RESEARCH PAPER PREWRITING

For your prewriting, you may complete either the "Topic Already Chosen" or "Unsure of Topic" option. Type your response and post it to the discussion board under the "Research Paper: Prewriting" forum.

TOPIC ALREADY CHOSEN Option

Type out a page and a half of text (using class format) that describes the following about your topic:

• What the topic actually is
• Everything you can think of about the topic
• How you came to know about the topic
• Why you think the topic fits the assignment
• How the topic is related to any element of monster theory that we've talked about in class.

Then type out a paragraph that does the following:

• Attempts to articulate a specific thesis or claim that you are going to try to prove. Make sure you aren't simply reformulating a question: saying, "I am trying to prove why Ted Bundy killed women" is not a thesis; it's a topic. Saying, "Ted Bundy killed women because he was rejected by his college sweetheart" is closer to a provable claim.
• Lists the kind of information you need to find in your research.

UNSURE OF TOPIC Option

Reread the paper topic options. For each of the three main options, write at least least one-third of a page (using class format) that attempts to answer the following:

For THE MONSTER OPTION:

• List the monster you are interested in and everything you know about it
• Indicate the historical moment/place that produced that monster and everything you know about it. Could you compare historical versions of it?
• What do you need to research in order to support this claim about the relationship between the monster and it's historical moment?

For THE HORROR OPTION:

• List the "horror" you are interested in and everything you know about it
• Indicate the historical moment/place that produced that "horror" and everything you know about it. Could you compare historical versions of it?
• What do you need to research in order to support this claim about the relationship between the "horror" and it's historical moment?

For THE REAL MONSTER OPTION:

• What or who is the real monster you are interested in? Write out what you know about it and why it interests you.
• What effect does this monster have on the community, both during its historical moment and today?
• What research needs to be done to help flesh out this topic?