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Note that the information here applies specifically to those students who choose to write on topics covered by Philip Holden: students wishing to write for Ismail Talib may wish to consult him for further guidance.

Research Essay

Write a research essay on a topic of your choice focusing on one of the texts discussed in the module, indicating the manner in which the text explores a specific issue of relevance to contemporary Singapore.

The research essay allows you to explore one or more of the texts studied on this module in greater depth. You're given greater freedom here than in many modules to devise a topic, and for this reason you need to start planning and researching your essay earlier in the semester. For that reason, the assignment has been split into two parts. You will first write a proposal outlining your initial plan for your essay, and receive feedback from your tutor on it. Following the feedback, you may then continue to write the essay, consulting with your tutor when and if necessary.

You are strongly discouraged from changing your topic radically after the proposal unless your tutor recommends it. It is best to put a fair bit of work into getting the right proposal, even though you will produce it early in the semester. In order to see if you would like to work on a book we will discuss later in the semester, skim-read the upcoming reading, and then read any work you find interesting closely.

Note that "text" indicates a fairly lengthy text, not a single short story. If you wish to work on the Straits Chinese, you will need to work on a number of texts: if you want to write on Maugham or Clifford you will need to look at a short story collections of which the stories we've looked at form a part. You can also make a major theoretical text covered central to your discussion, applying it to a Singaporean text which we haven't looked at in the module.

You should not substantially repeat material to covered in the presentation.

Proposal

Due Friday 20 February

Note that if you do not submit your proposal on time you risk a delay in receiving feedback and lower marks on the final assignment.

Suggested Length: 400-500 words

The purpose in presenting your proposal is for you to get feedback from your tutor that your project is focused, and to obtain suggestions regarding how to proceed further in your research. Each proposal should therefore contain:

1. Proposed Title

2. Two to three paragraph description of research topic in which you mention the topic. Format this as a letter to your tutor, and include the following information:

1. The text(s) you'll work on and why you're interested in it or them.
2. What research question(s) you will work on in relation to the text.
3. What preliminary secondary reading you have done to give your question more focus? Note that this secondary reading does not have to be on the writer him or herself, but should be relevant to your topic. Doing a little exploratory reading before you give your proposal to your tutor will greatly enhance the quality of your proposal and the feedback you can expect
4. How in particular can your tutor help you? Try to be smart here--rather than writing "there's nothing at all on Kuo Pao Kun--what should I read?" it is much better if you show a knowledge of some secondary sources already, and ask more precise questions.

3. Brief research bibliography--probably ten items, including the text you will be studying. Avoid "padding" this with the titles of articles or books which are only peripheral to your study.

4. You should use proper scholastic conventions in the proposal: title, MLA style, with parenthetical citations if you quote, and the bibliography should be properly formatted. For a detailed account of MLA style see:

• NUS Library Website
• Diana Hacker's Website.

Final Assignment

Due on Friday 2 April

Suggested Length: 3,000--4,000 Words

Assessment criteria

Take as your model a short article publishable in an international refereed postcolonial studies journal such as Jouvert. We don't expect you to reach this standard yet, but it is worth aiming for. Many published articles have the following features, although note that writers with a particular rationale for not following expectations may well choose to adapt, or even depart from them.

1. Use of well-chosen and well-integrated secondary and primary material you have found in your own research.

2. Thorough application of and interrogation of critical and historical material.

3. A sense of individual voice and distinctiveness in the paper.

4. A clear research question, and a clear argumentative structure.

5. Smooth and integrated use of well-chosen quotation.

6. Use of proper scholastic conventions: title, MLA style, with parenthetical citations, presence of a "Works Cited" list listing at least the literary work itself. For a detailed account of MLA style see:

• NUS Library Website
• Diana Hacker's Website. There's a very useful sample paper in Adobe Acrobat [.pdf] format here.

Last updated: 18 November, 2003