Essay Two Instructions

In addition to the skills already covered, this essay requires you to conduct research and use information from outside sources to formulate and support your claims. This assignment is similar to one you might encounter in a class like art history, sociology, or history; your writing should, therefore, adopt an academic tone, and your research should be conducted with as much objectivity as possible. (Objective research involves trying to discover the answer to a question through an unbiased examination of all available evidence--rather than simply searching for evidence to support a claim you already believe to be true.)

Your assignment is to write a 1200-1500 word essay, using an artwork from the Zanesville Museum of Art as a point of departure to pose and (at least tentatively) answer a question of some academic merit.

Below are some suggested steps:

1. Identify a work from the ZMA that intrigues you in some way. Your interest may be based on the artist, the work or its style, the subject, the historical context, or some other aspect of the work.  
2. Conduct preliminary research on whatever intrigues you. At this point, any type of source material is suitable. Narrow your focus until you can pose a suitable research question: one that is sufficiently challenging, narrow, and grounded. See page 332 in the handbook.
3. Continue your research, gathering as much information as possible that pertains to your question. Begin limiting your sources to those that meet the criteria for credibility. See the "Evaluating Sources" in the handbook, beginning on page 346. Be sure to record all information needed for documentation. 
4. Analyze your findings and formulate a working thesis (the answer to your research question). This should meet the criteria described in the handbook, beginning on page 16.
5. Begin to organize your examples. Sketch a brief outline, recalling that your goal is to provide effective support for your thesis. Revise your outline as necessary.
6. As you begin drafting, pay attention to how you integrate source material. Be sure to make effective choices relating to paraphrases, quotations, and summaries. Ensure that your in-text citations conform to MLA guidelines (see p. 389).
7. After completing your draft, do your best to forget about it for a day or two. When you return, reread the essay and evaluate its effectiveness in articulating and supporting its thesis. Revise as necessary.
8. Compile your bibliographic information and create your works cited page. Remember, each in-text citation must correspond to a works-cited entry.
9. Proofread your essay. 

This essay is due on Wednesday October 22.