Paper Writing

[macwilkin]

I still hold to my original idea.

"question" Is it possible to discover who in my familial background first wore a kilt?"

This opens so many avenues to tie in, it should write itself, and when you are done, you will have learned something, not just done a paper. I hold three degrees and I know what I am talking about.

Areas of tie-in: Kilt, Geneology, History, Fashion, Conflict, Familial divergence, Imigration, etc etc.

Remember, we are still only talking 12 pages!

Hmmm...If it were me teaching the class, I might accept this proposal for some sort of speech, but given the amount of genealogical research alone, which does take some time to gather sources & information, I would probably suggest to the student to research something more "concrete" in terms of academic resources.

As you say, it is a 12-page paper for a English Comp II class. If anything, this topic is probably too broad for the class.

T.

[The Supreme Canuck]

Have you heard of Jstor? It's an online repository of journal articles in just about every field imaginable. Jstor.org. You should be able to log on from your college's network, or through your college's proxy if you have one.

[berserkbishop]

I really like the idea of using Braveheart Vs. The Bruce in a history Vs. Hollywood. Teachers seem to eat up comparison and contrast and it is a pretty specific topic. . . 12 pages should be pretty easy and fitting. . . I am going to head into the library and see what cajunscot can help help me dig up after class. Oh and I am kilted today, btw. Thanks to all for the help!

Bishop

[macwilkin]

I really like the idea of using Braveheart Vs. The Bruce in a history Vs. Hollywood. Teachers seem to eat up comparison and contrast and it is a pretty specific topic. . . 12 pages should be pretty easy and fitting. . . I am going to head into the library and see what cajunscot can help help me dig up after class. Oh and I am kilted today, btw. Thanks to all for the help!

Bishop

I'll pull what we have...Mackay's biography of William Wallace comes to mind, but you may need to go down the street to Drury...I know they have Allan Young's In the footsteps of William Wallace, which is a good resource.

And yes, we do have JSTOR.

T.

[The Supreme Canuck]

Well, good. Saved my life more than once, quite frankly.

[Erisianmonkey]

Ah, research papers. Every time I wrote one, I would start looking at a blank screen wondering how to fill those pages up. Then near the end I'd sit there wondering how to trim it to keep it within the upper limit. The thing to remember about twelve pages of a college research paper is that since it's probably double spaced it's really only six. (Which makes things seem easier at the start, but then you start hitting that upper limit.)

[Rex_Tremende]

Ah, research papers. Every time I wrote one, I would start looking at a blank screen wondering ...

Ah, blank screens...

I remember whenever I used to start one, it was hours of staring at blank blue-lined paper...

Regards,
Old Rex.

[pipesndrumsnun]

AND, if you are crazy like me, you'll get three more degrees so you can have the joy of writing research papers for years to come!

[The Supreme Canuck]

Heh. I just handed a paper in yesterday with a 6 page limit. That took some careful paring.

[andyfg]

Couple of suggestions. I think if you are looking at all at the making of Scottish tradition then you need to look at Hugh Trevor-Roper's work. He has a chapter on the making of highland tradition in "The Invention of Tradition" by Hobsawn and Ranger. He also has a new book by Yale U. Press "The Invention of Scotland" coming out in 2008 (too late for you, I'm afraid). He debunks a lot of myth-making! Hope that helps.