Paper #3: The Research Paper
Writing An Argument using Multiple Sources
Please go to the bottom of the page for the video overview of this assignment.
The Research Paper is an important component of English Writing 300. It is the longest essay of the semester, and it should be the most in-depth and well thought out of all the work you turn in. This essay is worth 125 points, a little more than previous essays.
Assignment:
For this research paper assignment, you will write an argumentative essay that addresses one of the topics on the research paper handout. I recommend that you choose a topic that is of genuine interest to you. Your essay will be much stronger if you have something to say, and you are invested in it.
Topics:
Please see the next page for the topics. If there is another topic that is of interest to you, please speak with me and we can configure it so that it meets the demands of the assignment.
Sources:
Through research, you will find your own sources for this essay.
There is one anchor source for each topic that you will need to work with in this essay (see the Topics page).
Please find some of your sources in our school’s databases. CQ Researcher, Opposing Viewpoints, and Ebsco are good starting points. You may also use some Internet sources; you could try the following: the Pew Research Center, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Mother Jones, National Public Radio, The Economist, The BBC News, PBS, National Geographic, The Guardian, the Wallstreet Journal, Scientific American, and the American Civil Liberties Union to name a few. You could also try Google Scholar.
Format:
See Format Template.
Process:
I would recommend that you begin this research paper writing process with an open mind. To do your research, use the questions related to the topic you have chosen on the topics handout; these questions and terms can be used as key-word searches to find sources in the databases and on the Internet. As you read and think critically about the sources, you will develop a perspective on your topic. Once you have informed yourself of the various angles of your topic, you will be able to back up, plan out an outline, find sources to back up your claims, and write the essay. It is impossible to write a solid essay without doing the reading first and informing yourself of the complexities of your topic. Plus, as the name implies, a research paper requires that you have done research and found good evidence that you can use in your essay.
Requirements:
This paper is longer than previous essays, but you have options depending on your goals for the class. Here are the options: if you are reaching for a C, this paper can be 5 pages long, if you are striving for a B, it can be 6 pages long, and if you are going for an A, it needs to be over 7 pages.
Follow MLA guidelines: double space and use 12-point font in Times New Roman.
Your paper must include 6 outside sources (minimum) which should include at least 3 articles from our school’s databases. You must also work with the anchor text that is connected to your topic, but you can consider this to be one of your outside sources.
This paper must have a works cited page and accurate in-text citations.