RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Unit I

Research in Literature:

• Meaning and Scope of Research  (MLA Handbook p. 3)
• Literary Research as ‘Vocation’  (Altick  pp. 15-18)
• Primary and Secondary Sources  (MLA Handbook  p. 3)
• ‘Finding Materials’  (Altick  pp. 155-160)
• Identifying the research area/ selecting a topic, narrowing the focus  (MLA Handbook  pp. 6-7)
• The Research Paper as a form of Exploration         (MLA Handbook  pp. 3-5)
• The Research Paper as a form of Communication  (MLA Handbook  p. 5)  

Unit II

Resources:

• Libraries (MLA Handbook  pp. 8-9)
• Internet for web sources  (MLA Handbook  pp. 24-26 & 28-31)
• Research centres, multimedia resources, etc.  (MLA Handbook  pp. 24-31)

Unit III

The Process of Critical Reading:

• Preparing cards (for Notes: MLA Handbook pp. 38-40  &  for Bibliography: pp. 31-33)
• Close reading
• Making notes  (Altick, pp. 205-218)

Unit IV

Writing a Research Proposal/Paper:

• Outlining (MLA Handbook  pp. 41-46)
• The Philosophy of Composition (organizing material/ ideas, developing an argument, coherence and cohesion)       (Altick  pp.  220-21, 223-25, 227-30, 233, 236-37, 242-44, & 246)

                                                                       Unit V

Documentation:

• Use of quoted material/ citing sources in the text  (MLA Handbook  pp. 213-232)
• Plagiarism  (MLA Handbook  pp. 52-58)
• Preparing the list of works cited  (MLA Handbook  pp. 123-212)
• Compiling a Working Bibliography (MLA Handbook  pp. 31-33