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Goal
Goal: Students will develop a researched argument paper, going beyond the text
essays and finding at least two or three
outside sources of different types to connect with their position. They will be
required to acknowledge and evaluate differing opinions in their essay. The
purpose of this assignment is to prepare students for the type of research
writing they will be expected to do in their classes, using outside sources and
the full range of research writing techniques.
Requirements for the Research Essay
Read at least four essays or 20 pages in the unit.
Paper: 3-5 pages of Times New Roman 12 point font.
The Research Essay should
- Incorporate sources related to your topic/question that contribute in a
substantive way to the development and power of your argument
- Have an idea that is complex and intriguing in some way that captures your
overall perspective on your topic/question.
- Have an introduction that pulls readers into your question/issue and gives
them a general but clear sense of what will follow.
- Cite sources that not only support your point but also represent
various perspectives on your topic and thus help you develop a satisfyingly
complex thesis. Cited material, whether quoted, paraphrased, or
summarized, should be integrated smoothly into your own text. Summaries
should accurately and concisely capture the essence of the source and/or
purpose of the author.
- Lead the reader through the parts of your essay in a way that the reader
sees where you're headed and gives the read a sense of having arrived
somewhere by the conclusion. Specifically, when readers encounters
quotations or summaries, they should not suddenly feel as if they've lost
their direction. The organization of the essay should reflect your
argument, not your sources'.
- Convey a sense of your writer's voice--without being too informal and
"talky." That is, the style of the essay has a certain enlivening energy to
it.
- Follow MLA format and be 3-5pages long, with metatext, submitted to
Blackboard and final draft submitted as a printed copy.
Challenges for students
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