only for hilary

You have already been reading about your topic and become familiar with basic ideas, terms, questions and debates. The goal of this assignment is to present in a systematic way some essential background information on the topic you have chosen to research.

Content

Write a report that introduces your topic and provides the reader with a general overview and answers to some basic questions about on a specific area or subtopic chosen from within your overall topic.

At the end of this process, you will have:

· a greater familiarity with your topic

· a more focused area within your overall topic to research (a subtopic)

· a research question that will guide you in further research

· a hypothesis (a possible answer to your research question)

· a plan for further research

You are required to use at least four sources of different types. It's imperative that you use a variety of resources, and your grade will reflect that. These might include any of the following:

· general reference works (encyclopedias and the like)

· general interest articles from magazines, newspapers and websites

· textbooks

· books for a general (non-specialist) audience

· journal articles

Format

· The paper should be between 750 and 1250 words (3 – 5 pages).

· The paper must be typed in Arial or Times Roman 12 point font, double-spaced, with one inch margins all around.

· All references and sources must be in proper MLA style.

Organization

1. First, introduce your overall topic (e.g. “child psychology” or “immigrant issues”). Define the key terms, provide basic important facts, and explain the key ideas one should be familiar with to understand this topic. Your task here is to give your reader the basics. You are not trying to prove a point, just explain the topic.

2. Next, introduce your subtopic, the specific area within your overall topic that you intend to focus on (such as “factors affecting psychological development” or “connections between migration and political turmoil in the home country”). It should be clear from this introduction how your subtopic is part of, but not the same as, the overall topic. Define the key terms, provide the key facts, and explain the key ideas one should be familiar with to understand this subtopic. Again, give your reader the basics; don’t try to prove a point.

3. Point out three to five questions that remain unanswered within your subtopic. That is, what are some things that even the experts don’t know? Identify which of these questions you have chosen for your research question.

4. State your hypothesis, that is, what you think is the answer to your research question is at this point.

5. Finally, describe the information will you need to find to answer your research question and ultimately prove your hypothesis. This will be the outline of your research plan.

Write up this information as a report (coherent sentences and paragraphs, not just a list).

Grading Criteria

The paper will be scored on the categories below. Each will receive a score of 1 to 4 (or 0). The total grade will be an average of those scores.

· Topic is introduced, and essential information about the topic is provided in a clear, informative, systematic and comprehensive manner.

· Subtopic is clearly identified, distinguished from the overall topic, and appropriately focused (not too broad or too narrow), and essential information about the subtopic is provided in a clear, informative, systematic and comprehensive manner.

· Questions about subtopic are clearly identified and explained. Scoring:

· 4 points: There are at least three different questions, not just different versions or parts of the same question. For example, “How does divorce affect child development?” is part of the question, “How does parental conflict affect child development?” because “divorce” is one aspect of parental conflict, so these would not count as two different questions. On the other hand, “How does growing up in an ethnically diverse neighborhood affect child development?” is a different question because it is not a subset of parental conflict.

· 3 points: Only two different questions or three questions that are really just parts of the same question.

· 2 points: One or two questions that are really just parts of the same question

· 1 point: No additional questions besides a general research question or “additional” questions that simply rephrase the research question.

· Research question (one of the questions generated above) that is appropriately focused and leads to an arguable, descriptive thesis.

· Areas for further research are clearly identified and appropriately focused.

· Publication data is listed in MLA format for all sources cited, with a minimum of four different types of sources.

· Language

· Most of the paper is in your own words.

· Occasional brief and completely accurate quotations provided as needed to give the flavor of the original or capture an exact thought.

· The mechanics (punctuation, spelling and grammar) are correct.

· The paper provides clear transitions when moving from one idea to the next.

· The style is objective, formal, concise, precise, and varied.