LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final

2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Edenton, Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
Government Recognition No. 244, s. 1962

Prepared By:
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

OVERVIEW on the MODULES for LITERARY RESEARCH

I. COURSE TITLE: LITERARY RESEARCH

II. COURSE OVERVIEW:

For better understanding, three modules have been developed. Each module consist
of topics and each topic consists also of sub- topics. The modules are as follow:

Module I: PRELIM
• Types of Research
• Theory, Methodologies, Methods, and Evidence in Literary Research

Module II: MIDTERM

• How to Choose a Research Topic
• Thesis Statement
FINAL
• Writing Process Guide

Course Learning Outcomes

Students should be able to:

1. Submit an original and relevant research on any topic in Philippine Literature, including
ruminations on the research methods being appropriated.

2. Submit a reflexive essay discussing the researcher’s own methods, biases, limitations, etc.

Instructor’s Note:
Dear students, take time to read and re-read this module. It is important that you
understand the ideas and concepts presented here. Our goal for this class is that you will be able
to write and submit your own Literary Research Paper. This content of this module will guide
you how to do it step by step if you will take time to study this comprehensively.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Figure 1

Figure 2
TEACHER’S NOTE
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

A Literary Research Paper is a combination of literary analysis and

literary criticism. Always refer to Chart 1 figure 1 and Chart 2 figure 2 as your guide
in completing every part of your research paper.
I recommend that you do extra research especially with unfamiliar
terms used in these charts for you to fully understand the meaning and
concepts connected to it.
To further help you, I prepared and example of a literary research in
this module. Along with this are activities that will surely help you and guide
you in making your original research paper.

THE SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY OF JOSE RIZAL

(A Research Paper)
Ma. Visitacion J. Raval

In "Childhood in an Indian Village, " Wilfred Pelletier talked about the class structure in his
Indian community,' the way the children learned, the work of the women, and the relationship of
parents to children. Jose Rizal also wrote on the same topics he considered part of his social
philosophy. Compare the attitudes of Pelletier and Rizal on those points.

Jose Rizal, twenty-one, a brilliant medical student who had won awards and citations in
poetry, prose, and drama, wanted to know more about the world and its peoples before he felt he
could judge his people and his country. So, in 1882, he sailed for Europe to finish his studies there.

Europe in the nineteenth century was in a ferment of great growth and progress. The theories
of evolution and of heredity shattered traditional and religious beliefs. The breath of nationalism and
the ideas of liberty, fraternity, equality inspired colonial peoples to unite and fight for independence.
The "new education" emphasized man and his fulfillment, education for women, and curriculums of
classical, vernacular, humanistic, and scientific studies.

Into this stimulating atmosphere Rizal immersed himself, and gradually he built up his sense
of values and beliefs which he revealed in his many letters, poems, and essays, and later his novels.
We call his values and beliefs his social philosophy.

Rizal compared the lot of the Filipinos with that of the Spaniards, Germans, and Frenchmen,
and he concluded that the Filipinos suffered from a great inferiority complex. In the Noli Dona
Victorina, a rich native woman, was glad to marry and support Tiburcio de Espadafia, who was lame,
bald, toothless, and poor, because he would make her "Dona Victorina.”1 The Spaniards asserted that
since they suffered from the hot climate of the Philippines, they were therefore favored to live in
special places, and that since the Filipinos did not suffer from the heat, they were meant to be
laborers.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
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Rizal said in "The Indolence of the Filipinos" that the white man who chose to live in the tropics
should adapt himself to his environment and give up his lifestyle in the temperate zone.2 This idea
conforms to Darwin's key idea of adaptation to the environment. Rizal's studies of the ethnographies
and histories of civilization convinced him that " the faults of the Filipinos were purely human... for the
vices and virtues of a people are not peculiarities of the race but acquired properties over which the
climate and history have a powerful effect." 3

His beliefs regarding racial superiority were explicitly stated in his letters to his dear friend,
Ferdinand Blumentritt:

1. All races differ in habits and physical features but not in psychological factors. Thus, all races feel
emotions but differ in emotional stimulation and expression.

2. Race classification is an invention of anthropologists. The intellectual level of Filipinos is the same
as that of other races. Rising to a superior social stratum depends on the person's aptitude, chance,
and other factors.

3. Intelligence is inherited. Those who do intellectual work develop intellectually and pass on their
developed capacity to their children. Europeans inherited their knowledge and increased it through
the presence of advantageous laws and their liberty.4

What was Rizal's attitude regarding family life and the position of women in the home? What were a
woman's responsibilities?

Rizal revealed his attitude in his decisions regarding his life and his sisters' conduct. When his
life was in danger, he could have chosen to live safely in Europe, but he did not. He had a keen sense
of loyalty to his family. In a letter written in Hong Kong to the Filipinos, he said: "I have my obligation
to my family which suffers, to my old parents whose griefs reach my heart I have only my parents, but
my country has still many sons to substitute for me, and they already take my place with advantage."5

Rizal returned to the Philippines to please his parents even though he knew he was risking his
life. To be a martyr and hero was farthest from his thoughts. In 1890, he wrote to his sister Soledad: "I
admonish you to esteem the gray hairs of our parents . . . we ought to cover their last days with glory."6

He believed in the power of women to effect changes in society. In his well-known letter to
the women of Malolos, he enumerated the virtues that Filipino women should possess:
"industriousness to keep economy in the house, delicacy of heart to preserve the unity of the home
and family (which is) the unit of society, and intellectual capacity so that the children . . . will be not
slaves (and) so that mothers shall not stifle worthy ambitions in their children and weaken the whole
race."7 To him, woman is a "companion in happiness and suffering in life . . (one whom man loves) not
only for her beauty and sweetness of character but also for her strength of will, nobility of soul . . .
(one who) can strengthen the cowardly man and inspire ambitious outlook, a woman that the country
can be proud of, respected by others...8
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Therefore, concluded Rizal, to change the outlook of the passive, downtrodden Filipino, have
the Filipino woman demand that the man who wins her love must be manly, honorable, and worthy
of her respect.

If Rizal had definite ideas about the position of women, he, too, had a definite opinion
regarding the position of man in society. To him, man was the product of his environment, adapting
himself to his physical and social environment. When the Filipino discovered that the Spanish masters
were not available for business after lunch, the Filipino learned to take siestas, too. When the farm
yielded rich harvest with minimal care, the farmer learned to work just enough to feed and clothe
himself and his family—and the Spaniards called him a lazy good-for-nothing.

Rizal agreed with Schopenhauer, Germany's philosopher of the nineteenth century, that the
will to live modifies man's behavior. Capitan Tiago, in the Noli, gave up his dignity for peace with the
clergy and the Spanish officials. He pretended to believe what they told him, paid what they
demanded, gave lavish gifts, suffered insults without protests. In return, he was in the favor of the
officials and the priests. "Man is indeed an animal of circumstance," said Ibarra to Elias in the Fili.9

How did Rizal consider the wealthy man? In "The Philippines within a Century," he declared
that the moneyed people are more friendly to peace because it is they who lose when there is civil
disturbance.10 Poverty is dangerous because the bitterness of the poor will lead them to civil unrest
since they have nothing to lose and everything to gain if they revolt. However, they do not revolt
because each one fears for his own individual fate.

Rizal did not suggest that the poor unite and demand their rights, knowing that they
outnumber the Spaniards. Instead, his solution to the inequitable distribution of wealth was to develop
an aristocracy of education, not the "aristocracy of gold." "The real wealth of a nation are knowledge,
science, and fluency of speech,"11 he declared, and the man who knew, whose outlook was scientific,
and who could communicate effectively was truly the "wealthy man." It should be he to wield power,
and since he was wise, he would rule with reason.

What, then, were Rizal's ideas about education? In 1882, he wrote poem "Instruction" wherein
he said that education is the greatest benefactor of man. It should embrace the arts and the sciences;
it should bring eternal glory to the country.12 He was aware that the Philippines was an agricultural
country, a country of laborers who condemned intellectual work. But Rizal thought that even laborers
should perfect themselves and their work by getting an education which would put them in a condition
of understanding many things that at present they did not know. Rizal believed that since an educated
man would understand human nature, he would make allowances for his fellowmen and would
therefore be a better citizen. He would be a better worker, too, because he would know the standards
of good work.

Lastly, he would be aware that as a human being, he should have the rights to life, liberty, and
happiness as well as the responsibilities of a member of society. Thus, when people are educated to
be " intelligent, virtuous, moral, loyal, and prosperous, education becomes the means for the progress
of society."13 Rizal believed that school should not be a place of torment and humiliation; the
atmosphere should not be one of tyranny and obstruction.14
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The aim should be to improve the youth physically, intellectually, and morally. Lessons
should be stimulating, and the quality should be inducement in itself so that the parents realize
that going to school is not a waste of time and money. He believed that teachers should have
an honorable personality with an integrity that would make them worthy to be examples to
students. They should have freedom of expression and the genuine desire to improve the
minds of the students and imbue them with the desire to learn and to love truth.
In conclusion, what ideas constituted Rizal's social philosophy? His beliefs were the
following:
1. There is no such thing as a superior race. Superior qualities as well as vicious ones
are acquired through adaptation to environment and the development of inherited
traits.
2. The basic unit of society is the family. Children have duties to the family and devotion
to it supersedes devotion to the country if there are other citizens who can serve the
country just as well.
3. The woman has the greatest influence for both good and evil.
4. A man's will to live explains his social and antisocial acts, for he is the product of his
environment.
5. Wealth brings conservatism; poverty fosters civil disorder. Peace lies in the equitable
distribution of wealth. Hence, changing the social values such that education and
knowledge are considered wealth will solve the problem of unequal distribution of
wealth.
6. Education is the basis for social change, for it makes the individual conscious of his
dignity, his rights, and his duties. Education of the masses will result in social progress.
Judging from Rizal's social philosophy, it is not surprising that the Spanish friars and
government officials considered him a dangerous subversive. If he lived today, he would
discover that his social beliefs are identical with the philosophy of Philippines 2000, The
tragedy Of Jose Rizal is that he lived one hundred years too early for his time.

ENDNOTES

1. Pascual, Ricardo. The Philosophy of Rizal

(Manila: Pedro B. Ayuda and Company, 1962), 167.

2. Tomas Donato Andres, "What Were the Hero's Values?" in Jose Rizal: His Life & Times, Lourdes R. Quisumbing et al.
(Makati City: St. Paul Press, 1992), 55.

3. Pascual, 172.

4. "Letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt— Barcelona, August 1886," Some Letters and Essays of lose Rizal, comp. Victor San
Juan (Master's thesis, University of Eastern Mindanao, n.d.), 55.

5. "Letter of Rizal to the Filipinos—Hong Kong, June 20," ibid., 47.

6. Pascual, 157.
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7. Ibid., 154.

8. 'Message to the Young Women of Malolos," Quisumbing, 52.

9. Rafael Palma, Pride of the Malay Race, trans. Roman Ozaeta

(New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966), 254.

10. "The Philippines Within a Century," San Juan, 29.

11. "Letter to del Pilar—London, 1889," San Juan, 43.

12. "Instruction," San Juan, 34.

13. Palma, 179.

14.Ibid., 181.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ozaeta, Roman, trans. Pride of the Malay Race, by Rafael Palma.

New York: Prentice-Hali, Inc.,
Quisumbing, Lourdes, R. et al. Jose Rizal: His Life & Times. Makati City: st. Paul Press, 1992.

Ricardo, Pascual. The Philosophy. Manila: Pedro B. Ayuda and Company, 1962.

San Juan, Victor, comp. Some Letters and Essays of Jose Rizal. Master's thesis, University of Eastern Mindanao, n.d.

ACTIVITY 2.1
COMPREHENSION RESPONSE

1.A social philosophy is one's beliefs regarding certain areas of life. What areas does Rizal's philosophy touch in
the research paper? How did Rizal develop his philosophy?

2.Why was Rizal stimulated by the atmosphere in Europe during the nineteenth century? What new ideas in
Europe did Rizal not find in the Philippines during his time?

3.Explain Rizal's attitude regarding duties to one's family and the position of women in the home. What was his
suggestion to improve the physical and moral qualities of Filipinos?

4.Give examples to prove that a person is "an animal of circumstance."

5. Explain how an "aristocracy of education" is preferable to an "aristocracy of gold."

6. Discuss the kind of education Rizal envisioned regarding

a. the curriculum
b. the aim of education
c. the teacher

7.State the six ideas in Rizal's social philosophy.

LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

TEACHER’S NOTE
Now that you are done with reading the example of a literary research paper. It is now
your turn to start doing you own research paper. To start with we will discuss the basics of
Literary Research. Continue on reading and analyzing our next topics.

"The Social Philosophy of Jose Rizal" is a research report or literary research. When you
make a research report, you tell what information you got in reading and in asking people about
something that interested you. Writing a report does not mean copying from books. Unless you
do some thinking on your own, your time is wasted. That is why you should write about things that
interest you. When you are interested, you are eager to do some thinking and to learn all you can
about your topic.
You are going to prepare for and write a research paper of about four pages. Your paper
will be typed double-spaced on bond paper 81/2" x Il", with one-inch margins all around. You will
spend a week to do your paper.

Is a research paper similar to a report?

Although both papers depend on various sources, still, the former differs from the latter as
to the kind of data each presents.
A research presents facts and opinions of other people about a particular subject matter.
It also includes the researcher's own interpretations about these known facts. A report, too,
presents facts and opinions of others; however, it cannot claim that these opinions originally come
from the writer because some magazines, journals, and books have already published these facts
and opinions. This is where the main difference between these two papers lies.
The research paper gives you what other people think of a certain topic, plus what the
researcher thinks about this topic, while the report just presents facts and information about a
subject matter without adding something new to this existing body of facts and opinions. Further,
a genuine research paper does not only shed a new light on a subject by finding new facts and
opinions, but also aims at saying something original by re-evaluating or using these known facts
and opinions.

Steps in Writing a Research Paper

1. A research work involves the following related writing Stages:
2. Choosing a topic
3. Checking reference for your topic in the library
4. Narrowing down the topic
5. Preparing a preliminary bibliography for the paper
6. Reading diligently and taking down notes
7. Formulating a thesis statement
8. Writing an outline based on the thesis statement
9. Writing the draft of the paper
10. Documenting the paper or acknowledging sources of data
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
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Techniques for Writing a Research Paper

To produce a qualitative research paper, Reid (1998) suggests the following techniques:
1. Think of the objectives, the readers, and the appearance of your paper.
2. Give your topic the "best" and the latest data or information.
3. Prove the correctness of your data by revealing the exact identity of the sources of your
information.
4. Avoid. plagiarism by writing in the text and in the bibliography the names of the original owners
of copied, paraphrased, or summarized ideas,
5. Familiarize yourself with the following aspects of your school library — administrative
procedure, and catalogue, computer databases, microfilms, and library sections such as
Reference, Filipiniana, Reserve, Circulation, Periodical, and Archives.

Step 1: Choosing the Subject Matter or Topic of the Research Paper

In some cases, the teachers assign the topics for research work. But if you are given the
freedom to choose the topic, choose one that is interesting and useful. Since you will spend a
long time reading about your topic, you must then select a topic that is not burdensome, but
enjoyable. Basically, if you like the topic, you will be inspired to continue reading about this subject
matter.
The usefulness or importance of the paper is another thing you have to consider in
choosing your subject. Choose a topic that will be valuable or beneficial to the whole world.
You can choose a topic that is related to your course, favorite author, profession, or occupation.
Primary principles in choosing a topic:
1. Interest in the subject
2. Availability of materials
3. Limitations placed on the subject
4. Timeliness and relevance of the subject
Here’s a list of topics for a college research paper which should be avoided:
1. Controversial topics. These are topics that depend greatly on the writer’s opinion which
may tend to be biased or prejudicial. Topics like these cannot be supported by facts.

2. Highly technical subjects. For beginner, researching on topics that need advanced
study, technical knowledge, and great experience is a very difficult task.

3. Hard-to-investigate subjects. A subject is hard to investigate if there are no available

reading materials about it, and if these materials are not up-to-date.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

4. Too broad subjects. Topics that are too broad will prevent you to give a concentrated or
an in-depth analysis of the subject matter of the paper. The remedy to this is to narrow or
limit the topic to a smaller one.

5. Too narrow subjects. These subjects are so limited or specific that an extensive or
thorough searching or reading for information about these is not necessary.

6. Vague subjects. Choosing topics like these will prevent you from having a clear focus of
your paper. For example, a little beginning with some, as in "Some Remarkable fraits of a
Filipino" or "Some Effects of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program" is vague
enough to minimize the reader's interest and curiosity.

Step 2: Checking References for the Topic

After choosing a topic, find out if the libraries of your school and in other universities have
reading materials about your subject matter. You must do this right after choosing a topic to give
yourself a chance to change it in case the library has no available materials for your chosen topic.
In this step, you will not only determine the availability of the reading materials, but also the
timeliness of the book plus the qualifications or authority of the writers.
You can evaluate the authors' expertise on the topic by obtaining some information about
their educational attainment, work experience, and other activities in relation to the book they
have written. Further, you will know how credible their works are by the results of book analysis
or reviews conducted about them.
All criticisms on their books published in newspapers, magazines, or journals will serve as
your guide in deciding whether there's a need to include them in your bibliography.
In finding references for your topic, you may consult the following components of your
school library that specifically directs you to the right materials to read:
1. Traditional Catalogue
This is a cabinet made up of several small drawers containing index cards where the basic
information about each book housed in the library, like title, author, publishing place / year' and
call number are written. The drawers, as well as the cards in them, are arranged alphabetically
and are classified according into these three types of cards: author, title, and subject. The first
information you see on the topmost part of the card, say, the title of the book, or the name of the
author, tells you what type of card it is. Cards for fiction books which are fewer in number are filed
separately from non-fictions books.

2. Internet
Connecting the computer systems of people, institutions, organizations, or agencies all
over the world, this modern electronic tool called internet introduces you to an abundance of
knowledge about any topic under the sun. However, to reach a certain web having some
information about the object of your research, you have to use a search engine or a tool for
reaching your target web.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Here’s some websites that might help you with your research.

ERIC - Education Resources Information Center

https://eric.ed.gov

ResearchGate | Find and share research

https://www.researchgate.net

https://openlibrary.org/

https://www.rd.com/list/read-books-for-free-online/

There's one caution, however, that you have to heed regarding the use of these
electronic sources of information. Reid (1998) points out that not all you need to beef up the body
of your research paper can be provided by the computerized databases. He adds that it is still
advisable to turn to the library bookshelves for the reading materials on these for they can offer
more extensive information about a particular topic.

ACTIVITY 2.2
Exercise 1: Write the letter of the title of the reading material in Column B which you
should consult for a particular topic in Column A.

A. TOPICS B. BOOKS
__ 1. Reading comprehension skills a. Philippine Constitution
__ 2. A human body's digestive system b. Prose and Poetry
__ 3. The police power of the government c. Worshipping God
d. Mechanical Engineering
__ 4. Food preservation techniques
e. selling Skills
__ 5. Lyric poems f. Modern Guide to Health
__ 6. The 18th century buildings g. Introduction to Language
__ 7. Systemic functional grammar h. Home Economics
__ 8. Diesel Engines i. The History of Architecture
__ 9. The European protestants j. Man's Cognitive Faculties
__ 10. Inductive vs. deductive reasoning k. Pathway to Reading
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

ACTIVITY 2.2
Exercise 2: Check the best reading material for the given topic

1. The Use of the Library

__Improving Study Skills, c1972
__Improving Study Skills, c2005
__Improving Study Skills, c1998

2. Movie Acting Awards

__The Celebrity World by Atty. John P. Legarda
__The Movie Artist by Arch. Peter C. Manolo
__The Movie Stardom by Film Director Jim L. Sy

3. The Manila Regional Trial Courts

__Legal Court Proceedings by a Labor Law professor
__Trial Court Proceedings by a Supreme Court Justice
__Philippine Legal Courts by a Law graduate

4. Communicative-Functional Grammar
__Language Perspectives by Fe Y. Ramos (M. A. — Mass Communications)
__Introduction to Language by Dina S. Lara (Ph. D. — English Studies)
__Language Theories by Simon L. Alarcon (B.S.E. — English)

Step 3: Limiting the Subject

This step requires breaking down a big topic into a smaller one to give you more time to
discuss the subject matter thoroughly. Your failure to narrow the subject will result in superficial
knowledge about the topic.
Keep in mind that the significance of your paper depends on the completeness of the ideas
or facts presented in the paper. If the topic is too broad, it will demand more time to complete.
You need to limit the topic into a smaller one so you will have more time and space to discuss the
essential ideas about the topic. Being too ambitious about the information your paper can cover
may result in a report that resembles the icing of a cake.
However, in narrowing the focus of your study, you have to be careful that you do not
reduce it to such a specific topic that is so different from the general subject. In the example below,
study how the general subject — Reading — is narrowed down into the most specific topic.

Example: General Subject: READING

Narrowed: Developmental reading
Narrowed further: Factors affecting developmental reading
Narrowed further: Intangible factors affecting developmental reading
Narrowed further: Psychological factors affecting reading
Narrowed further: The effect of sensory experience of developmental reading
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

ACTIVITY 2.3
Exercise 2: Narrow down each of the following research general subjects you can
consider it as a good research topic.
1. General subject: Communications
Narrowed:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
2. General subject: Philippine Government

Narrowed:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:
Narrowed further:

Step 4: Preparing a Preliminary Bibliography

A preliminary bibliography is a list of the reading materials that you intended to read for
the substance of your paper. It is called preliminary because it can be changed- increased or
decreased- depending on the availability or appropriateness of the materials.
In preparing for your preliminary bibliography, you may use one of the two standards styles
of documenting the paper- the MLA( Modern Language Association) and the APA (American
Psychological Association).
Here are some examples of bibliograpgy cards:
1. Card for a book with one author

LB Lyerly, Ralph H.
2369
L94 The College Research Paper
New York: The World Publishing Co., 2008

2. Card for a book with two or three authors. Write the family name before the given name
only for the first one, leaving the second and third in their normal order.

LB Cruz, Dan; Tony Lee; A. F. Sanchez

2369
L94 The Research Paper in the Tertiary Level
Quezon City: Rex Publishing Company, 1999
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3. Annotated Bibliographies
You may prepare annotated bibliographies that do not only give basic information
about the books (author, title, year, publisher) but also concise description of what the
books are all about. Wyrick (2002) says annotated bibliographies are advantageous in the
following cases:
1. For an easier recall of specific data in each source;
2. For faster organization of data during the drafting stage;
3. For a clearer grasp of the completeness of source used to validate claims made
by the paper; and
4. For future reference of people interested in conducting further studies in your
paper.
Example of Annotated Bibliography

Bloor, John. The Writing Process: Focus on Pre-writing Strategies. New York: McGraw- Hill, 2002 pp.23-29

Bloor explains writing as a procedural act that involves three stages, namely: Pre-writing, Writing, and Post-
writing.

In a 10-page research paper will have a minimum of 10 sources for references.

TEACHERS NOTE:
At this point, you are required to choose a topic for your own Literary
Research Paper. In this course; LIT 108: Literary Research. You are required to
write a literary analysis paper in the following subject or topic:

1. Cultural identity
2. Education
3. Unity in diversity among Filipinos

ACTIVITY 2.4
1. What subject or topic did you choose for your research paper? Give 3
reasons why you choose this subject. Answer in a 3-paragraph essay.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Step 5: Reading and Taking Down Notes for the Paper

After preparing a working bibliography, you may begin gathering data from the library. To
get most of the reading materials, you have to perform these two skills diligently: functional and
study skills. Refer to the chart below.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Reading comprehension skills, locating and gathering information in the library,

interpreting graphic and pictorial materials, and organizing information are essential in
accomplishing your research paper.
In taking down notes for your research:

1. Know what kind of ideas you need to record

Focus your approach to the topic before you start detailed research. Then you will read
with a purpose in mind, and you will be able to sort out relevant ideas.
First, review the commonly known facts about your topic, and also become aware of the
range of thinking and opinions on it. Review your class notes and textbook and browse in an
encyclopaedia or other reference work.
Try making a preliminary list of the subtopics you would expect to find in your reading.
These will guide your attention and may come in handy as labels for notes.
Choose a component or angle that interests you, perhaps one on which there is already
some controversy. Now formulate your research question. It should allow for reasoning as well
as gathering of information—not just what the proto-Iroquoians ate, for instance, but how valid
the evidence is for early introduction of corn. You may even want to jot down a tentative thesis
statement as a preliminary answer to your question. (See Using Thesis Statements.)
Then you will know what to look for in your research reading: facts and theories that help
answer your question, and other people’s opinions about whether specific answers are good
ones.
2. Don’t write down too much
Your essay must be an expression of your own thinking, not a patchwork of borrowed ideas. Plan
therefore to invest your research time in understanding your sources and integrating them into
your own thinking. Your note cards or note sheets will record only ideas that are relevant to your
focus on the topic; and they will mostly summarize rather than quote.
Copy out exact words only when the ideas are memorably phrased or surprisingly
expressed—when you might use them as actual quotations in your essay.
Otherwise, compress ideas in your own words. Paraphrasing word by word is a waste of
time. Choose the most important ideas and write them down as labels or headings. Then fill in
with a few subpoints that explain or exemplify.
Don’t depend on underlining and highlighting. Find your own words for notes in the margin
(or on “sticky” notes).
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3. Label your notes intelligently

Whether you use cards or pages for note-taking, take notes in a way that allows for later
use.
Save bother later by developing the habit of recording bibliographic information in a master
list when you begin looking at each source (don’t forget to note book and journal information on
photocopies). Then you can quickly identify each note by the author’s name and page number;
when you refer to sources in the essay you can fill in details of publication easily from your master
list. Keep a format guide handy (see Documentation Formats).
Try as far as possible to put notes on separate cards or sheets. This will let you label the
topic of each note. Not only will that keep your notetaking focused, but it will also allow for grouping
and synthesizing of ideas later. It is especially satisfying to shuffle notes and see how the
conjunctions create new ideas—yours.
Leave lots of space in your notes for comments of your own—questions and reactions as
you read, second thoughts and cross-references when you look back at what you’ve written.
These comments can become a virtual first draft of your paper.

Step 6: Formulating a Thesis Statement

Similar to the topic sentence of a paragraph, a Thesis Statement of a

research paper is a one-sentence statement that expresses controlling or main
idea of the paper. Veit, Goulds, and Clifford (1990) describes it as a "single unifying theme,
one that will help th researcher focus himself on a goal, and prevent him from going away from
his main topic." It keeps the researcher from "incorporating unrelated details" to arrive at the core
or essence of the paper (Magpayo et al., 1996). On the part of Edwald (quoted by Magpayo et
ql., 1996), he points out that this controlling idea is grammatically and semantically constructed
to convey the subject matter of the composition and the perceptions of the writer towards this
topic. Just one sentence — simple, compound, or complex — is sufficient to contain these two
components of a thesis statement: topic and central theme or main idea of the paper. (Reinking,
Example:

TOPIC — Electronic Tools for Communication

THESIS STATEMENT - The introduction of various electronic tools for communication will bring
about easier, faster, and global exchange of worldviews among members of society

These two, topic and thesis statement, though related with each other, are not
synonymous or exactly the same in meaning. The former means the subject matter of the text;
the latter, the central theme, the main idea, or the message of the selection.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

To have a better understanding of the difference between these two, study the following
additional example*
SELECTION TOPIC THESIS STATEMENT
1. Cinderella (fairy tale) the rise of a poor girl Practice hope, humility,
from rags to riches patience, and perseverance to
succeed in life.
2. Titanic (movie) love between a man and a A true lover can sacrifice his life
woman for his loved one

3. Trees (lyric) the essence of a tree Take care of trees for they are
beneficial to mankind.
4. Literature and Society the link between society Literary pieces must be
(essay) instrumental in the
improvement of society.
5. On His Blindness (sonnet) Serving and thanking God The best way to serve and
thank God is to bear one’s
problems patiently.

Where in your research paper should this one-sentence thesis statement stay?
Wyrick (2002) states that being the "most valuable organization tool," the thesis statement
should be placed before the body of the paper. Further, he says that the formulation of this kind
of statement is not a "one shot deal," but a recurrent act in the writing process. Claiming that
writing a research paper is discovering something, he believes in the reasonableness of changing
a thesis statement at any stage of the writing process. He says that depending on your discoveries
in the course of the research work, you may revise or modify the thesis statement you formulated
in the initial stage of the research activity.
To come out with a good thesis statement, keep in mind the following guidelines given by
Wyrick (2002) and Veit, Goulds, and Clifford (1990).

1. Have a general view of your topic.

Answer this question, what is the focus or main purpose of my paper?
2. Change your general understanding into a more specific idea.
Answer this question: how you can express the main point of this in just one sentence?
This ultimate sentence will serve as your thesis statement to which you will anchor all the
parts of your paper.
3. Have your thesis statement express only one main idea.
There are many related ideas in your paper, but all of these must be geared towards one
principal idea that will serve as the core or essence of your thesis statement.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

4. Express these two in your thesis statement: Topic and Main Idea of the paper.

A good thesis statement informs the reader of what the paper is all about and what effect
this topic has on the whole world.

5. Let your thesis statement express the main ideas universally valuable and interesting.
Your research paper should have intellectual and aesthetic appeal.
6. Fit or limit your thesis statement to the scope of your paper.

REMEMBER!
TOPIC+MAIN IDEA= THESIS STATEMENT

ACTIVITY 2.5
1. Applying Step 6, write the thesis statement of your Literary Research Paper.
Submit it on or before April 22, 2022 so that I can check it and give you immediate
feedback.

Step 7: Writing an Outline Based on the Thesis Statement

An outline is the skeleton of your essay, in which you list the arguments and subtopics in
a logical order. A good outline is an important element in writing a good paper. An outline helps
to target your research areas, keep you within the scope without going off-track, and it can also
help to keep your argument in good order when writing the essay. Once your outline is in good
shape, it is much easier to write your paper; you've already done most of the thinking, so you just
need to fill in the outline with a paragraph for each point.

To write an outline:
The most common way to write an outline is the list format. List all the major topics and
subtopics with the key points that support them. Put similar topics and points together and arrange
them in a logical order. Include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
A list outline should arrange the main points or arguments in a hierarchical structure
indicated by Roman numerals for main ideas (I, II, III...), capital letters for subtopics (A, B, C...),
Arabic numerals for details (1,2,3...), and lower-case letters for fine details if needed (a,b,c...).
This helps keep things organized.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Here is a shortened example of an outline:

Introduction: background and thesis statement

Body
I. First topic
A. Point A
1. Supporting evidence
2. Supporting evidence
a. Detail
II. Second Topic
III. Third Topic
Conclusion
I. Summarize the main points of your paper
II. Restate your thesis in different words
III. Make a strong final statement

Other examples
Decimal Outline
1.0 Choose Desired College
1.1 Visit and evaluate college campuses
1.2 Visit and evaluate college websites
1.2.1 Look for interesting classes
1.2.2 Note important statistics
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Alphanumeric Outline
THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS
I. CHOOSE DESIRED COLLEGES
A. Visit and evaluate college campuses
B. Visit and evaluate college websites
1. Look for interesting classes
2. Note important statistics
II. PREPARE APPLICATION
A. Write personal statement
1. Choose interesting topic
a. Describe an influential person in your life
(1) Favorite high school teacher
(2) Grandparent
b. Describe a challenging life event
2. Include important personal details
a. Volunteer work
b. Participation in varsity sports
B. Revise personal statement
III. COMPILE RÉSUMÉ
A. List relevant coursework
B. List work experience
C. List volunteer experience
1. Tutor at foreign language summer camp
2. Counselor for suicide prevention hotline
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Full Sentence Outline

I. Man-made pollution is the primary cause of global warming.
A. Greenhouse gas emissions are widely identified by the scientific community to be
harmful.
1. The burning of coal and fossil fuels are the primary releasers of hazardous
greenhouse gases.
Full sentence outlines are often accompanied with an APA reference list on a separate
page. Quotes within the outline must also utilize APA in-text citations.
ACTIVITY 2.6
1. Submit an outline of your Literary Research Paper by last week of April.

Step 8: Writing the Rough Draft

A rough draft is a version of your paper that is complete but not polished. It's a good idea to
write an outline before starting your rough draft, to help organize your ideas and arguments.
Here are the steps you can take to write your rough draft:

1. Choose a topic
2. Find information
• Identify the issues related to your topic
• Locate books, articles, and reports that give you background information and more

3. Create and state your thesis

4. Organize your thoughts and notes
5. Make an outline
6. Find more information, this time find content that supports your points
7. Write your introduction
8. Write the body of the paper
9. Write the conclusion of the paper

The purpose of a rough draft is to allow you to write your paper in the form described above and
then edit it or revise it, based on feedback from me, your course LIT 108 Teacher. Getting feedback
on your draft allows you to create a better paper and to become a stronger writer.
For your guidance in making your rough draft, you may visit
https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/32520.
ACTIVITY 2.7
1. Submit the rough draft of your research paper by May 1st week.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

Step 9: Acknowledge Sources of Data (Documenting the Paper)

In LIT 108 we will use APA Style for your papers.

What is APA Style?
When documenting sources, writers of research papers use a particular citation style. APA
(American Psychological Association) Style is generally used for disciplines such as Psychology,
Sociology, Education, Nursing, Communication, and other social sciences.

APA Citation Quick Guide

Information from:
American Psychological Association. (2005). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

What You Will Need

Here is a table of what you will need for every source consulted:

Write down this information for each source as you take notes during your research. This will
help immensely when you are ready to write the paper.

In-Text Citation Format

When you are including a citation in the body of your paper, use the following format. Do not use
this format for the citation list at the end of your paper.
● Short Quotations – Include the Author's last name, the year of publication, and the
page number you are quoting from. Introduce the quotation with a phrase like “According to...” or
“Smith says that...” and follow it with the year of publication in parentheses. Include the page
number in parentheses after the quote.
● Long Quotations – For quotes longer than 40 words, start the quote on a new line
and indent five spaces from the left margin for the duration of the quote. For this kind of quotation,
you do not need quote marks as the indention serves as indication that this is a quote. Include the
page number in parentheses after the quote.
● Summaries and Paraphrases – Introduce the paraphrase with “According to...” or “Smith says
that...”. It is not necessary to include a page number, though you still can if you want to.

Examples:
According to Baker (2008), plagiarism “could result in a lower or failing grade and even in your
expulsion from university.” (p. 3)
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

In his 2008 presentation, Baker states:

In essence, when you quote or paraphrase from somebody else's work without citing it, you are
plagiarizing their work. Plagiarism is a serious matter, and could result in a lower or failing grade and
even in your expulsion from university. Just rewording your work isn't enough to avoid plagiarism. Since
you are still borrowing information heavily from another writer, you still need to include a citation. (p. 3)
Plagiarism could get you kicked out of school or make you fail your class. (Baker, 2008)

The Reference List

Formatting - Remember that your reference list, like your paper, should be double-spaced. Your
references should use a hanging indent: That is, every line but the first in each reference should be
indented. Sort your entries alphabetically by the authors' or editors' last names.
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
MIDTERM
Module 2
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.1
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
MIDTERM
Module 2
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________

Activity 2.2
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
MIDTERM
Module 2
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.3
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
MIDTERM
Module 2
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
3. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
4. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.4
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
Midterm
Module 1
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.5
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
Prelim
Module 1
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.6
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE, INC.

Sison, Maitum, Sarangani
College Department
Prelim
Module 1
ACTIVITY SHEET LIT 108: Literary Research
NAME:
Instruction:
1. Write neatly and legibly using blue or black pen.
2. Use extra sheet of short bond paper if needed and attach it to this worksheet.
Date/Time: __________ Score: _________
Activity 2.7
LIT 108- MODULE 2: Midterm and Final
2ND Year BA

https://libguides.ucmerced.edu/c.php?g=425381&p=2905597
https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/researching/notes-from-research/
https://butte.libguides.com/ResearchPaper/thesis
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/0
https://www.esc.edu/online-writing-center/resources/research/research-paper-steps/documenting-sources/
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/repository/files/the-documented-essay/guides-to-research-and-writing-from-
sources/General-guidelines.pdf