essay showing the correlation on How does Major Barbara play connects to today’s discussion about whether wealthy people and big companies should be responsible for helping society? I need to comapre and contrast from back then to today. I need crediable soureses and tp describe the plas well.
In an effort to imitate the reality of how research papers are really assigned in the university system, the assignment
itself is very vague. It’s up to you to identify a specific topic that fits within the parameters of the assignment; to
research that topic; then to come up with a clear, arguable thesis; and, finally, to use your research to prove the
thesis.
We’re going to do it on Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw. Major Barbara was first produced in London
in 1905.
A very old, very British play may seem like an odd choice as the topic for a research paper, but it was intended
to explore real–world issues. It makes many claims and is, in fact, presenting an argument (in fact, several), but in a
different medium than you may be used to.
For this paper, you are going to select one issue that Shaw raises through his drama, research it today, and
present an argument about whether or not what Shaw is arguing is still the case today (properly supporting your
argument for what the case today really is). For example, if you were to find an issue in the play about conservation
of natural resources (you won’t, by the way), you would analyze what Shaw has to say about it, research what’s
going on in the field today, and then decide if what Shaw says is still accurate or relevant today.
This assignment is most interesting if you do it on something you, personally, find interesting or have a pre–
existing knowledge of. The play intersects many different disciplines, so there should be something in it for
everyone.
Don’t fall into the trap of deciding what you’re going to prove and then looking for research that backs up your
preconception. Rather, if something seems wrong (or right), dig into it with an open mind, prepared to have your
preconception disproven. If you had that reaction, other readers have, too, so your research and input is valuable
even if you end up discovering that your original idea was completely wrong.
Here’s the workflow:
1. Find something in the play that a reader would need to know more about. Figure out how you might go
about researching it. (It may help to think about the “ways to respond” from earlier in the course.)
2. Post a research proposal (covered later in the course) so I know what you’re working on.
3. Do the additional research. Come to a conclusion about what’s going on today and whether or not Shaw’s
version of things is still (or ever was) accurate.
4. Write an annotated bibliography with a thesis proposal (covered later in the course)
5. Write the paper and prove your thesis with the additional research you have done.
Paper Requirements:
• Follow all the instructions.
• 2500–3000 words (approximately 10–12 pages in MLA format, excluding the Works Cited page and any
figures, appendices, etc.)
• MLA format
• Proper citations with a correct Works Cited page.
• Your paper needs to be well structured, with an introduction, body, and a conclusion. It must include well–
formed paragraphs and must utilize clear, Standard–English prose.
• Your paper must have a thesis that is a response to Major Barbara. Since you will be responding to the
play throughout the paper, you will need to reference it thoroughly and frequently.
• You must have a minimum of three outside sources (in addition to Major Barbara) that are appropriate for
an academic paper. Try to use recent, peer–reviewed works to determine what is currently going on in the
field.
• This is a research–based paper, so the emphasis will be on the facts and findings of others, but it remains an
“I say” exercise in that you will be using those facts and findings to prove something that others haven’t
proven before (specifically, its connection to Shaw).
• The final essay must not contain annotations in the Works Cited page.
• Your paper must be plagiarism and AI–free.
– ENGL 101 section 78362, Fall 2024– 2/2
How to Get an A:
Even in a longer paper like this, a thesis is clear, specific, and narrow. ” Shaw’s argument about such–and–such also
applies to…” or “Shaw’s portrayal of such–and–such is no longer relevant because…” works a lot better than “A lot
has changed since 1905 ” as a thesis. Focus, focus, focus!
The best research papers incorporate research in surprising ways — that is to say, they don’t just look for
obvious sources; instead, they use research that may not connect in obvious ways, but they explain the connections
clearly and effectively, so the reader walks away forever seeing the importance of the source. (For example, in a
paper about food scarcity, a source about climate change may not obviously connect. However, food production is a
source of greenhouse emissions, and therefore such a source may be a very appropriate one for such a paper.)
I strongly encourage not waiting until the thesis proposal is due to see if you’ve got a workable thesis. Take
advantage of my office hours, send an e–mail, use our TLC tutor, talk to friends, pester the library staff, etc., along
the way.
A Warning About Shaw
Shaw wrote about the issues raised in Major Barbara. Do not use any such writing! Shaw was, first and foremost, a
writer of comedies, and these essays are not regarded as accurate representations of the author’s intent. We don’t
know if he was clueless or joking with us (I think he was joking with us), but his published discussions about Major
Barbara are the equivalent of George Lucas claiming that Star Wars is about the importance of charitable giving or
the creators of Game of Thrones claiming that the series was meant to explore traditional Midwestern values. Shaw’s
How to Get an A:
Even in a longer paper like this, a thesis is clear, specific, and narrow. ” Shaw’s argument about such–and–such also
applies to…” or “Shaw’s portrayal of such–and–such is no longer relevant because…” works a lot better than “A lot
has changed since 1905 ” as a thesis. Focus, focus, focus!
The best research papers incorporate research in surprising ways — that is to say, they don’t just look for
obvious sources; instead, they use research that may not connect in obvious ways, but they explain the connections
clearly and effectively, so the reader walks away forever seeing the importance of the source. (For example, in a
paper about food scarcity, a source about climate change may not obviously connect. However, food production is a
source of greenhouse emissions, and therefore such a source may be a very appropriate one for such a paper.)
I strongly encourage not waiting until the thesis proposal is due to see if you’ve got a workable thesis. Take
advantage of my office hours, send an e–mail, use our TLC tutor, talk to friends, pester the library staff, etc., along
the way.
A Warning About Shaw
Shaw wrote about the issues raised in Major Barbara. Do not use any such writing! Shaw was, first and foremost, a
writer of comedies, and these essays are not regarded as accurate representations of the author’s intent. We don’t
know if he was clueless or joking with us (I think he was joking with us), but his published discussions about Major
Barbara are the equivalent of George Lucas claiming that Star Wars is about the importance of charitable giving or
the creators of Game of Thrones claiming that the series was meant to explore traditional Midwestern values. Shaw’s