Research Project
The documents showcased here are to help you with the format for this research term paper. Please use these resources to help you when I am working with other students. Author selection ideas are listed at the bottom of the page.
Focusing your research:
Developing Successful Research Skills
DIIGO extension & App
American Author Research Project
see project requirements listed in Google Classroom
Select an author and book to read for the focus point of this project.
Researching authors:
For the author research please take notes on:
- the time period
- the literary movement of that time period
- a biography of the important events in this/her life
- selected books he/she authored
- his/her importance to the time period and/or literary movement.
Websites for author selection:
Extensive lists of authors from all time periods:
- PAL site of American Authors
- American authors list
- BBC list of American authors
- Goodreads list of top 100 American authors. Be sure to read the books in the comments also.
- Best modern American Books
- Best multi-ethnic books
- 90 influential American novels
African American Writers:
Native American Writers:
- Native American writers site
- Native American authors 2 site
- Native American resource list
- Recent fiction by Native American authors site
Asian American Writers:
Hispanic American Writers:
Americans originating from the Middle East
Americans originating from all other parts of the world
Ultimately, you are looking for a American novelist who discusses ideas of substance that can be explored though several literary lenses. To select the best author, look for someone who is not emphasized in class, who explores the human condition in their writing, and who is personally intriguing. The document above lists authors that will be fitting for the term paper assignment.