Essay

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Research Paper

Overview

For the final assignment in ENGL 102, you will write a Research Paper in which you will take a stand on an issue, offer reasons and evidence in support of your position, and summarize and respond to alternative views. Your goal is to persuade your audience and try to bring them around to your opinion or point of view.

This Research Paper demands much effort on your part and you will go through two steps (Formal Outline and Final Draft) to accomplish this assignment. These two steps will serve as the guidelines and ensure that your paper will not be off the topic and thus meet the requirement for this assignment.

Suggested Essay Structure:

1) Introduction with thesis statement 2) Support of your reasons with evidence 3) Presentation of opposing views 4) Rebuttal or Refutation: your argument against opposing views 5) Conclusion

Formal Outline with Thesis (20%)

Due Date: Monday, October 5

Outside Sources

Items selected should be from different types of sources. In your final paper, you must have at least eight sources, three different types of sources, and no more than two of your sources can come from the Internet. Here is an incomplete list of possible types of sources.

• Books (see the library online catalog) • Print articles (If you are not sure how to do this, ask at the Library Help Desk for help.) • Print articles online (If you are not sure how to do this, ask at the Library Help Desk for

help.) • Web pages (be careful! Evaluate the credibility and validity of individual web pages. Cite

the URL -- the web address that appears in the “address” line of your web browser.) • Interviews. Be sure you cite the name, title, and reason for interviewing the person you

interview, and cite the time. Do not do more than one interview for your paper. • Local information publications such as brochures, information pamphlets, or white

papers (documents produced by government agencies and local organizations)

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Final Draft (80%)

Due Date: Friday, December 11

In this final draft you will use the sources you have collected to assist you in making the argument. To truly be persuasive, however, you must recognize and discuss opposing viewpoints. Not only does it enhance your credibility as a writer to address views that differ from the ones you propose, but it also allows for a fuller understanding of the issue you are writing about. Remember that reasonable people do disagree about most important issues. In this draft, you will continue to outline the argument and supporting reasons, but you will also summarize an opposing set of viewpoints and refute them. Refutation is more than simply re- stating your argument. It means that you will consider the opposing viewpoints and disagree with these opposing reasons. For example, if you were writing an argument proposing a solution that Social Security should be strengthened by those funds being set aside, an opposing viewpoint would certainly be that the best way to strengthen Social Security retirement funds would be for the government to invest more aggressively in stocks or higher- yield bonds. You would certainly acknowledge this opposing viewpoint as reasonable but, to refute it, you might well go to its supporting reasons (e.g., more money can be made in the Stock market than can in “safer” investments, or, higher yields make for more prosperous retirements). In either case, you could refute the opposing viewpoints by referring to the riskiness of the market. Of course, there would be other ways to refute but, in each case, refutation should acknowledge the claim, reasons, and evidence of the opposing viewpoints.

Make sure that the Final Draft contains the following elements:

• The issue should be clearly defined and should be one of the topics approved by your instructor.

• The problematic nature/significance of the issue is clear. • At least 8 sources from a variety of media should be used in support of the writer’s

position and/or the opposing views. No more than two Internet sources should be used. • The draft should have a clearly identified audience and purpose—after reading the

draft, it should be clear to whom the writer is writing and why he/she is writing. • The draft is logically organized, with a clear thesis, reasons, and evidence. • Opposing viewpoints are acknowledged and addressed. Rebuttal should be tied directly

to these opposing viewpoints. • The writer has created a balanced paragraph structure. • The writer uses variety in sentence length and type. • A separate Works Cited page following MLA documentation. • The total word count should be at least 1500 words. • The draft should exhibit reasonable error control.

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Suggested Topics:

1. Arming Pilots 2. Art/Public Funding 3. Beauty Contests 4. Cancel Culture 5. Cheap Labor 6. Compulsory Vaccination 7. Controlling Prescription Drug Costs 8. Endangered Species (specific) 9. Fast Food: Should fast food restaurants be blamed for obesity? 10. Free College Education 11. Going back to college as an adult or going to college right after high school? 12. Government Infrastructure Spending 13. Grade Inflation 14. Immigration 15. Nutrition Labeling 16. Online Dating 17. Parents held responsible when their children break laws 18. Privacy: Should the government be allowed to wiretap without permission? 19. Reality Shows 20. Road Rage 21. School Lunches 22. Standardized Tests 23. Uber 24. Vegetarianism 25. Workplace concerns

The topics above are rather general and only serve to give you a sense of the topics you can pick. In other words, the title of your research paper should be more specific.

If you intend to choose another topic, please be sure that the topic should be approved by the instructor.

Note: Please avoid the following (plus a few other) deadly topics:

1) Abortion 2) Abstinence/Safe Sex/Teenage Pregnancy 3) Adoption 4) Animal Testing / Animal Experimentation / Animal Research 5) Corporal Punishment 6) Death Penalty 7) Drinking Age 8) Drug Legalization (Marijuana for medical use, etc.)

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9) Eating Disorder 10) Gay Marriage 11) Gun Control 12) Juvenile Crime 13) Minimal Wage 14) Prayer in School 15) Religion 16) School Uniforms 17) Seatbelts / Airbags 18) Sex and/or Violence on TV 19) Sex Education/Birth Control 20) Smoking in Public Places 21) Speed Limits 22) Teenage Driving 23) Video Game Violence 24) Violence in Schools