When writing a research paper about a piece of literature, it is important to create a thesis statement that covers what you want to discuss about the story/poem/play. Then, you will be using quotes and pieces of the story to back up your ideas. You also need to search for literary criticism, which is what others have said about your story.
If your piece of literature is popular, it is easy to find literary criticism. If your piece of literature is not as popular or was written very recently, there may not be as much information available. If you run into this, try searching for information about the author, or the time period that the story is set in, or about a theme of the story. Visit a librarian if you need assistance!
The tools below will help you find online literary criticism, through library research databases and other sources.
For more information on locating and using literary criticisms, visit our Finding Literary Criticisms tutorial. Here you will find a step-by-step tutorial to guide you through your research.