Analyzing PSYCHO Through a Scholarly Lens

The assignment asks students to research a scholarly article about the film Psycho (1960) using the SJSU library system's online search engines, focusing on post-1980, peer-reviewed articles that analyze the film from various angles. Students will summarize the article's thesis and main points, then write an essay discussing how the article expands their critical understanding of Psycho. The essay should be 2-3 pages long, double-spaced, with proper citation using MLA or APA format.

OBJECTIVE Your purpose in this assignment is multi-fold: a) to learn skills of
research using the SJSU library system, including its online search engines; b) to learn
to properly cite a scholarly article, both in-text and in a works cited list; c) to improve
skills of writing; and d) to gain insight into an important film by engaging a peer-
reviewed, scholarly article on this film.
GUIDELINES We will screen PSYCHO (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) the week of
June 19th to help us think about narrative. In the week+ after screening the movie you
will complete this assignment in several steps:
First, you will use the MLK Library’s online article search engines (or Google Scholar,
etc.) to locate one and only one post-1980, peer-reviewed, scholarly article on this film.
Scholarly articles tend to be longer and more critical/analytical and theoretical than
reviews. Most academic journals, whether printed or online, will feature three to four
articles and a handful of reviews and shorter pieces. You want the longer "feature"
articles. Depending on the search engine you’re using, you may be able to make sure
the article is peer-reviewed by clicking on this option when searching. (If not, you could
google the journal to determine whether it's peer-reivewed and/or ask me.) When
researching and selecting the article you will use, make sure it focuses
on PSYCHO (1960). This movie has been analyzed from nearly every angle, so you
shouldn't have trouble finding one that interests you. Note: your grade on this will suffer
if you choose a review of the film, or an article on it from, say, Time Magazine.
Second, you will read the article and make note of its thesis (aka principal
argument/objective) and main points. Academic writing is famous for being complicated
and theoretical. Part of your job here is to comprehend the article, so that you may
articulate it succinctly in your essay. This may necessitate re-reading.
Third, you will write your essay, devoting the first 2/3rds of the essay (roughly 2 pages) to
giving a concise summary of the article, in which you highlight its thesis and main
arguments. In the last 1/3rd of the essay (roughly one page), you will focus on how the
article expands your critical understanding of PSYCHO. When screening this film we
may not realize that it remains one of the most controversial, influential, and ground-
breaking productions in movie history, Hollywood or otherwise. So we have much to
learn from these articles.
Fourth, you will provide a complete and proper citation just below the last line of your
essay. Proper citation is important and will be graded accordingly. See below for
guidance on this. You may cite the article in-text with parenthetical citations (again, see
below), but be sure not to quote large passages or quote much at all in this assignment;
let your voice carry the day.
RESEARCH / CITATION Once at www.sjsu.edu, point the cursor over QUICK
LINKS, and you will see KING LIBRARY. Once at the MLK site, you will see at the top a
heading called FIND ARTICLES AND BOOKS. Point the cursor over it and select
ARTICLES AND DATABASES. The two databases that will be of most use are FILM &
TELEVISION LITERATURE INDEX WITH FULL TEXT and JSTOR, both of which you
can locate alphabetically or by clicking on the FILM AND THEATRE subject link. Once
in either search engine (F&TLIWFT or JSTOR), enter your search key words (psycho

and hitchcock would be a good start, but you may have a specific interest), click on
PEER-REVIEWED, ARTICLE, JOURNAL, ENGLISH, and FULL TEXT. This will
generate plenty of articles that meet the requirements and that you can download onto
your computer.
Please use MLA or APA parenthetical citations if/when you quote or paraphrase the
article (keep this to a minimum, as you should summarize in your own voice rather than
quote large passages). At the end of your essay, regardless of whether you cited it or
not, I want to see a proper and complete citation of the article, either in MLA or APA
style.
Here is an example of parenthetical citation:
According to Maximilian M. Todd, “the relationship between object and subject is
a testament to the struggles between the sexes” (Todd 94).
Here, instead, is an example of a full citation of a peer-reviewed article:
Nordhaus, William D. "After Kyoto: Alternative Mechanisms to Control
Global Warming." American Economic Review96.2 (2006): 31-39.
Note that “96” refers to the volume, as, in this case, the 96th year of this journal’s
circulation; “2” refers to the issue in that year (in some cases, the issue is labeled by
season, and you would cite it like this: “…Review 96 (Winter 2006): 31-39.”
FORMATTING 2-3 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, and page numbers. MLA
or APA parenthetical format (see above) and proper full citation just below
essay required.