ENGL 100 - Sanchez - Spring 2021: Informative Research Essay

Step 1: Familiarize Yourself with Your Subject with Background Reading

Begin your project by doing some background reading on your topic. Preliminary reading helps you do all the following: 

• achieve a basic understanding of your problem
• begin to identify interesting specific questions that will form the backbone of your research; and
• start to acquire vital search terms you need in order to explore your subject more fully. 

Background Reading for this Assignment

To prepare for Unit 3, you should have read Melody K. Milbrandt’s “Understanding the Role of Art in Social Movements and Transformation” at the beginning of Readers’ Club (also available below as download). In Milbrandt’s article, she discusses how art can inspire and be inspired by social movements. Be prepared to use this as a main source to begin your research essay.

For the purposes of this assignment, you will be researching specific art or art movements that have inspired social movements or have been inspired by social movements. Specifically, this research will be an extension of one social movement you read during Readers’ Club by examining that social movement and one work of art connected to that social movement. This research will focus on what creating change looks like through art and what it might mean for the future. Examples of works of art can include: 1) paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any visual arts, 2) books, short stories, or poetry, 3) films or television series, or 4) music in the form of songs, albums, or visual albums.
 

You'll DEFINITELY be reading about one of these social movements. Here they are, with some suggested background readings to skim. 

• Climate change movements
  • "Environmental Justice" in Encyclopedia of American Civil Rights and Liberties, Revised and Expanded
  • "Global Warming" from The Gale Encyclopedia of Science (Vol. 3. 6^th ed., 2021)
  • "Environmental Activism in Music" from Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories That Shaped Our Culture
  • "Environmental Changes and Music" from Music in American Life: An Encyclopedia of the Songs, Styles, Stars, and Stories That Shaped Our Culture 
  • "Environmental Art" in Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy
• International Women’s Day or women’s rights movements
  • "International Women’s Day March 8" from Women in the American Political System: An Encyclopedia of Women as Voters, Candidates, and Office Holders
  • "Feminism and Women’s Rights" from Youth Cultures in America
  • "Feminism, Women's Rights" from America in the World, 1776 to the Present: A Supplement to the Dictionary of American History
  • "Women in the Arts and Literature" in Celebrating Women in American History (Vol. 5: Modern Feminist Movements and Contemporary Issues, 1961 to the Present). 
• Day of Silence
  • "Activists in College" in The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies
  • "Day of Silence" from Wikipedia
  • "Young People are Powerful: GLSEN’s Day of Silence and Your Right to Protest" at Lambda Legal
• Afrofuturism
  • "Afrofuturism" in St. James Encyclopedia of Hip Hop Culture
  • "African American Science Fiction" in Ethnic American Literature: An Encyclopedia for Students
  • "Afrofuturism" in Encyclopedia of African American Music
  • Afrofuturism : The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture
• Latinxfuturism/Chicanxfuturism
  • "Chicano/a Art and Folklore" in Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions
  • "Chicanafuturism" from Wikipedia 
• LGBTQ Rights
  • "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Movements" from American Governance
  • Intro from LGBTQ Americans in the U.S. Political System: An Encyclopedia of Activists, Voters, Candidates, and Officeholders
  • "Graffiti and Graphic Art" in Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History
• Black Lives Matter
  • "Black Lives Matter" from African American History (Vol. 3)
  • "Black Lives Matter" from Racial & Ethnic Relations in America
  • "Black Music" in Black Power Encyclopedia: From "Black Is Beautiful" to Urban Uprisings

Databases

Here are some reference books and specialized encyclopedias that are contained in the Gale and EBSCO eBook databases. 

Find sources on the topics that you identified in Step 1.

• Do a comprehensive search utilizing all the sources below; leave no stone unturned
• Print/save/email the sources you find as you go to avoid backtracking
• Read your sources several times, highlighting relevant information and making notes as you go.
• If you find sources that will help others in your team, SHARE THEM.
• If you have trouble finding the appropriate type or number of sources: MEET WITH A RESEARCH LIBRARIAN

• Make an appointment with Writing Center staff at least once. They will help you get started, proceed, and/or finish. This is a free service that you should always utilize to maximize your success.
• Utilize the MJC Library & Learning Center's FORMAT & CITE page to aid with MLA. A research librarian can provide face-to-face assistance with formatting and citing as well. 

Citation Examples and Template:

 Each citation in your list of works cited is composed of elements common to most works. These are called the MLA core elements. They are assembled in a specific order as shown to the right.

Use the links below to see examples of source citations and practice using one of the templates.

If you don't find what you need below, check out the MLA's, Ask the MLA.

Printable Handouts:

Citation Examples by Format:

Specific Citation Examples:

Created by the Modern Language Association, MLA is most often used by the Humanities, which includes languages, literature, philosophy, visual & performing arts.