Monsters Conference: Getting Started Core 155 Michael O’Rourke

As you work on your Conference Paper as both an individual and in your groups, you should:

1) START NOW! The sooner you start, the easier the assignment will be. The later, the harder. Yes, you can write some papers in one night; this isn't one of them.

2) GET AND STAY FOCUSED. Make sure that you approach your topic in a manner relevant to the key concepts taught in this class. Specifically:

· Review the "Course Description", "Course Goals", and "General Course Objectives, Content" found at the top of the general syllabus. A major element of this assignment will be your ability to apply these concepts to your topic, paper and presentation.

· Review Thinking About Monsters: A Rubric.

· Consult the Monsters We Make Library Guide.

Together, these sources should help you focus and direct your approach. When unclear whether your approach and paper fits these general guidelines and goals, ask your professor. Perhaps the best summary is: "Application of this information will help the student identify the societal, political, and cultural mechanisms used to influence and shape contemporary conceptions of the monster in the real world." Keep asking yourself: does my paper do this? (hint: the answer should be "yes"!)

3) RESEARCH INTELLIGENTLY Begin compiling sources and developing a working bibliography. Print online sources, or at least print key pages you plan to cite. Bookmark and keep track of all bibliographic material; you cannot use sources you do not cite. You will need to include a Works Cited page with your paper and submit an annotated bibliography with your outline; it is always easiest to begin and maintain a bibliography/works cited list as you research rather than after you are done writing the paper.This is a good time to begin developing your Online Portfolio; you can create links to any web sites relevant to your topic. Bookmark, note and link cites you don't even plan on citing directly.

4) WRITE ETHICALLY Review the definition of plagiarism.

5) START NOW! As soon as possible, begin pre-writing your essay:

· Develop a working thesis. Your essay must be thesis driven. You will most likely change your thesis a number of times by the time the paper is finished. That's ok; you still want to start with a relatively clear thesis so that your research is focused.

· "Chunk" your essay into subtopics or "mini-chapters". Aside from an Introduction and Conclusion, what three or four main points to you hope to explore and/or prove in your paper? Give each of these points a heading and then realize you'll write two or three pages per heading/sub-topic. This should alleviate much of the stress of writing a long paper, help you focus your research, and help you outline the overall essay. Try doing your outlining both on paper and on the computer.

6) BECOME A TEAM Co-ordinate and share with your group. The purpose of the group is to make your research more effective, so take advantage of and help each other. Share sources (see Online Portfolio above; email links to one another etc). Help each other stay on task; if it seems someone in your group is not meeting the guideline discussed above, tell them. Tell your professor.