English 404
Chaucer: Canterbury Tales
Research Paper Assignment
Your in-class presentation has given you a start on your research into the typical historical counterpart to one of Chaucer's pilgrims. The research paper should build on this beginning. Your paper should be 3600-4800 words, should include citations from at least seven sources, and should use historical information about the figure to interpret Chaucer's character as represented in the general prologue, the pilgrim's own prologue, and the pilgrim's tale.
Your thesis will be your answer to this question:
How would a medieval reader of Chaucer's tales have understood this pilgrim and his/her tale differently than modern readers who lack an understanding of their historical and cultural context?
(Note: The focus is to be on the medieval rather than on the modern reader.)
Due date: Two weeks after you give your oral presentation.
Submission method:
Submit your paper to the Assignments section of Blackboard (under the Paper assignment) as either a Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) document. Papers submitted in other formats will be unreadable and therefore graded 0%.
Format:
Please use MLA format for all quotations, citations, and works cited pages. Information is available at mla.org as well as at the information desk in Lovejoy. I expect you to get the format right, so please be sure to consult guidelines and not to "guess."
Resources:
Please use quotations rather than paraphrase wherever possible.
Please use ONLY websites linked through these:
Professor Jane Zatta’s website
Professor Eileen Joy’s website
Lovejoy Library
Please use Lovejoy Library's databases to locate books and at least two journal articles that you cite in your paper.
Please do not use dictionaries or encyclopedia articles as sources without first getting my approval. Wikipedia, AOL keywords, Webster's, and American Heritage are among those that I will not approve. Specialized reference sources linked to one of the websites given above are acceptable.
Please use primary sources! The best evidence for ideas about Chaucer and his world often comes from sources written in the Middle Ages. You are encouraged to use quotations from other Canterbuy Tales as well as from other works by Chaucer and his contemporaries.
Evaluation Criteria:
Your paper will be graded on the following:
Introduction: 25 points
- Clarity and arguability of the thesis
- Clarity and aptness of supporting points to be discussed in the paper.
Organization: 25 points
- How well the organization of the paper fits the plan given in the first paragraph.
- How well each paragraph maintains focus on one point only.
Development: 25 points
- The number, aptness and accuracy of the quotations you use to support your points.
- How well you introduce each quotation and how well you discuss it after quoting it.
- The quality/reliability of your sources.
Grammar, Syntax, Mechanics, Format: 25 points
- Note that correctness of MLA formatting of quotations and citations (in parentheses as well as on the Works Cited page) will be considered in this area as well.