Research Paper Assignments

Problem Segment (20 points), you need to write an essay of at least 1,200 words that describes the issue. The essay must use four of the sources provided in the "Research Articles by Theme" module. You may not use any additional sources other than the ones I provided. MLA paper formatting, in-text citations, and a Works Cited page must be included.

The goal of this essay is to examine the Who/What/When/Where/Why/How of the issue. How long you spend answering each question will depend on your approach (that is, some topics will lend themselves more to the Who than the Where, and so on), and you don't need to cover each one. Your true job is to follow where the research leads you, like an investigative journalist or a detective. 

Think of it this way: this paper has to tell us what the experts say. The other book you are using this semester, They Say, I Say, frames all academic writing as a matter of entering a conversation. Before you can enter it, you must first locate it, and synthesize its voices, almost like a moderator at a debate, in this first paper.

Solution Segment (20 points) must be at least 1,200 words, and you must use the remaining two sources provided in the "Research Articles by Theme" module. This paper must be on the same topic as your Problem Segment. You may not use any additional sources other than the ones I provided. MLA paper formatting, in-text citations, and a Works Cited page must be included.

There are a few basic options for you to choose from, depending on which best matches the work you did in the previous essay.

First, you might decide to write about one, two, or three overall solutions to your problem (no more than three).

Second, you might decide, if the problem seems unfixable to you, to write about why the issue matters in the first place--that is, if we can't solve it, why should we be talking about it? The chapter called "So What? Who Cares?" in They Say, I Say will be helpful to you if you choose this path.

Third, if there is disagreement among your sources about what the problem is, or if there is a problem in the first place, you can take a side. The chapter called "Three Ways to Respond" in They Say, I Say will be helpful to you if you choose this path.