Research Essays: 6-8 pages
The topics below are meant to give you ideas for your paper; YOU have to settle on a strong
thesis and purpose for the essay. In the pre-writing stage, try answering the questions associated
with a topic and see how that spurs your thinking. When you settle down to draft your essay do
NOT attempt to provide answers to all the questions, or you, end up rambling. Use the prewriting stage to figure out what ONE idea you want to explore. However, you are NOT limited
to this list. If thereàa topic you want to develop on your own, feel free to do so, though itàwise
to run it by me first.
Be prepared/willing to read around your topic)storical, cultural, medical, literary,
biographical research will be necessary in order for you to thoroughly understand your topic and
write an effective analysis (as in: do the research). Any sources you use should be cited carefully
and correctly using MLA citation format (other citation formats are acceptable/n make one
up). I will take 5 points off for incorrect citations. You must use a combination of at least 8
primary and secondary sources (primary = novels, short stories, poems, plays, memoirs,
biographies; secondary = literary criticism and reviews, history, non-fiction commentary and
analysis, peer-reviewed research).
Do not: 1) summarize what we¥ discussed in class2y to find something new; or 2) write a
history paper or case study.
For grading criteria, refer to the Rubric for Argument Synthesis.
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1. Some of the works we¥ studied this semester portray physicians or the health care
system in a negative or critical light. Many also to suggest a doctor/patient relationship
that is adversarial and/or condescending, even contemptuousµt is that really whatÊgoing on? Who are the protagonists/antagonists in these stories? Is anyone actually
heroic? Why do we like stories about doctors who are both highly competent, and highly
contemptuous of their own patients? Why do so many authors/storytellers portray
physicians as threats (or choose your terms: dangerous, unstable, callous)? Why might we
enjoy such portrayals? Discuss, using 3-4 examples.
2. Various aspects of identity play a major role in the progress of our physical health, in the
treatment of it, and in our mental health. Choose an aspect of identity and a work that
explores it and examine the social conditions that play a role in how it manifests, how itÊstigmatized, and how itàtreated by health professionals and by others. Some examples
are gender, race, sexuality, disability, fatness, transgender, etc.
3. How do literary portrayals reflect societyàcollective needs/fears/desires about health and
the body?
4. How do authors use illness experiences as a means of providing social critiquebout
the way our culture stigmatized people according to race, class, sex, particular illness
(physical or mental)? How can narrative about illness or medical practice be used as a
way of critiquing the health care system
5. How is mental illness portrayed in literature? How do authors use literary techniques and
narrative structure,ot, character, setting, point of view, gurative language, metaphor
/ represent or comment on the experience of mental illness and/or give it more
symbolic meaning
6. You are not limited to these topics: you are free to explore anything you connect to the
literature in an essay
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For Research Essays:
1. Choose your topic;
2. Strategize about research. Investigate e-brary and Expanded Academic Index/Academic
OneFile (MCPHS), www.scholar.google.com; MLA Bibliography and J-Stor at COF
libraries (Simmons is a good choice). If you¥ not sure what primary sources to use: you
might start be researching the *topic* and see what other experts have said on the subject,
including the primary sources they¥ used.
3. Remember that this is a literary analysis, not a history paper(e focus (your primary
sources) must be literary or popular culture texts (novels, short stories, poems, plays,
memoirs, etc.). You might use certain autobiographies.

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