from the literary source(s) you plan to study.
2A) Include quotations that support your thesis...
2B) ...as well as quotations that refute your thesis.
3) Direct quotations from outside sources
3A) Include quotations that support your thesis..
3B) ...as well as quotations that refute your thesis.
4) Your preliminary conclusion.
5) An example of the efficient integration of a brief quotation from an outside source, into one of your own sentences that makes the point that you want to make. Use an MLA parenthetical citation to cite your source properly.
6) A full MLA-style Works Cited page
2) Several direct quotations from the literary source(s) you plan to study.
2A) Include quotations that support your thesis...
2B) ...as well as quotations that refute your thesis.
3) Direct quotations from outside sources
3A) Include quotations that support your thesis..
3B) ...as well as quotations that refute your thesis.
4) Your preliminary conclusion.
5) An example of the efficient integration of a brief quotation from an outside source, into one of your own sentences that makes the point that you want to make. Use an MLA parenthetical citation to cite your source properly.
6) A full MLA-style Works Cited page
Categories:
due_dates
Hi Dr. Jerz! Can the several direct quotations from the literary source(s) be video game reviews or can they only be academic articles? Thank you!
Reviews have some value to scholars, particularly if there are no academic references to a given game. So it would depend on what game you're talking about. Plenty of academic work has been published on Tomb Raider, The Sims, Civilization, etc., but if the game is more recent, the only sources of commentary will be reviews.
So... as long as you also have academic sources, I won't mind the inclusion of a review. But I'd rather see your presubmission report demonstrate your ability to find and use scholarly sources. (Remember that your scholarly sources don't have to focus specifically on the game or issue that you want to address.)
Good question, Derek.