Handouts
- research paper assignment sheet
- You might find the research paper outline [ PDF / DOC ] to be helpful. Please note that you might not be able to use the outline exactly as it's written; you might not have four "sides" (or aspects) of the topic you're researching; that's okay. The outline is meant to help you organize the topics you're discussing.
- sample papers [ one / two / three ]; the last paper includes formal explanations in the margins - please note that you should not be using personal pronouns
Research Paper Information
The research paper is worth 100 points.
What is it?
You have three options in terms of doing research for this project:
Who is my audience?
Your audience for this text is, of course, your fellow students and me. But think of your audience also as any person who wants to know more about this debate, what is at stake, who is invested, and why they should care. Your audience is also anyone who might read your essay once it’s posted on your ePortfolio.
What are the requirements?
Your summary and analysis should include:
Logistics:
What is it?
You have three options in terms of doing research for this project:
- Your essay could tell readers about a debate currently taking place. If you choose this option, your essay should rely primarily on an issue that has multiple (at least three) perspectives. One good place to start – from which you could choose a topic – would be the New York Times Room for Debate section; use the search box in the right corner to search for “food.”
- You may choose a topic from those posted on the course website: http://michelleszetela.weebly.com/issue-exploration-project-iep.html. You are welcome to choose your own topic, but remember: It should be food related.
- You may examine a food-related issue or problem and design a problem statement and action plan.
Who is my audience?
Your audience for this text is, of course, your fellow students and me. But think of your audience also as any person who wants to know more about this debate, what is at stake, who is invested, and why they should care. Your audience is also anyone who might read your essay once it’s posted on your ePortfolio.
What are the requirements?
Your summary and analysis should include:
- Context: Your introduction should include sufficient background that anyone could understand what is currently going on with this topic. Your introduction should paint the “big picture” for readers. What’s going on? Why is this happening now? Provide some statistics to demonstrate the breadth of your topic. Also, your introduction should answer the “So What?” question. Tell the readers why they should care.
- Summary: You should summarize each perspective, briefly. This doesn’t mean that you need to include a complete summary of each article, but enough for readers to understand fully each perspective, who each author is, and why she/he holds the opinions that she/he does.
- Overview: In addition to summarizing each individual perspective, it might be relevant or helpful to provide a summary that demonstrates how the perspectives relate to each other.This should include an analysis & synthesis: Your essay should analyze the different positions, but in relation to each other. You need to bring their ideas together in order to analyze the debate as a whole. You should discuss points of agreement and disagreement, as well as differences in how each person makes his (or her) arguments. You should discuss rhetorical appeals as needed, and also the rhetorical situation (context, audience, purpose).
- Conclusion: Leave your reader with something to think about: the importance of this debate, the importance of finding a solution, etc. Provide a quick overview of the debate, and possibly even offer up some potential solutions.
Logistics:
- Length: A minimum of eight (8) full pages.
- Use at least six (6) sources.