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Read the following excerpt from a research paper on American novels and answer the question.

The argument continues about which novel has the honor of being the first American novel. Some award the honor to Gilbert Imlay's The Emigrants, denying the novelistic writing that preceded it (Gray 453). Several novels have lost their claim to that title for one reason or another. In 1751, Charlotte Lennox used American scenes and characters in The Life of Harriot Stuart, but her literary training and home were in England (Shepherd 5). A book called The Female American: or, The Adventures of Unca Eliza Winkfield was thought to have been written by an American and published in London in 1767. In 1775, Adventures of Alonso, probably by Thomas Atwood Digges, was claimed to be by a native of Maryland. The book, however, was not published in America and deals with nothing American. An Indian story, The History of Maria Kittle, was written in 1781, but did not appear as a book until 1793 (Burke 76). Miss McRae by Hilliard d'Auberteuil in 1784 lost its claim because it was written in French by a Frenchman (Sloan 8).

Is the author's tone toward the subject appropriate? Why or why not

Yes, its mocking tone helps the reader to better understand American novels.
No, it is too harsh in its treatment of the subject.
Yes, its neutral tone is appropriate for a research paper.
No, it is not opinionated enough for a research paper.

User Shatima
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2 Answers

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No, the author's tone is not appropriate for a research paper. The use of words such as "lost their claim," "thought to have been written," and "probably by" suggest a dismissive and uncertain attitude towards the novels discussed. This tone can be seen as unprofessional and potentially biased, as it may influence the reader's perception of the novels and the argument being made. A research paper should maintain a neutral and objective tone, presenting information in a clear and unbiased manner.
User Ranjit Iyer
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Answer:

No, the author's tone toward the subject is not appropriate. The use of words such as "lost their claim," "thought to have been written," and "did not deal with anything American" suggests a dismissive or critical attitude toward the novels discussed. A neutral tone would be more appropriate for a research paper as it would allow the reader to draw their own conclusions about the subject matter.

User Ruckert Solutions
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