Assignment Learning Goals

For each student:

• To practice using the research resources available through FGCU's library, including electronic databases, WebLUIS, and the World Wide Web.
• To conduct thoughtful research on "science and literature" connections in the nineteenth century.
• To write a well-focused, well-organized research summary to share with the class.

• To build a class resource of research information about the points of relationship between scientific and literary authors/discourses in the nineteenth century.
• To provide helpful starting points for further research toward the final research paper and presentation.

Instructions

1. As a class, we will select authors to investigate. Each learner will do research on the author they have selected. That research will explore the author's role as a scientist (or literary author) and the points of connection between that author's work and "the other side" (relationship to science and scientists of literary authors, relationship to literary aims and literary figures of scientists). Insofar as it is possible, the learner's interests will dictate the nature of the project.

2. Using WebLuis, the electronic databases, and other available research resources, find at least twelve articles, book chapters, or internet resources that offer useful information about your selected author. Create a list of these sources, and send it to me for review and comment (via email or hand delivery) as soon as possible. Begin skimming these sources and shaping your ideas about the project.

3. Prepare an annotated bibliography of at least six sources (culled from your initial twelve--the "best" or most helpful). This will serve as a detailed point of reference for the class. Keep your entries relatively short (a short paragraph), but be sure to identify the main ideas presented in each source and to articulate the reasons each source is helpful.

4. Write a 3-5 page summary of your findings. The summary must include (1) an explanation of your research "angle" and your principles of source selection (first 1-2 paragraphs), (2) a clear summary of what you found in your research (body of paper), and (3) an analysis of the relevance of your findings for our "mission" (understanding the relationship between science and literature in the nineteenth century) (final 1-2 paragraphs).

Criteria for Evaluation:

These essays will be judged by our criteria for good academic writing:

FOCUS (The summary must be well-focused by a particular research aim).

CLARITY (The summary must be clearly written and understandable by your classmates throughout. If they MUST be used, jargon and technical terms must be explained fully).

ACCURACY (The summary must give an accurate account of the articles or chapters being summarized).

COMPLETENESS (The summary must be 3-5 pages in length. An annotated bibliography of at least 6 sources must be attached).

QUALITY OF ANALYSIS (The summary must pick out and stress the main ideas of the articles or chapters, and relate them into an overview of the research issue being explored.)

QUALITY OF SYNTHESIS (The summary must be well-organized and show effective synthesis of the ideas presented).