Literature for 11A
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by
'I was born in Tuckahoe I have no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves thus ignorant.' Thus begins the autobiography of Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) who was born into slavery in Maryland and after his escape to Massachusetts in 1838 became an ardent abolitionist and campaigner for women's rights.
View full text of this title online for free!
Also available from the GCC Library website in full text as an ebook.
Library Resources for Your 11A Research Project
The databases featured on this page will help you find credible, authoritative information about topics related to the works you are reading this semester. All of these sources are FREE to registered GCC students in the high school programs!
Select from the menu on the left to find out more about how to use academic sources responsibly and how to cite your sources using MLA format.
Choose Your Topic
One of the most difficult things when getting started on a research paper can be coming up with a strategy to begin exploring a topic. Some topics are too broad, and need to be broken down into smaller parts, which can help a lot. Some topics are too narrow, and need to be expanded.
A just-right topic will reflect the length of a research paper (how many pages are you required to write?), the amount of time you have to complete the paper, and the number of sources you're being asked to incorporate into your paper.
Background Research
One way to come up with a topic is to do background research. This includes reading encyclopedia articles to learn more about a broad subject. Once you know more about the subject, you can make connections between topics and sub-topics. Then write a short summary of what you have learned from your background research.
It helps to think of your main topic as a starting point for your research, not a destination.
Research Ideas
Here are some ideas for topics for your project. Feel free to ask your instructor about choosing a slightly different topic.
Essential Questions
Use an essential question to narrow your topic and develop your paper's thesis. Here are some examples of essential questions. For more, refer to your class Research Guide or speak to your instructor.
Your Works Cited Page
You'll be using MLA format to cite each of the sources used in your paper. MLA format has two primary functions:
MLA also provides guidelines on formatting your paper, from what to include on your cover page, where to place your page numbers, what size font you should use, and more!
The websites below offer detailed information on how to use MLA. And you're always welcome to ask a GCC librarian for help with MLA - or anything else!
Recommended Databases
The databases listed below are FREE to students enrolled in classes at Garfield Campus!
Databases are frequently the best place to begin your research and often have more reliable and authoritative information than what you'll find in Google.
When searching in databases, it's important to use the right keywords or phrases to describe your topic. A keyword is a single word that defines what you are seeking. A phrase is two or more words that define what you are seeking.
Depending on your topic, you can combine keywords and/or phrases to narrow or broaden your search. Here are a couple of examples related to your assignment using the African American Slave Trade as your main topic.
African Slave Trade AND Middle Passage
Abolitionism AND African Slave Trade
Begin your research by exploring the databases below and see where they lead you!
The library provides access to several reference databases to help you find general information about a topic. Britannica Academic, Credo Reference, and Gale EBOOKS Library are three databases that can help you start searching for an overview about your topic and other related information.
Article databases focus on specific subjects and provide sources from periodicals, including newspaper, magazine, and journal articles. Subject databases may include sources from reference sources such as encyclopedias and bibliographies plus topic overviews, literary criticisms, and images, and even primary sources. The following databases emphasize literary works and historical events in the United States.
America: History and Life with Full Text
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