college writing paper

Final Research Project for English 120

Okay, we have reached the end of the semester! We are reading 4 pieces (which all have something to argue about gender) as a class. These are: Slaughter (534), Dorment (555), Kingston (576+), and Eberstadt (605+)—all in TSIS. You need to be thinking about an angle, and idea, a sub-topic that you want to really delve into because you will need to delve to complete this essay. Gender in families? Gender in work environments (any work environment)? Gender in education (any level)? Gender in sports (any level)? Gender in communication? Gender and social media? Gender and film? These are only a few suggestions!

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS

Of the 4 essays we are discussing together, you need to use 2 in a substantive way in your finished research essay.

Secondly, you will need to do some primary research to complete this essay. The pages in the HB where primary research is discussed are as follows: 208-211. The HB lists 3 basic types of “field research” i.e., primary research, research that you do yourself: 1) an interview, 2) an observation, and 3) a survey. Each of these are perfectly acceptable, and you only need 1. Your plan for your primary research is due via email 4/8.

Lastly, you need to search heavily into academic journals, looking for peer-reviewed, scholarly articles. You will need 8 of these; however, 3 of the 8 could potentially be lengthy, serious newspaper sources that you have found on a given, current topic. Newspaper articles as source material for this essay must be reviewed and accepted by me. Scholarly books would be acceptable as well: up to 3.

So, you need 11 sources for the final research project. As the next month moves along, I will be talking to you about your sources and keeping notes. You will need to provide me with paper copies of ALL source material used in your finished essay UNLESS I specify that you do not need to do so—in words, face-to-face. If I do not tell you that you do not need to bring all your source material on the last day of class, then I will NOT accept your final essay without ALL the supporting documentation (all sources material used in the essay).

SEPARATE ASSIGNMENT: THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Bibliography is different from a works cited page. A Works Cited page is a list of the works which were used in the essay. A Bibliography is a larger list of works consulted (but not necessarily used) as the research progressed. You will need to complete an Annotated Bibliography, and that is a Bibliography with summaries (attached), so the Annotated Bibliography is a list of standard Works Cited entries followed by a summary of that particular item. An example of this is on p. 214 in the HB, and a 7-10 line annotation would be typical of a short summary of a lengthy research article. You need to complete a 10-item Annotated Bibliography. This is a separate assignment which is due via email on 4/5, and will be worth 50 points. Once you have turned it in, I don’t need to see it again. And when you turn in your final essay, it will have only a standard Works Cited page attached.

ORGANIZING THE ESSAY

Some students find it easier to think about a large writing project by breaking it down into parts; for example, the project should have an extensive introduction, there will probably need to be definition, and the natural section for that is just after the introduction. (You are not limited to this placement, however, and you could spread definition throughout, if you wanted to do so.) It may help to think about the guts of this essay as problem-solution, with a problem section, followed by a solution section. You need to have a refutation section (which often comes at the very end of the argument, but before the conclusion. You can work on the essay in parts, only bringing it all together at the end. The final pages will be the works cited pages.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

8 page minimum length. 11 sources used carefully, following MLA, and substantively. Standard English sentences. Well-developed paragraphs.

DUE DATES:

4/1 Topic due. Email (5 points)

4/3-4/5 SCHEDULED MEETINGS WITH ME: RESEARCH DISCUSSION (5 points)

4/5 Annotated Bibliography Due. Email (50 points)

4/8 Plan for Primary Research Due. Email (5 points)

4/10 1st Draft due: 4 pages. Email (5 points)

4/15-4/17 SCHEDULED MEETINGS WITH ME: WORKING WITH DRAFT (5 points)

4/17 2nd Draft due: 6 pages. Email (5 points)

4/24 Oral Presentations (10 points)

4/26 Oral Presentations

4/29 Peer Review (10 points)

5/1 Peer Review (10 points)

5/3 Final Class Day: All essays due. NOTE: I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE ESSAYS OR ANY ESSAYS AFTER 5/3. YOU WILL BE GRADED ON WHAT I HAVE BY 10 A.M. ON 5/3. BB, using Word, as usual + paper copy to me. If it’s not on BB, you have turned in nothing, and if no paper copy, -17.5 points.

GRADING THE FINAL ESSAY

30 Introduction: well-developed, using levels (different kinds) of development and specific detail

20 Definition of terms

100 Problem--including well-developed paragraphs with appropriate and substantive use of source material along with the writer’s own ideas

100 Solution—same as above

50 Refutation

50 Solid, grammatical English sentences

Total: 350