Myth Research

Humanities Academy 9th Grade World Mythology Project

In addition to exploring Greek mythology, we will explore myths from around the world. For this research paper, choose a mythology or set of myths from a culture/region other than the Greek/Roman. Research as much as you can about your chosen mythology system or set of myths and present your findings in a research paper. It is quite possible that our school library will have limited print resources; therefore, be prepared to conduct some of your research at the public or Cabrillo libraries.
Key ideas you may wish to address in your research paper:
o The creation myth from your culture
o How and why procreation occurs
o Codes of behavior
o How evil entered the world
o The roles and purposes of heroes
o The origins of natural phenomena
o Themes of human experience: misfortune, success, cruelty, love, death, family relations, loyalty, betrayal, fate, war, madness, voyages, conflicts, youth, old age, beauty, jealousy, arrogance, wisdom, curiosity and temptation
o Ages and cycles of history and mankind
For some reason, one of the hardest tasks for HA9 students has been deciding what and how many key ideas they will write about. That is completely up to you; however, if you pick 4 (four) mythological elements such as the ones above, and if you write two paragraphs on each element, your paper will be long enough. You may wish to pick fewer elements and write more on each, or pick more and write less on each topic. Your choice. Ten paragraphs will result in a three to five page paper.

Mythology Research Paper Criteria: 80 points

8____ Your paper includes the primary myths of your chosen mythology and their meaning
5____ Three to five pages typed text in the proper format
12____ Minimum of six entirely different research sources in your Works Cited and in your paper:
o At least three from print, such as an encyclopedia, book, or periodical o The rest of your sources may be from websites
10______ A Bibliography with a minimum of three entries of any type: See handout "MLA Quickie Reference Guide."
10____ A minimum of ten different, properly cited quotes or paraphrases smoothly introduced into your writing using a variety of signal phrases. Type all your signal phrases in bold print. See handout "MLA Quickie Reference Guide."
5____ Your opening paragraph introduces your chosen mythology and the key ideas that will be discussed.
10____ Your body paragraphs each have topic sentences and clearly describe, with cited excerpts, examples, and explanations, the various key ideas which you have chosen to research.
5____ Your final paragraph summarizes your paper and shows how your mythology was significant to the culture from which it derived or to today’s culture. For instance, how did the mythology reflect and influence its society? How are the values inherent in the myths still influencing culture today?
10____ A correctly formatted Works Cited and a Bibliography (see MLA Quickie Reference handout) appear at the end of your paper
5____ Above and beyond your three to five pages of text, include two illustrations—self-created or from any source. Properly label your illustrations and cite their sources as per example provided.
As always, points are lost due to mechanics, usage, and grammar errors.
Turn-in your all drafts with this criteria sheet stapled on top with rough drafts underneath.


A label, title, or caption ordinarily appears directly below the illustration and have the same one-inch margins as the text of the paper. Label your illustration as Figure 1 or Fig. 1. Name as much about the illustration as you can ascertain in the following order: title of piece, artist, book where art appears, museum where art is housed, year of creation. See example below:


Mythology Sample Outline:

Opening paragraph: Brief Plan (one sentence), Thesis: introduce your mythology (Greek), Plan: The creation myth, the Titans, The Olympic Gods, Lovers Myths, and Hero Myths

Key idea 1: Creation myth
A. Body Paragraph 1: Father Son, Saturn, and Mother Earth, Gaia
B. Body Paragraph 2: Give birth to Cronus who destroys his father
Key Idea 2: The Titans
A. Body Paragraph 3: Prometheus
B. Body Paragraph 4: Epimetheus
Key Idea 3: The Olympian Gods
A. Body Paragraph 5: Zeus
B. Body Paragraph 6: Hera
Key Idea 4: Lover Myths
C. Body Paragraph 7: Cupid and Psyche
Key Idea 5: Heroes
C. Body Paragraph 8: Hercules

Closing paragraph: How the Greek myths affected Greek and Roman culture and the world today.

To write a three to five page paper, you will need around ten to twelve total paragraphs. Structure your paper any way you like, but do not exceed five pages.

LP in a research paper
HA English 9
OReilly

Part of your paper will be in literary present (LP) and part of it will be in historical past (HP).

When you are writing about how the ancient culture thought, acted, or behaved, you are writing about history, so use HP. When you are summarizing a myth, which is a form of literature, use LP.


The ancient Greeks believed in bravery, heroism, and the transcendence of human thoughts and endeavours. Since theirs was a culture of miraculous achievement and invention, they respected and adored the human capacity to achieve against all odds. This is clearly reflected in the labours of Hercules. Hercules, to atone for the sin of killing his wife and children, embarks on a series of labours: among these labours are the killing of the Neemean Lion, the destruction of the Hydra…

Mythology Research paper: writing examples
HA English 9
OReilly

Sample Opening:

Beginning with Homer approximately 3000 years ago, Greek and Roman mythology provides modern man with insight into the underpinnings of Western Civilization. Greek and Roman mythology includes a vast collection of magical tales that explain, instruct, and entertain. Chief among the stories are the dark and brooding creation myths; the tales of the mighty, doomed Titans; the capricious and violent Olympic gods, and the mystery cults.


Sample Body Paragraph with citation:

According to Ingri A’Aulaire in his text, Book of Greek Myths, for the Greeks, creation begins with love and the need for companionship. After Gaea, the Earth, emerges from the formless darkness, she is "young and lonesome, for nothing lived on her yet." As if in answer to her yearnings, Uranus, the sky, looms above her, and they are "joined in love" ( 2). The fruits of that love are the mighty Titans, the first generation of Greek gods.



In a later paragraph, if you use the same source, you need not introduce the book:


…Rhea, who has given birth to Zeus and is tired of her husband’s insatiable appetite for their children, asks her mother, "Mother Earth, to help her save the child from his father" (A’Aulaire 4).


Make sure you introduce the entire source, the medium as well as the author:

"In his online article, "The Greek Way," Charles Atkins asserts that….
The website, Roman Heroes acknowledges…
The article, "Greek and Roman Mythology" in the World Book Encyclopedia mentions.