Literature Research Paper

nstructions

LIT 2310 Fall 2020

Professor Thibodeau

Research Essay Topics and Instructions

Essay: Due on D2L (post under Assignments) as a Word or x file by 11:59 pm on Friday, February 26.

Follow the instructions below to answer the paper prompt. You can select from any of the readings on the syllabus (not include the film Ex Machina). You will have two goals for this paper: 1) conduct a close reading based upon your understanding of the texts you’ve chosen and 2) do research to support your argument.

Prompt: The term cognitive estrangement is a science fiction concept that refers to the way a science fiction story will imagine a strange or unrecognizable world that is scientifically consistent with our own, and also reflects some of our social truths as well. Since these “truths” are placed in the context of a strange world, they become unrecognizable to us, and therefore easier to think about and discuss. The effect is that the strange world actually helps to make the real issue more plausible and understandable in the eyes of the reader, because it is so much easier to distance ourselves from the harsh realities of our own world. Imagining them on an alien planet or in the body of a robot takes the pressure off!

Considering this, select ONE of the science fiction texts we have read this semester and explain how the text uses cognitive estrangement to make a point about one or more real-world issues. What specific “truths” is the text uncovering, and how does it use science fiction elements such as technology, robotics, aliens, etc. to do so? What is the point the story is making and how does it make it using symbols, characters, metaphors, etc.?

The goal will be to explain just a little about what happens in the story and what it is about, but focusing more on analyzing certain aspects of the story to explain your interpretation of how the story is using cognitive estrangement, and what you think its message is to the reader about the real world.

Instructions:

1) A close reading of a text means that you look very closely at just one text, selecting important passages to quote and analyze closely for the way they lead to a particular understanding of the work as a whole. Every point you make in your argument should be supported by direct evidence from the text. Direct evidence includes direct quotes as well as brief descriptions of important events when necessary. Do not speak about the texts generally or in chronological or plot summary order (example: and then this happened, then that happened), but make particular points about the texts that build upon one another; if analyzing two texts, make sure to place them in conversation with one another rather than having two unrelated halves of a paper. It will be required that you use at least one or two quotes from the text you are analyzing in each body paragraph—no more, no less.

2) You are required to use TWO sources other than the story/novel that you select to write about. The research component of this assignment is meant to help you make your writing more informed. Things that you can research include: background on the history or social movement or on the genre of science fiction, etc.; author biographies; any outside ideas you want to bring in to your analysis (example: a social or psychological theory); or what other literary critics (especially scholars and experts) have said about the meaning/interpretation of the work. For example, you could quote what a professor said about how to interpret the story. The requirement for research is that sources must be either from the Broward College library (I will show you how to use the website) or from a website that ends in .edu. Websites that end in .org, .com, etc. will NOT be accepted (no Sparknotes or Wikipedia).

Requirements for writing this essay include: MLA formatting (including in-text citations and a Works Cited page); consulting the materials that I post on D2L under the Research Paper folder; using quotes that you explain and analyze; 1000 words minimum, double-spaced, using Times New Roman size 12 font. Please note that the Works Cited page will NOT count toward the word requirement.

Thesis Statement: Your paper is required to have a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a sentence that states your main argument. It should be located in your first paragraph (typically at the end of the first paragraph). This is not a statement that says: “this is what I will discuss.” Rather, it is an argument; in other words, it will concisely sum up your overall point in the paper. I will give you sample thesis statements. Remember, the most important thing to do when writing a thesis is to ask yourself: so what? What is my point? Make sure that your thesis answers this question.

Additional Requirements: Your paper must be proofread, perfectly formatted, and overall look as though a college student wrote it. It should have an introduction and a conclusion. These should be separate paragraphs from the body. I recommend using a 5-paragraph or 6-paragraph model for your paper. Do not write plot summary, but instead answer the big ideas on the paper prompt by analyzing the texts you’ve chosen. I am happy to read a rough draft over email and give you feedback, as long as you email it to me no later than 4 days before the final deadline.

Supplemental Data Analysis Problem *(Fictional Scenario and Data by James Van Scotter, Ph.D.)

The Fiji Water company is considering options to develop goodwill with the local Fijian Islanders by funding the installation of a water well on a remote island where the people currently lack consistent access to clean, safe drinking water. The Fiji Government maintains a publicly accessible database* of all public works projects completed within the last

1

0 years. The database provides detailed information about the well installation contracts. In general, the Fiji Water company expects that the best wells (and costliest wells) will tend to be the water wells that have:

1. higher volume capacity

2. better taste

3. more purity

4

. higher reliability for equipment

5. certifications reflecting compliance with international drinking water standards

6. use of corrosion resistant materials

7. higher levels of automation

8. and perhaps… equipment distributed through more reliable wholesalers

With the attached data in hand, the Fiji Water Company wishes to analyze the government data to see if the price offered by the contractor is a good deal, or perhaps overpriced. In order to do this, the analyst at Fiji Water Co. needs to first construct the best model possible for estimating prices. This may require the development of certain classification and decisions rules and conversion of qualitative data into quantitative data. This may require the creation of dummy variables (0,1) or other approaches that make the data analyzable using regression. Running regression in MS Excel, requires the installation of the Data Analysis add-in. If you don’t know how to add this add-in to Excel, you should be able to find simple instructions online.

As an analyst, your first job is to construct the best model you can. This will be a model that explains the greatest amount of variance in the contract prices. Once you have identified this model, you will then need to input the bid criteria the has been offered by the contractor in order to decide whether or not the proposed well installation contract is a good deal.

Here are the relevant details from the contractor’s bid:

Price	$31,000
Volume	.9
MTBF rating	4
Taste rating	CCC
Purity rating	Particulate ≤ 80 PPM
Corrosion Resistance	Unknown
Automation	Level 4
Certification	Yes
Wholesaler Origin	1

Bonus Questions

1. What are the main cost drivers affecting well contracts? What factors are generally irrelevant?

2. Is the well contract price fair?

3.

Given the broader context of issues in the case and the current analyst results, what should Fiji Water do?

2

>Well

C

ontract Data

(particulate PPM)

F

67

Resistant

utomation

r

A

1

2

6

A

5 Yes Unknown 1

2

1

B

100 2

Unknown 1

0

2

1

2 No Unknown 1

2

1 BB 100 2 No Unknown 1

2

BB 100 2 No Unknown 1

2

BB 110 2 No Unknown 1

2

1 BB 90 2 No Unknown 1

2

BB 90 2 No Unknown 1

00

2

1.02 BB 100 5 Yes Unknown 1

2

1.01 B 100 2 No Unknown 1

2

1.02 B 100 2 No Unknown 1

2

3

B 110 3 Yes Unknown 1

2

1

C

70 2 No Unknown 1

2

1

80 2 No Unknown 1

2

1 CCC 80 2 Yes Unknown 1

2

CC 100 2 Yes Unknown 1

2

CC 110 2 Yes Unknown 1

2

1 CC 80 2 No Unknown 1

2

1 C 90 2 No Unknown 1

2

A

100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.16

110 2 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 AAA 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

3

AAA 80 3 Yes Unknown 2

1

AAA 80 4 Yes Unknown 2

1

1 AA 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

1 AA 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

1 AA 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

1.01 AA 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

AA 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

0.81 AA 80 6 Yes Unknown 2

1

1.01 AA 100 5 No Unknown 2 $25,110 2
1 AA 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.01 AA 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 AA 90 5 No Unknown 2

2

A 100 2 No Unknown 2 $27,450 2

1 A 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

1 A 100 6 No Unknown 2

2

0.8 A 70 4 Yes Unknown 2

1

A 80 4 Yes Unknown 2

1

1.01 A 100 5 No Unknown 2

2

A 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 BBB 100 6 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.01 BBB 100 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.03 BBB 100 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

BBB 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

BBB 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.2 BBB 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.01 BBB 90 5 No Unknown 2

2

1 BB 100 3 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 BB 80 3 No Unknown 2

2

BB 70 4 Yes Unknown 2

1

1.03 BB 100 5 No Unknown 2

2

BB 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 B 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1 B 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.01 B 100 2 No Unknown 2 $21,920 2
1.16 B 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.2 B 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.05 B 100 2 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 B 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

0.81 B 50 3 Yes Unknown 2

1

2

B 80 4 Yes Unknown 2

1

B 60 4 Yes Unknown 2 $30,410 1

1.02 B 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

B 110 5 Yes Unknown 2 $31,080 2

1.02 B 90 5 No Unknown 2

2

1 CCC 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.02 CCC 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

CCC 100 2 No Unknown 2

2

CCC 110 2 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 CCC 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.01 CCC 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.04 CCC 100 3 No Unknown 2

2

1.15 CCC 90 3 No Unknown 2

2

1.16 CCC 100 4 No Unknown 2

2

CCC 100 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 CCC 80 5 No Unknown 2 $31,080 2
1.21 CC 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

1.03 CC 90 6 No Unknown 2 $25,110 2
1.02 CC 90 4 No Unknown 2

2

1.04 CC 100 5 Yes Unknown 2 $26,250 2
1.09 CC 100 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

CC 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1 CC 80 5 No Unknown 2 $23,800 2
1.06 C 90 2 No Unknown 2

2

1 C 60 2 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.12 C 80 3 No Unknown 2

2

1.01 C 90 6 No Unknown 2

2

C 100 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

1.21 C 110 5 Yes Unknown 2

2

C 90 5 No Unknown 2

2

1.02 AAA 100 2 No Unknown 3

2

1 AAA 100 5 No Unknown 3 $31,260 2
1.03 AAA 100 5 No Unknown 3 $26,920 2
1.01 AA 100 5 No Unknown 3 $25,110 2
1.01 AA 100 5 No Unknown 3

2

1.07 AA 90 5 No Unknown 3

2

1.06 A 110 3 Yes Unknown 3

2

A 80 6 Yes Unknown 3

1

1.01 A 100 5 No Unknown 3

2

1.03 BBB 100 2 Yes Unknown 3

2

1.01 BBB 110 2 Yes Unknown 3

2

1.01 BBB 80 2 No Unknown 3 $31,380 2
0.9 BBB 80 2 Yes No 3

1

1.1 BBB 100 5 No No 3

2

0.82 BB 50 3 Yes No 3

1

1 BB 80 6 No No 3 $31,350 2
0.81 BB 70 4 Yes No 3

1

1 B 110 2 Yes No 3

2

1.01 CCC 70 3 No No 3

2

1 CCC 80 3 No No 3

2

1.01 CCC 80 5 No No 3

2

1 CC 70 3 No No 3

2

1 CC 90 5 No No 3

2

CC 50 5 No No 3

2

C 90 5 No No 3

2

1.1 B 110 6 Yes Yes 1

2

1.01 AAA 100 2 Yes Yes 2

2

1 AA 100 2 No Yes 2

2

1.01 AA 110 3 No Yes 2

2

0.8 AA 80 4 Yes Yes 2

1

0.81 AA 80 4 Yes Yes 2 $30,510 1
1 A 100 2 No Yes 2

2

0.9 A 80 2 Yes Yes 2

1

1.01 A 90 6 No Yes 2

2

1.04 BBB 100 6 Yes Yes 2

2

1.03 BBB 100 5 Yes Yes 2 $30,820 2
1.19 BB 100 2 No Yes 2

2

0.9 BB 80 2 Yes Yes 2

1

BB 80 3 Yes Yes 2

1

0.9 BB 80 4 Yes Yes 2 $30,430 1
1.2 B 100 2 No Yes 2 $30,930 2
0.9 B 70 3 Yes Yes 2 $30,810 1
1 B 80 3 No Yes 2

2

1.01 B 80 3 No Yes 2

2

1.01 B 100 5 Yes Yes 2

2

1.11 B 80 5 No Yes 2

2

1 CCC 70 2 No Yes 2 $27,800 2
1 CCC 80 2 No Yes 2

2

1.05 CCC 100 3 No Yes 2

2

1.05 CCC 100 5 Yes Yes 2

2

1 CCC 70 5 No Yes 2

2

1 CCC 80 5 No Yes 2 $31,080 2

CC 100 2 No Yes 2

2

1.01 CC 70 2 No Yes 2

2

1 CC 100 5 Yes Yes 2

2

CC 100 5 Yes Yes 2 $31,250 2

1.23 CC 80 5 Yes Yes 2 $31,370 2
1 C 100 5 Yes Yes 2

2

0.8 BB 60 6 Yes Yes 5 $30,800 1

B 70 6 Yes Yes 5

1

0.8 B 50 6 Yes Yes 5 $30,310 1

0.8 B 50 6 Yes Yes 5 $30,310 1

0.81 B 50 6 Yes Yes 5 $30,530 1
0.8 AAA 80 6 Yes Yes 3

1

0.8 AAA 80 4 Yes Yes 3

1

1.01 AA 100 3 Yes Yes 3

2

0.8 AA 80 4 Yes Yes 3

1

0.8 AA 80 4 Yes Yes 3

1

1.02 AA 100 5 No Yes 3 $25,860 2
1.15 AA 100 5 No Yes 3

2

A 70 3 Yes Yes 3

1

1.14 A 100 6 No Yes 3 $26,890 2
0.81 A 70 4 Yes Yes 3

1

0.8 A 70 4 Yes Yes 3

1

1.1 A 110 5 Yes Yes 3

2

1.01 A 90 5 No Yes 3 $26,000 2
0.9 BBB 80 2 Yes Yes 3 $30,430 1
1.01 BBB 100 3 No Yes 3

2

1.01 BBB 100 6 No Yes 3 $23,630 2
0.8 BBB 70 6 Yes Yes 3

1

0.81 BBB 70 6 Yes Yes 3

1

0.81 BBB 80 6 Yes Yes 3

1

0.85 BBB 80 6 Yes Yes 3

1

1.1 BBB 100 5 No Yes 3

2

1 BBB 100 5 Yes Yes 3

2

1 BBB 100 5 Yes Yes 3

2

1.12 BBB 100 5 Yes Yes 3 $31,120 2
1.1 BBB 110 5 Yes Yes 3

2

0.91 BB 80 2 Yes Yes 3 $30,890 1
1.01 BB 80 3 No Yes 3

2

1.03 BB 100 6 No Yes 3

2

0.8 BB 70 4 Yes Yes 3 $30,860 1
0.8 BB 50 4 Yes Yes 3

1

1.1 BB 100 5 Yes Yes 3 $31,240 2
1.05 BB 110 5 Yes Yes 3

2

BB 110 5 Yes Yes 3

2

B 80 3 Yes Yes 3 $30,000 1

1 B 80 3 No Yes 3 $31,270 2
0.9 B 80 3 Yes Yes 3

1

0.91 B 80 6 Yes Yes 3 $30,440 1
0.8 B 50 6 Yes Yes 3

1

0.9 B 70 4 Yes Yes 3

1

0.9 B 80 4 Yes Yes 3 $30,690 1
1.01 CCC 80 6 No Yes 3 $31,390 2
0.91 CCC 70 4 Yes Yes 3

1

0.92 CCC 70 4 Yes Yes 3

1

0.9 CCC 60 4 Yes Yes 3

1

1.04 CCC 70 5 No Yes 3

2

1 CCC 80 5 No Yes 3 $27,720 2
1.01 CCC 80 5 No Yes 3 $31,390 2

1.01 CCC 80 5 No Yes 3 $31,390 2
1.01 CCC 80 5 No Yes 3 $31,390 2

1.01 CCC 90 5 No Yes 3 $26,250 2
1 CC 110 2 Yes Yes 3

2

1 CC 80 6 Yes Yes 3

2

1.04 CC 100 5 No Yes 3

2

1.02 CC 80 5 No Yes 3

2

1 CC 80 5 Yes Yes 3 $27,450 2
1.01 CC 80 5 Yes Yes 3 $31,350 2
1.11 CC 80 5 Yes Yes 3 $31,080 2
1.14 C 110 5 Yes Yes 3

2

1.07 C 80 5 Yes Yes 3

2

1.04 AAA 100 6 No Yes 4 $27,720 2
1.02 AAA 90 6 No Yes 4

2

0.8 AAA 80 4 Yes Yes 4 $30,120 1
1.01 AAA 100 5 No Yes 4 $26,920 2
0.81 AA 80 6 Yes Yes 4

1

0.81 AA 80 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,290 1

0.85 AA 80 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,510 1
0.81 AA 70 4 Yes Yes 4 $30,790 1
0.82 A 80 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,040 1
1.04 A 90 6 No Yes 4 $30,930 2
0.81 A 70 4 Yes Yes 4

1

1.02 BBB 100 6 No Yes 4 $26,250 2
0.82 BBB 70 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,150 1
0.83 BBB 80 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,140 1
1.04 BB 100 6 No Yes 4

2

1.01 BB 100 5 No Yes 4

2

0.82 B 60 6 Yes Yes 4 $30,850 1
0.9 CCC 60 3 Yes Yes 4 $30,640 1
1 CCC 80 6 No Yes 4 $31,080 2
1.01 CCC 80 6 No Yes 4 $31,390 2

1.01 CCC 80 6 No Yes 4 $31,390 2

1.01 CCC 80 6 No Yes 4

2

1.01 CCC 70 5 No Yes 4 $31,110 2
1.04 CCC 70 5 No Yes 4 $30,890 2
1.01 CC 70 6 No Yes 4

2

1.02 CC 60 6 No Yes 4 $30,930 2

				Exhibit																																																																																																																																				1
Fiji Government Water Well Drilling Contracts
	Volume		Flavor		Purity	MT																																				B	ISO																																																																																			5																																													6		Corrosion																									A		Price		Wholesale
				1.05																												110																																																																																																																						3																																																																																																																																																																																																																																																			Yes																																																																																																								Unknown	$23,3																																																																	80
									1.1																																																																															100	$27,7								50
																														BB																																																																																																																																					No	$20,																											70
																												BBB																										90	$26,780
$21,680
												1.02	$26,010
1.18	$20,310
$21,010
																																									1.01	$26,																																																					4
		$30,890
	$21,920
$22,130
			1.2	$19,880
																													CC		$27,800
																																				CCC			$27,450
	$31,250
		1.12	$24,930
1.58	$26,200
	$23,800
$18,5							60
							1.03																															AA			$26,920
									AAA	$27,140
	$31,260
															0.8		$30,410
												0.81		$30,440
	$30,800
$22,430
$27,300
			$25,110
		1.14		$31,120
		$30,310
$23,160
$24,950
$31,050
		1.06
$23,590
$21,280
	$30,530
		0.85			$30,510
$21,490
									1.04	$21,620
$31,360
					$31,080
$31,410
	1.09	$23,300
		1.11	$24,380
$25,650
$31,180
			$26,250
		$31,350
				0.82	$30,720
$24,510
	1.19		$26,000
$21,700
$23,640
$22,920
			$30,930
$24,130
$26,600
$30,570
											0.9		$30,000
	0.83
$20,350
1.43
$31,300
$22,280
$21,000
		1.15	$23,680
1.25	$23,970
$23,100
$26,540
$19,660
$24,670
$25,840
		1.21	$30,830
$24,460
$23,330
$24,270
1.41	$27,040
$18,920
$26,550
$27,650
$21,560
	1.23		$25,860
$22,630
		1.07	$23,860
	$31,370
$27,570
	$31,380
$23,600
0.87	$30,070
$23,820
	$30,820
$19,290
		$30,430
		$27,720
	$30,150
$30,360
$20,450
$31,450
$24,520
						$31,390
	$26,890
$22,880
1.13		$31,240
1.33	$26,070
$21,950
$31,070
$24,860
$22,520
	$30,640
$23,060
	$30,810
	$31,110
$30,840
	$30,850
$30,560
			0.91	$30,380
	$31,270
$31,020
$26,510
$31,220
$25,910
$19,850
$26,930
$31,140
1.22	$25,160
$26,680
$22,260
1.26
$20,490
0.88	$30,420
$30,080
	$30,120
$30,980
$30,620
$30,710
$31,400
0.84	$30,100
$30,270
$30,220
$26,170
	$23,630
$30,350
	$30,040
	$30,790
	$30,140
$25,740
$27,790
$31,010
$23,510
	$30,860
$23,670
$30,590
$20,650
1.17	$23,010
	0.92
	$30,690
$30,670
$30,280
$30,230
$30,910
$30,060
$31,420
$19,180
$26,820
$23,080
$26,290
$24,370
$27,700
$31,190
	$30,290
$30,490
$23,900
$23,210
$24,760
$27,160

Data description

Volume

Flavor

Purity

Corrosion

Price

Wholesale

Data info
This is the volume rating describing how much water the well can produce
AAA to A = Flavorless, Odorless
BBB to B = Near Flavorless, near odorless
CCC to C = Moderate mineral flavors or odors (e.g. Sulfuric, Metalic, other)
Below C = notable undesirable flavors or odors
Particulate matter Parts Per Million that pass through the filtration system
MTBF	Mean Time Between Failure – Manufacturer’s rating for the installed well system
ISO 5667	Is the installed well system ISO 5667-5: 2006 certified as compliant with standards
Does the installed system use the latest materials and coatings for corrosion resistance
Automation	1 = Completely user serviced with periodic maintenance required
5 = Completely automated and self-contained processes with no user intervention needed
Contract price for installation of the contracted well
Wholesaler ID number