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Document Sample
A High School Student’s Guide
to Writing Research Papers
Student’s Name: ________________________________
Prepared by
Barry Blair
Park View High School
Sterling, VA
Fall 2007
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to the Research Paper 3
Additional Skills Taught from the Research Paper 3
Steps of the Research Paper 3
Helpful Tips 4
Types of Resources 4
Step 1: Selecting a Topic 4
Topic Bank 5
Step 2: Finding Sources 5
Step 3: Creating a Works Cited Page 6
List of Works Cited Source Formats 6-8
Step 4: Taking Notes 9
Sample Note Cards 9
Step 5: Composing an Outline 10
Step 6: Organizing Notes 10
Step 7: Writing the Rough Draft 10-11
Documentation 11
Format for Internal Documentation 12
Examples of Documentation 13
Step 8: Editing 13-14
Step 9: Writing the Final Draft 14
Step 10: Assessment Using a Rubric 14
Sample Research Paper 15-19
Sample Works Cited 20
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Introduction to the Research Paper
We use research every day of our lives in one form or another. Later in life you will need
to research in order to get the best deal on a loan for your car or future home. We use
tools like the Internet, Google, and books in order to find information we need for
whatever research we are doing each day like looking for the coolest new phone, or
learning how to take care of a dog.
This manual will help you conduct any research in a logical, organized, and official MLA
Format style that you will use for the rest of your life. No matter what the future holds
for you, you will be required to do some form of research later in life.
Additional Skills
The purpose of the research paper is initially to obtain credible information on a topic,
but may also teach you the following important skills:
- Following Deadlines
- Learning how to format a formal paper
- Learning the difference between primary and secondary sources
- Refining all steps in the writing process including outlining, creating a clear
thesis, editing, and publishing a final draft.
- Learning how to take clear/concise notes
Steps of the Research Paper – completed in this order
1. Selecting a topic
2. Finding sources
3. Creating a Works Cited Page based on sources found
4. Creating a Thesis
5. Composing an Outline
6. Organizing Notes
7. Writing the Rough Draft including Works Cited Page and Researched Information
8. Editing for content and form
9. Preparing the Final Paper
10. Assessing Papers using a Rubric
3
Helpful Tips
- Make sure you understand what is required
- Look for your sources early in the process
- Keep ahead of all deadlines to allow room for unforeseen problems
(printer/computer issues, lost papers)
- Do not skip any steps in the writing process
- Save all work
Types of Resources
- Books
- Periodicals: magazines, journals, newspapers (online and hard copy)
- Specialized encyclopedias
- Specialized dictionaries
- Atlases
- Internet (World Wide Web, Online Databases, Library Subscriptions)
- Government Publications
- Pamphlets
- Newsletters
- Letters
- Interviews
Step 1: Selecting a Topic
You will be given a bank of topics to choose from. There are many things to consider
before choosing your topic such as:
1. Do you have any previous experience or a background in the topic?
2. Is this topic one that interests you?
3. Will you be able to fulfill the assignment with this topic?
4. Do you have enough time to successfully complete the assignment with this
topic?
5. Are there enough resources available to you?
6. Do you know any experts in the field you have chosen to research?
Step 1: Selecting a Topic Continued…
Once you have selected a topic, it is important that you fully understand what you will be
doing for the research project. You will need to review the rules and guidelines for the
assignment to make sure that you have selected a topic that you are comfortable with and
that you will be able to sufficiently complete all that is required.
4
Topic Bank: Choose one from this list as your topic for the research
paper:
Step 2: Finding Sources
Finding sources is becoming easier by the day thanks to new technologies and the
Internet. While more and more information is being produced each day, more and more
false information that might appear to be factual is being produced. It is becoming very
difficult to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources on the web. Here are a
few hints that might help you find credible information.
- Do not use hyperlinks that end in .com, or .net for these are trying to sell you
something and have a definite bias.
- It is probably safe to use any information databases from your library that they
have subscribed and paid for.
- Use websites ending in .gov, .edu, or .us because these are monitored sites that
are edited for content.
- Do not use search engines such as Google or Ask.com because results are not
filtered and are placed into order of popularity, not credibility.
- Do not use Wikipedia as a source, it may be edited on a daily basis and is
usually filled with general information that is not in-depth enough for you to
use in a good research paper.
We have already discussed the different types of sources (pg. 4), and of these, periodicals
and Online Databases are usually the most credible of sources. Even books may have a
bias, or certain attitude or persuasion, except for most encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Since your entire paper is centered around the actual research that you do, this step
should be taken as the most serious step, and one that will either hurt or help your paper
in a major way.
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Step 3: Creating a Works Cited Page (MLA Format)
The Works Cited Page is the last page of your research paper that explains, to the reader,
where your borrowed/researched information came from. When done correctly, you are
safeguarding yourself against any possibility of committing the crime of plagiarism.
PLAGIARISM is the unlawful use of someone else’s information that has already been
copyrighted. You must give credit to information that is not your own thoughts, and the
Works Cited Page aids you do so.
You may also use the Works Cited Page as a personal organizational tool that can help
you keep your sources straight, so that you may re-visit any websites, books, etc. that you
might need to in order to find additional information or clarification.
Different Uses for the Works Cited Page
- Used to check accuracy of information
- Used to get more information about the topic
- Used to double check the reliability of the source
Format
1. Center the title, Works Cited, on the first line
2. Go to Format Paragraph Double Space
3. Go to Format Paragraph Set Indentions (Special) to Hanging
4. List all sources, alphabetically, by the first word of the citation (except for a, an,
the)
5. Make sure you have your last name and page number in the top right corner of the
page. (Will be discussed later.)
One thing to be aware of is the fact that the format for your citation might differ
according to what type of source you are using. In other words, the way that you would
cite a book on your Works Cited Page will be different than the way you would cite a
website. Below is a brief list of how you should format each source accordingly:
________________________________________________________________________
Books
One Author Books: A book that has one author and comes in one volume.
Author. Title. City: Publisher, Year. Pages used. (If you use the entire book, do not
include page numbers)
Sprague, Peggy Sue. Mountain-biking in the High Sierra. Boulder: The Big Mountain
Press, 2002. 30-33.
Two or Three Author Books: Name the authors in the order in which they are presented
on the title page; reverse the name of the first author only.
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Freeman, George, and Elizabeth Anderson. Researching Literature. Keene, NH: J.A.
Press, 2004.
Four or More Author Books: Cite only the first author, name reversed, followed by “et
al.” (Latin for “and others”)
Keller, Joseph P., et al. Summer Travels. New York: Viking,1999.
Collections
A book or set of books that contains works by more than one author. Examples include
specialized encyclopedias such as Encyclopedia of the Holocaust and literary criticisms
such as Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, American Authors, Dictionary of Literary
Biography. If there is no author available for the part, then begin with the title of the part.
Author of the Part. “Title of the Part.” Editor of the Whole. Title of the Whole. Volume.
City: Publisher, Year.
Levister, Monique. “To Roses Upon the Root of Time.” Ed. Benjamin Strauss. Gardening
in New England: A Collection of Essays. Vol. 2. Minneapolis: The Milkweed
Press, 1996. 212-220.
Encyclopedias or Dictionaries: List the author of the entry (if any), the entry heading or
title, the title of encyclopedia or dictionary, the edition number (if any), and the year
published.
Forster, Bayard. “Ty Cobb.” Encyclopedia of Baseball . 2nd ed. 1997. 7
Magazines: In addition to the author, the title of the article, and the title of the magazine,
list the month and year and the page numbers on which the article appears. Abbreviate
the names of months except May, June, and July.
Author of Article. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine Date: page numbers.
Monthly magazine:
Carlisle, Patricia. “The Rolling Stones Hit the Road for their 2001 World Tour: A
Preview.” Rolling Stone Magazine Aug. 2001: 39-41.
Weekly magazine:
Schiff, Stephen. “Muriel Spark Between the Lines.” New Yorker 3 May 1993: 36-43.
Newspaper: Begin with the author, if there is one, followed by the title of the article.
Next give the name of the newspaper, the date, the section letter or number, and the page
number.
7
Alcott, Bronson. “A Walking Tour of Walpole.” Keene Sentinel 12 Sept. 2004: A1.
Unsigned article in a newspaper or magazine: Use the same form you would use for an
article in a newspaper or a weekly or monthly magazine, but begin with the article title.
“Radiation in Russia.” U.S. News and World Report 9 Aug. 2002: 40-42.
Electronic Sources: Sources that are print-based use the regular print format with the
type of electronic source before the publishing information.
On - line Encyclopedia:
Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2002. Encyclopedia Britannica. 3 March 2005
<http://www.brtiannica.com/>.
Online Database:
Author of article. “Title of Article.” Magazine or newspaper. Date of publication.
Online source. Institution where accessed. Date of access. <URL>.
Patterson, Amelia. “Economic Trends.” Business Week. 23 May 2004. EBSCOHost.
KHS Drew Library. 10 June 2005. <http://www.epnet.com/>.
World Wide Web:
Author of pages or article if available. “Title of Article”. Date published. Sponsor or
publisher of site. Date site was accessed by you. <URL>.
If possible, do not split up the URL, except at a backslash, hyphen, or a period. Be exact
in your spacing.
Fields, Stephen. “World Wrestling Federation Super Heroes.” 2003. World Wrestling
Federation. 2 April , 2004. <http://www.wwfmc/heroes/~h.html>.
Note: If a web site does not have an author or sponsoring agency, please check with your
teacher regarding the legitimacy of the site.
E-Mail:
Who sent the e-mail. “Title.” To whom the e-mail was sent. Date.
Fields, Stephen. “Wrestling Greats.” E-Mail to author. March 31, 1998.
________________________________________________________________________
8
Step 4: Taking Notes
There are many different ways to take notes for a research paper, but the one that will
cause you the least grief and keep you organized is to keep note cards. Note cards are
easy to maintain, easy to keep track of, and easy to organize. In order to keep all your
information in order and organized is to use different note cards for each new piece of
information.
Use Note Cards When
- When the source changes
- When you run out of room
- When you are taking notes for different paragraphs/ideas in your paper
- When there is a high number of facts in a list format
Format
1. Use 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 note cards
2. Write your source information (author or editor’s last name or 1st word of the title
except for a, an, the) on the TOP RIGHT of the card
3. Write the page number on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the card
4. Write a key word or subject heading at the TOP LEFT of the card. You should
divide your notes into main subjects or keywords to keep your ideas organized
later.
5. For direct quotations, place in quotation marks and include in-text citation
information (See Step 7)
6. For words that you have restated in your own words, use ONLY words and
phrases, not complete sentences.
Sample Note Cards
Topic: Different Costs for Different Dogs
Thesis: The larger the dog, the larger the hit on your purse or wallet due to the higher vet
bills, larger costs for specialized food, and increased health risks.
Source: Brown, Mike. All You Ever Wanted to Know About Dogs. Random Publisher,
1999.
Brown Brown
Food Types Health Risks
“Larger breed dogs require a “Larger dogs are more prone to
large breed dog food which is hip and joint problems, which do
normally more expensive.” not have a cure and are costly to
(Brown 24). 24 the owner” (Brown 75). 75
9
Step 5: Composing an Outline
An outline is a map for your brain that helps you organize your ideas into a logical order.
As of this step you have done research and gotten sources and notes together, and it is
time now to put these into an order that is appropriate for the assignment.
The Outline Format
- Written in complete sentences
- Pages are numbered with roman numerals (i, ii, iii)
- The word “Outline” is centered on the first line
- The thesis also goes on the outline
- Same page formatting as the rest of your paper
- Include in-text citations when using direct quotes
- DO NOT use words “Introduction” and “Conclusion” as section headings
- Must have at least 3 sections to the outline
- Do NOT use too much detail or too little detail
Sample Outline
Step 6: Organizing Notes
It is important to organize your notes at this step if you have not already done so with
your outline. Be sure you are keeping your note cards together so you will easily be able
to recall where you got the information from, what section heading you had logged the
information under in the first place, and whether or not the information you gathered was
a direct quote or your own paraphrasing (rewording). As you begin to type your paper, it
saves you time and stress to have these notes organized so that you may find them easily.
Getting Organized for the Rough Draft
- Make sure you have a complete, newly revised/updated outline
- Organize your note cards according to that outline
- Check for missing information
- Check to make sure you have not repeated the same information on more than
one card
Step 7: Writing the Rough Draft
You have already completed the most critical steps by researching beforehand, writing an
outline, and getting yourself organized. Now it is time to begin writing your introduction
and body of the paper.
Writing the Introduction
- Use one paragraph
- Grab the reader’s interest from the start (attention getter)
- State your thesis in the last sentence of the introduction
- Do NOT use the words: in this paper, I, you, me, we, my, and your
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Writing the Body Paragraphs
- Organize your paragraphs just as you have them on your outline
- Use transition sentences between paragraphs to create a smooth flow
- Introduce, give, and explain all quotations
- Identify your sources after a quote or paraphrase
- Avoid over quoting
- Do not repeat yourself
- Stick to the thesis you set up in the introduction for organization and flow
Writing the Conclusion
- Restate your thesis again in a different form and wording than used in the
introduction
- End with energy and confidence
Documentation
MLA format uses internal documentation to prevent plagiarism. This means that you are
giving credit to the source in which you found the information you are using.
What to Document:
-Direct Quotations -- information that is in the words of the author
-Paraphrasing or summarizing (indirect quotations) -- the wording is your own, but it is
taken directly from the author’s viewpoint
-Statistics -- examples include percentages, numbers, and ratios
-A fact that is not common knowledge -- the fact/idea is not found in multiple sources
-Author’s individual or personal thoughts or viewpoints -- even if you put them into your
own words
What Not to Document:
-General information that could be found in three or more sources (except statistics and
quotations).
-Your own conclusions that you have drawn from gathering information from a variety of
sources
Caution: You don’t want to document everything, but you do need to give credit where
credit is due. When in doubt, it is usually safer to document.
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Format for Internal Documentation
-To document, use parentheses which include the author’s last name and page number
from the source in which that information is found. Do NOT place a comma between the
author’s last name and page number. The internal documentation is placed directly after
the information that is being cited whether it is located in the beginning, middle, or end of
the sentence. If the internal documentation is located at the end of the sentence, the
period is placed AFTER the parentheses. See example for paraphrase or summary for
documentation in the middle of a sentence and direct quotation for documentation at the
end of a sentence listed under Examples of Documentation.
-When using an internet source, number each paragraph and refer to the
paragraph number rather than a page number. This documentation will look the same as
non-internet sources. The only difference is that the number in parentheses refers to
paragraph number and not page number.
-If a source to be documented does not have an author use an editor’s name if available.
If there is no editor, then refer to the first key word of the title of the source. If it is
necessary to make a distinction from other sources that have no author or editor available
and also have the same first title key word, then use both the title key word and a key
word from the source. See example for no author and/or editor listed under Examples
of Documentation.
-If an author has multiple works in your Works Consulted page, the internal
documentation uses the author’s last name, an abbreviated title, and the
page number. COMMAS are used in this internal documentation. See author’s name
and work included in the text listed under Examples of Documentation.
-If the author’s last name is included in your text, then only the page number is used in
the internal documentation. See example for author’s last name included in text listed
under Examples of Documentation.
Note: When you quote more than four typed lines of prose or more than three lines of
poetry, set off the quotation by indenting it ten spaces from the left margin. Use the
normal right margin and continue to double space. Long quotations should be introduced
by an informative sentence. Quotation marks are unnecessary because the indented
format tells readers that the words are taken directly from the source. For example:
Anthropologist Richard Leakey and coauthor Roger Lewin pose the issue
of language in primates. Is spoken language merely an extension and
enhancement of cognitive capacities to be found among our ape relatives?
Or is spoken language a unique human characteristic completely separate
from any cognitive abilities in apes? (240)
Note: In this format, the documentation in parentheses goes after the sentence
punctuation.
12
Examples of Documentation
• Direct Quotation -- It may be true that “ in the appreciation of Medieval art the attitude
of the observer is of primary importance” (Maris 347).
• Paraphrase or summary -- The need for logic in children’s fantasy has been
recognized (Stewig 22), and children are capable of comprehending advanced logic.
• Statistics -- A recent survey by AMA shows that 30% of kids with asthma have pets at
home (Adams 24).
• A fact that is not common knowledge -- Most people are unaware that during the
Civil War, many soldiers were injured and killed by ramrods flying out of hastily packed
guns (Smith 229).
• Individual thoughts or viewpoints (include credentials) -- Dr. Brown, of Dartmouth
College, believes the U.S. government should develop a new policy to help Third World
countries overcome poverty and hunger (Spitzer 11).
• Author’s last name included in text -- Braden states that in order to be a politician a
law degree is helpful (87).
• Author’s name and work included in the text -- In No Need for Hunger, Robert
Spitzer recommends that the U.S. government create a new policy for coping with global
hunger (34).
• No author and/or editor -- Mark Twain is considered a master at using satire in both
his novels and short stories (“Twain,” Compton’s 482). Twain used dialect to create vivid
characters and capture the local color of a region (“Twain,” marktwainhouse.org 44).
Step 8: Editing for Content and Form
Editing once you have finished writing the Rough Draft is critical to ensuring that what
you have worked so hard on is the best that it can be. I have heard it said that many high
school students finish writing a paper and put the pencil down, never looking over it
again because they are “done.” It is silly to think that you will spend around an hour or
so writing a paper, but will not take 5 minutes to look it over. Editing is critical!
Types of Editing: What to look for
- Check for organizational flaws or differences between your paper and your
outline
- Check to make sure you have not repeated any information
- Check your format of the paper and of the citations
- Check to make sure you have used all your sources included on the Works
Cited Page
13
- Have a friend/peer/family member look over your paper to catch any smaller
spelling or confusing parts that you might not have seen while re-reading
- Understand how the paper is going to be graded, and look to make sure you
have done everything that is asked of you.
Step 9: Writing the Final Draft
Even though we call the second draft the “final draft,” a paper may go through multiple
rough drafts until it is ready for its final stage. In this draft you are to check over all of
your comments made during editing, have all your notes together, just as you did before
writing the rough draft, and give it your best try. It is the effort that you have put towards
writing the outline, rough draft, and editing that makes the final draft a well-polished
work. If you have worked hard through the first steps of the process, it will be more than
evident in your final draft. You get out of things exactly what you put into them.
Step 10: Assessment using a Rubric
It is in this step when your paper will be assessed, or graded, and if you have already
known what is expected of you for this paper, you should come out on top. If you have
not already questioned or explored as to how you are going to be assessed, you might
have difficulty with determining exactly what it is that your audience wanted. Take the
time to review all that is expected of you, for it will make a difference in the end!
The Final Step
- Take a deep breath
- Know you have done your best
- Take pride in your work
- Remember the steps that you have gone through as you have done this
assignment and apply it to any other research based projects that you will
come across later in life
Sample Research Paper on Next Page
14
John Doe Doe 1
Mr. Teacherman
19 April 2007
The Black Plague Strikes!
The most disastrous epidemic to ever affect Europe, let alone the world, the Black
Plague is known to every elementary grade level and is drilled into every American’s
head in every high school history class they’ll ever take. Commonly referred to as the
“Black Death”, which is most likely the mistranslation of the Latin work “atra” meaning
both “terrible” and “black” (Benedictow 1), it swept through Europe between 1346 and
1353 C.E. (or A.D.) killing millions in its wake. Even though it occurred 650 years ago, it
still affects people today.
Its unrivaled conquest of life caused the death of 50 million people out of
Europe’s total population of 80 million (62.5%), which is the equivalent of two billion
people when measured against Europe’s population today (Acocella 2). Most major cities
lost more than half of their total population. According to the historian Boccaccio, “More
than half of the inhabitants of the northern Italian city of Florence perished, and morality
figures for other European cities and regions were no less horrific” (Nardo 48). As the
Black Death continued, even rural villages were afflicted by its fatal blow. All that stood
in its path were put to the test of survival. The world was in chaos.
Yet, when people hear about the plague, they often learn its path of destruction
and how it affected the people. But, many often forget to entertain the thought of its
origin and importance in history. Believed to have originated on the central Asian steppe,
there was what is called a plague reservoir. Xenopsylla cheopsis, the flea, carried the
15
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plague on black rats. Unknown natural disasters swept the plague carrying rodents from
the central Asian steppe into human contact (Acocella 2).
Meanwhile, sometime around the mid 1340s a group of Mongols besieged an
outskirt European trading station called Kaffa. Suddenly, several of the Mongols fell ill
and died. Their leader immediately ordered the carcasses thrown into the city, hoping to
infect the citizens. It worked, and the Italians fled by ship to escape the victorious wrath
of the Mongols. A couple of black rats joined them for the journey unnoticed. Unlike
other rat species, which prefer a good distance between themselves and humans, black
rats like human closeness. Another unfortunate thing is the fact that water travel wasn’t
as advanced, so ships docked every 3 to 4 days. Due to the constant contact with humans,
the “yersinia pestis” bacteria (black plague) jumped from the black rat flea to the Pulex
irritans , also known as the human flea (McMullin 16). The effect was enhanced because
“Medieval people were covered with fleas- they thought bathing dangerous to their
health” (Acocella 2). The plague continued to enter the continent through several ports,
thus hitting Europe from several sides at once.
For this reason a continental disaster occurred. With immense trading routes
connecting nearly all of Europe, the plague became a widespread epidemic, quickly and
easily. Europe was at its prime toward the end of what is now called the “High Middle
Ages.” With the ability to “travel up to 600 km in a fortnight by ship” (Benedictow 7),
the Bubonic Plague quickly marred the trade route image from Constantinople through
Mediterranean Europe to Italy. The city of Marseilles served as the “spread center” or the
place where the epidemic was most focused. Next it continued to Spain, then inland to
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Paris, through Normandy, Germany, then to England (mainly London), and on to Ireland.
Another plague front swept from Norway into Denmark and Sweden; then both fronts
continued eastward.
Furthermore, the plague traveled to the Egyptian city of Alexandria from
Constantinople, henceforth infecting northern Africa and parts of the Middle East. There
appeared to be no escape but most people had a better chance of surviving in the
countryside than the city, where it took up to eight weeks for the people to realize the
plague was upon them (Knox 19). With so many dead, each morning a cart rode through
town calling, “Bring down your dead!” (Acocella 2) so people brought their dead, and put
them in the cart where they were delivered to the graveyard. The people dug “plague
pits” and layered the dead, separating each body with only a thin layer of dirt. The
graveyards were in such disorder that the historian Agnolo di Tura stated, “...In many
places in Sienna great pits were dug and piled deep with the multitude of the dead... And
there were also those who were so sparsely covered with earth that dogs dragged them
forth and devoured many bodies throughout the city” (Benedictow 2). Eventually, the
graveyards became full, and the Pope consecrated the Rhone River so bodies could be
dumped in the river. Because priests were also victims, laypeople were allowed to
administer last rites.
Soon Medieval experts advised against hot meals, bathing, and sex, to avoid
catching the plague (McMullin 47). Many theories exist concerning the plagues origin.
The Paris College of Physicians said that the plague was caused by evil vapors and was
17
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sent by “heavenly disturbances” (Corazine 99). Christian believers amassed to kill vast
numbers of Jews because they believed that Jews were the cause of the Plague.
When none of the Medieval medicines were working, the Pope and other officials
allowed the bodies to be dissected. Yet no cure was found. Flagellants wandered from
town to town and beat themselves and prayed to help convince God to end the plague.
Social status was in an uproar. As Boccaccio stated, “Brother abandoned brother... fathers
and mothers refused to see and tend to their children” (Acocella 3).
Consequently, trade became painstakingly slow. Trade routes closed down and
were not used again for years. Famine beleaguered the people along with the Black
Plague, and the fields were left to rot. As a result, people at cats and dogs, and some even
turned to cannibalism. Artisans lost job. Morale was low because there was no relief. The
Renaissance poet, Petrach characterized the era perfectly when he said, “O happy
posterity, who will not experience such abysmal woe and will look upon our testimony as
a fable” (Benedictow 1).
In addition, nothing flourished in this time period, including inventions, artwork,
and crafts. The population was bogged down by the daily fight for survival and had no
time or energy for creativity.
The historical aspects of the Plague are interesting. However, one must delve
further to understand the full effect of the Plague on modern society. The most obvious
effect is that one out of every three people in Europe died from the Plague (Ziegler 22).
This resulted in a much smaller population, and some historians believe this natural
population control has been a great benefit to reducing overcrowding, famine, and
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potential wars (Nardo 22). The Black Death occurred in the time period historians refer to
as the Dark Ages. This title, used for obvious reasons, symbolizes the lack of
enlightenment and advancement in technology and all cultural areas that can be found in
any time period before or after the Dark Ages.
Once the Plague ran its course people were able to reclaim their inherent curiosity
and need to create. The arts flourished once again, and even more importantly greater
strides were made in the medical field because people wanted to ensure that something
similar to the Plague could never devastate a culture to such an extent again. Because
people had been so downtrodden and disheartened for seven long years, when they did
begin to create again they did so with an unusual fervor. Some critics maintain that “the
strides made in the first twenty years after the Plague would not have been of such
magnitude if the Plague had not been so horrific” (Biel 225). As ironic as it may seem,
the Bubonic Plague may have been in humanity’s best interest.
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Works Cited
Acocella, Joan. “The End of the World.” New Yorker. March 2005. Academic
Search Elite. EBSCOHost. KHS Drew Library. 7 April 2005.
http://www.epnet.com/>.
Benedictow, Ole J. “The Black Death.” History Today. 22 March 2005. Academic
Search Elite. EBSCOHost. 7 April 2005. <http://www.epnet.com>.
Biel, Timothy Levi. The Black Death. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1989. 221-232.
Corazine, Phyllis. The Black Death. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997. 58-112.
Knox, Skip. “The Middle Ages: The Black Death.” March 2004. Boise State
University. 22 March 2005.
<http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/plague/>.
McMullin, Jordan. The Black Death. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2003.
14-52.
Nardo, Don. The Black Death. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. 16-26.
Ziegler, Philip. The Black Death. New York: John Day Company, 1969. 18-42.
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