Research Paper Assignment Description ENG 113: COMPOSITION I

Research Paper  Theme: Taking a stand on a controversy  Select a general topic related to a controversy  Choose your stand on the topic  Focus on a specific argument related to the stand that you chose  Narrow your idea down to a specific thesis that clearly expresses the main idea of your essay and conveys your stand to your audience  Support your thesis with evidence that you identify through library research  Identify and refute opposing views

Research Paper  Conduct library research to locate a minimum of four scholarly articles or books that are related to your theme and support your thesis.  No websites allowed in your four main sources!  You may add additional support beyond the four sources  Using specific examples from the articles in the form of properly cited quotations argue the truth of your thesis.

Research Paper  Topic Proposal  Worksheet 5 will be a topic proposal for your research paper  In a minimum of one page you will  Identify the topic that you would like to explore in your paper  Describe the argument that you plan to make that is related to your theme  Propose a thesis  Explain the evidence that you will use to support your thesis

Research Paper  Library Workshop  The class will spend one week in the library  Presentation on using library resources  Practice using library resources  Worksheet 6 will be a handout where you answer questions about the types of resources available in the library  Worksheet 7 will be a handout where you locate examples of different types of resources and write an MLA style citation (book, journal article, scholarly website, etc.)  Opportunity to conduct research for your paper  Know your research topic so that you can use your time effectively!

Research Paper  Annotated Bibliography  Worksheet 8 will be an annotated bibliography  In your annotated bibliography you will:  Identify a minimum of four scholarly articles or books that you found through library research and that you will use in your paper  No websites allowed as part of your four scholarly sources!  You may include sources beyond the four minimum  For each article or book, you will:  Provide a proper, MLA-style citation  Include a brief summary of the article, how it relates to your topic, and how you will use the content to support your thesis and argument

Research Paper  Annotated Bibliography Continued  Sample Entry for Annotated Bibliography:  Author(s). “Title of Article” Title of Journal Volume. Issue (Year): page-page. Medium of publication.  Summary: In “Title of Article,” author(s) argue that proper citation is an important aspect of academic writing. The researchers cite alarming statistics about the percentage of plagiarism occurring on college campuses across the United States and offer the solution that peer tutoring and mentoring would provide students with role models to help avoid improper citation. This argument is compelling and I will refer to the statistics and solution as part of my argument that plagiarism is a problem that can be solved by implementing a student mentoring program on campus.

Research Paper  Outline  Worksheet 9 will be an outline of your research paper.  Your outline should contain:  An overview of the organization of your paper:  Introduction  Thesis  Body Paragraphs – Provide Evidence to Support Your Thesis  The main idea for each paragraph  Evidence you will use to support each main idea  Body Paragraphs – Refuting Opposing Arguments  The main idea for each paragraph  Evidence you will use to support each main idea  Conclusion  Restating the thesis

The Writing Process  Prewriting  Writing  Revising  Editing  “Publishing”  Handing The Paper In

Four Pillars of Argument  Thesis: Choose a well thought out thesis statement that clearly conveys the main idea of your essay and the significance of your stand  Evidence: Support your thesis with appropriate evidence  Refutation: Respectfully consider and refute opposing viewpoints  Concluding Statement: Wrap up the essay with a convincing and memorable conclusion

Audience  Who is your audience?  Friendly  Hostile  Neutral  What does your audience need to know?  Background information  Definition of key terms  Context  How can you best convince your audience that your stand is valid?  Means of Persuasion  Rhetorical Strategies

Rhetorical Triangle  Use the Means of Persuasion effectively  Include other rhetorical strategies to add interest to your writing and convince your audience that your stand is valid

Evidence  Evidence should include:  Summaries  Paraphrases  Direct quotation (word for word from the source in quotation marks)  All evidence should be properly formatted in MLA Style  In-text author, page citations  Works Cited list at the end of the paper  All summaries, paraphrases, and quotations should be integrated into your paper  Introduce with a “tag” or “signal phrase”  No dropped quotes!  Include an explanation of why the quote is important  What does it add to your argument?  When necessary, provide appropriate context for the material

Evidence  Avoid dropped quotes!  A dropped quote:  Even before its creation, the United States of America has held specific ideals as central to its identity. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” (770). Some may argue that the United States has not only embraced these ideals, but has tried to spread them to the rest of the world.  Revised:  Even before its creation, the United States of America has held specific ideals as central to its identity. In 1776, Thomas Jefferson, one of the most influential founders, expressed these core ideas in the Declaration of Independence as he declared, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” (770). Grounded on the notion that these ideals are not merely a set of fluctuating beliefs, but undeniable truths, some would argue that the United States has embraced a duty not only to provide these rights to its own citizens, but to spread them to the rest of the world.

Evidence  Other Examples:  Using signal phrase:  According to Rachel Carson, influential environmentalist and author of Silent Spring, “Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species—man—acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world” (790). By emphasizing the role humans play in altering the environment, Carson adds credence to the argument that it is also the role of humans to protect the environment.  Integrating a quote into the middle of a sentence:  Text speak may be regarded as just a modern example of the “bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble” that have plagued the English language for generations (Orwell, 779). However, the idea that these changes in language can be avoided is ludicrous. Text speak is not simply at bad habit; the shortcuts and abbreviations employed by computer-savvy young adults represent the future of the English language.

Avoid Plagiarism!  All information that is taken from a source needs to be properly cited  Summaries, paraphrases, direct quotations  MLA style format includes:  In text parenthetical documentation in the body of the essay  Works Cited list at the end of the paper  Missing or improper citation is plagiarism  Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, is a violation of the York College Academic Honesty code  Penalties include a zero on the assignment or being withdrawn failing from the course  See the syllabus and Student Handbook for more information

Structure  Introduction  Grab your reader’s attention  Provide an overview of your paper  Include a strong thesis statement  Body Paragraphs  Share appropriate background information  Provide and explain evidence that supports your thesis  Refute opposing views  Conclusion  Wrap up the argument  End the paper in a memorable or creative way  Include a strong concluding statement

Research Paper  The draft of your research paper that you hand in should be as complete as possible  A clear introduction that includes a well-formed thesis  Body paragraphs that provide necessary background information, build your argument with effective evidence, and refute opposing views  Include properly cited quotations  A conclusion that summarizes your argument effectively  Length: Minimum of 6 Pages (Approximately 1500 Words)  Revising your paper – the final version for your portfolio should have major revisions  Peer Review  My Comments  Free of spelling, grammar, and mechanical errors