Project Four: Research Paper

Background and Goals
This is the big one, folks.  The one we've been working up to, the one that will count as a massive part of your grade.  This is also the one where you're going to take that research you've been doing (will continue to do) and make it, well, do something.

Fear not, as we will be breaking this down into specific steps as we go along.

Required Elements/Specifics
The general assignment is to use research to support a specific claim about your topic.  Specifically, you will be:

• Positing a claim about a controversial issue within your topic.  Note that "controversial" is a somewhat subjective term.  Your argument doesn't have to be about some earth-shattering, world-shaping discussion.  There simply needs to be some disagreement about it. 

• Using outside sources to support specific and persuasive supports of that claim. 

• Using outside sources to consider the opposition to your claim.  Your task will be either to refute or in some way mitigate that opposition.

Specific Sections
As with the I-Search Paper, this paper will have specific sections, and as before, I want you to use the section headings as explained.

1. Introduction, in which you briefly (2 or 3 paragraphs) set up the basic premise of your paper.  Included here should be a "hook" to get your readers engaged in the topic, and some explanation of your exigency - why is it necessary for this argument to be made?  Your claim/thesis should be in this section.

2. Review of Literature, in which you briefly (3-4 paragraphs) establish the major arguments that have been made on this topic previously.  Some of this can be adapted from your I-Search paper, but it should be narrowed to the specific topic of this paper.

3. Arguments, in which you present the arguments in favor of your thesis, using sources to back them up.

4. Counterarguments, in which you consider the opposition to your claim and address it.

5. Conclusion, in which you remind your readers of your arguments and come to a pithy conclusion.

Source Specifics
For this paper, you will be required to use a minimum of 8 research sources.  We will discuss how these sources will be used in your paper, but the key is to remember that your are not necessarily looking for sources that directly support your claim.  Rather, you are looking for sources that support your supports for that claim.  In Toulmin terms, your sources will support your reasons.

 

Other source requirements:

• Unless otherwise cleared with me, only 4 of your 8 sources may be internet sources.  Please note that articles retrieved through EBSCOhost are considered print sources, not internet.

• Part of an effective argument is using credible, persuasive sources.  Don't just grab something because it seems to support your claim.  We will discuss source credibility further, but things you will want to consider include:

  • Timeliness: when was the source published?  Is this an issue in your topic?

  • Author: is the author a credible authority on the topic?

  • Publisher: who published the text?  Are they a credible publisher?

Schnarre's Rules of Research

Using outside sources to support your own arguments is not a "natural" skill.  It takes time and effort to learn to integrate sources into your writing both effectively and gracefully.  Students can fall into various traps, including not using enough direct quotations, using too many direct quotations, and losing their own "voice" in the process. In order to counter this, I'm giving you some specific guidelines for using sources in this paper.

While these are arbitrary rules that may be abandoned later in your college career, they are a good model for academic writing at the undergraduate level and will help you outline and structure your essay.   I expect you to follow them EXACTLY, and your grade will be based in part on how well you follow them.  

1. Only the first paragraph can begin with a quote.  ALL OTHER PAPRAGRAPHS MUST BEGIN WITH A TOPIC SENTENCE IN YOUR WORDS, telling the reader what the paragraph contains and framing the reason for the paragraph’s inclusion in your essay!

2. ALL PARAGRAPHS in a research paper must have at least one quote or documented source use.

3. No paragraph may have more than three quotes or source uses in it.

4.  No paragraph can end with a source use.

5. Each QUOTE or SOURCE USE must have a sentence setting up its maker and why it is valid to your argument.  Imagine you are introducing this quote to your audience and then giving its content.  This will aid your audience in gaining context and meaning from your writing.

6. Each quote or source use must have at least 3-5 sentences discussing how the quote fits into your argument.  Think of this discussion as an interpretation of the quote in light of your thesis.  What is the significance of the data within your quote or source use, and how does it relate to proving the validity of your thesis?

Length and Format
Your paper should be approximately 3200-3900 words, or 10-12 pages double spaced.

The paper should be done in standard MLA format unless otherwise discussed with me.  This includes:

• MLA documentation

• Double spacing

• 1 inch margins all around

• MLA page headings

Grading Criteria

• Does the paper have a coherent and definite claim (thesis)?

• Does the paper support that claim with clear and persuasive reasons?

• Does the paper effectively use research to support the reasons?

• Does the paper consider and account for opposition to the claim?

• Does the paper follow the rules of research?

• Is the paper coherently and effectively organized?

• Is the paper in standard MLA format?

• Are mechanical errors rare?