Order 981520: should college athletes get paid

Assignment Four: Research Essay

Write a 2,000 to 2,500-word research essay persuading readers to consider your position on one of the

debatable issues listed below or one chosen with approval of your professor. ”Debatable” means a topic about

which intelligent, well-meaning people may disagree. Your audience is skeptical, so plan your argument

accordingly.

Your argument should be supported by information gleaned from credible written sources such as scholarly

journals, newspapers, and books. You should take advantage of credible websites, radio, or even television

programs. Consider interviewing someone in the field, if possible. You will need to use your critical thinking

skills to determine the validity and reliability of each source you use. Your sources should be current (usually not

more than seven years old) unless you are providing historical background. All quotations, summaries, and

paraphrases must be correctly cited and documented using the MLA documentation system. References to the

citation system are in the MLA tab of the Hacker textbook, The Writer’s Reference.

Requirements

1. Before handing in your final paper, you will have passed four checkpoints: (1) Narrative Essay on a

Research Topic (2) APA or MLA citation list (3) persuasive Argument Analysis essay, and (4) review of

your Research Essay draft by MyAccess and the instructor.

2. Most of your final paper should be in your own words. Do not make your final paper a simple collection

of good quotations from other sources.

3. Present opposing viewpoints (counter arguments) fairly and refute them effectively.

4. Use at least FIVE different sources by at least FIVE different authors.

5. Avoid plagiarism by handling and documenting your sources appropriately. Remember, you must either

quote your sources word for word exactly with quotation marks, or summarize or paraphrase your

sources using your own language and style. Summarizing and paraphrasing are preferred to quoting.

6. Your essay must be in either APA or MLA style: standard margins and spacing, Times New Roman with

12 point font, and a References or Works Cited page that is formatted correctly.

Approved Topics

(You are encouraged to select your own topic, such as an issue you deal with at work. To do so, check with your

instructor, who will make sure your topic is appropriate for the assignment).

1. Should students who engage in cyberbullying, even from off campus, face sanctions at school?

2. Was the Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo vs. New London the correct one? (Eminent Domain)

3. Should other states adopt Oregon’s “Death with Dignity Act” or similar legislation?

4. Should college athletes be paid to play?

5. Are the current methods employed in security lines at airports by the TSA effective?

6. Are video games making children smarter?

7. Should there be a law that prohibits paparazzi from taking and/or selling photos of the children of

famous parents?

8. Is nuclear power a safe form of energy?

9. Should the minimum wage be raised in your state?

10. Should “stand your ground” laws be introduced in other states?