writing 3

Unit 7 ENG 120

Research Essay

Due: Sunday at 11:59PM EST

The Research Essay will require you to research and choose readings to incorporate into your essay. After

completing choose one of the following topics for your essay (listed below). Be sure to choose a position on the

topic. For example, if you choose holistic medicine/therapy, then make sure to state how holistic

medicine/therapy is OR is not a good alternative to traditional medical practices. Think about the possible

negatives and positives for each topic to narrow the topics below. The essay will be four to five pages in length

and employ APA format.

Follow these guidelines to write your Research Essay:

 The Research Essay should be four to five pages in length and include at least three scholarly sources. Choose

one of the following topics and choose one position on the topic:

o “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance

o Single Sex Schools

o Drug testing in the workplace

o Businesses refusing to provide services to same sex couples

o Beauty Pageants

 Include an APA title page

 Include APA in-text citations wherever you reference the text.

 Include a reference page in APA format.

 Be objective and avoid using “I,” “you,” and “we.”

Students: Be sure to read the criteria, by which your paper/project will be evaluated, before you write,

and again after you write.

Argument Research Rubric

0-4 5-10 11-15 16-20

Meets Assignment

Requirements

Few assignment

requirements are met.

Some assignment

requirements are met.

Most assignment

requirements are met.

Many to all

assignment

requirements are fully

met.

Thesis Statement

(Controlling Idea)

Thesis is confusing,

vague or unclear.

Thesis is loosely

related to the paper or

not present.

Thesis is attempted

with little relation to

the overall topic.

Some supporting

details missing.

Thesis is present and

relates to the majority

of the paper.

Thesis is organized

and focused on the

paper. It includes all

main points and uses

active voice to state

the position.

Introduction Background details

are a random

collection of

information, unclear,

or not related to the

topic. There may be

no clear introduction

and background

details.

Introduction

attempted explains

the background, but

may lack detail.

Introduction explains

the background,

including an

overview of the

essay’s main points.

Introduction uses

interesting anecdotes,

questions, or other

information to build

interest. Many to all

main points are

logically related and

developed.

Conclusion Conclusion is unclear

or only loosely

related to content.

May not summarize

main points.

Conclusion is

recognizable and re-

states the thesis and

main points.

Conclusion is clear

and flows from the

body of the paper and

the thesis statement.

Effectively re-states

thesis and main

points and may move

toward potential,

related concepts.

Conclusion is

effective, clear, and

organized. Draws

information presented

in the body and

presents a new

perspective, or

potential solutions to

the problems being

discussed.

Organization,

Structure, and

Transitions

Many details are not

in a logical or

expected order. The

writing is weak or

inconsistent.

Transitions between

sentences or

paragraphs may be

missing or unclear.

Writing may have

some discernable

organization, but may

lack transitions

between sentences or

paragraphs.

Some details are not

in a logical or

expected order.

Writing is organized.

Details are placed in

a logical order, and

some transitions are

present at both

sentence and

paragraph levels.

Writing is effective,

purposeful, and well-

organized. Main

points are covered in

detail. Many to all

transitions are

designed to move the

paper forward from

thesis to conclusion.

Content, Rhetorical

Mode, and Purpose

Fails to develop

arguments and/or

counterarguments, or

fails to supply

evidence

Some argument(s)

and

counterargument(s)

are developed, but

may be missing one

or need further

elaboration; some

evidence is included,

but more support may

be needed.

Develops most

argument(s) and

counterarguments,

supplying evidence

for each while

pointing out most of

the strengths and

limitations of both in

a matter that

anticipates the

audience’s

knowledge level and

concerns.

Fully develops

argument(s) and

counterarguments

fairly, supplying

evidence for each

while pointing out the

strengths and

limitations of both in

a matter that

anticipates the

audience’s

knowledge level and

concerns.

Textual Support

and Integration of

Information

Very little textual

support is given and

integrated properly.

Textual support may

not relate to the thesis

statement.

Some textual support

is given and

integrated properly.

Topics are somewhat

related to the thesis

statement, but may

lack evidence to

support them.

At least three main

points are present,

although may not

always relate to the

thesis. Some

integration of

information is

present.

Main points are well-

developed, detailed,

and directly related to

the thesis.

Thoroughly

integrated

information with a

logical and consistent

flow between ideas.

APA

Format

Few APA

conventions are

followed, and may be

incorrectly formatted.

Some APA

conventions are

followed, although

not always correctly.

APA conventions

followed with some

errors evident

throughout.

Free of many to all

errors in APA

conventions.

Grammar and

Mechanics

Grammar, spelling,

punctuation, and

mechanics errors

occur throughout

document. Word

choices are seldom

academic. Sentence

structure may be

illogical or unclear.

Several errors in

grammar,

punctuation, spelling

and mechanics

present. Word choice

reveals some

understanding of

academic language

requirements. Many

sentence structure

issues exist.

Some spelling,

grammar, punctuation

and mechanical errors

are evident.

Academic language is

upheld. The sentence

structure is often

logical and clear so

that relationships

among ideas are

established.

Free of punctuation,

spelling, grammar,

and other mechanical

errors. Consistent

use of academic word

choices. Sentence

structure is mostly

logical and clear.

Tone, Point of View,

and Audience

Writing does not

address the

appropriate audience,

may contain clichés,

tense issues, or

inconsistencies in

tone and/or point of

view.

Writing may be

inconsistent in tone,

tense, and point of

view. Paper makes

some attempts to

address appropriate

audience.

Writing shows some

understanding of

tone, tense, point of

view. Audience is

usually appropriately

addressed.

The writing

demonstrates a

command of tone,

tense, and point of

view. Appropriate

audience is

addressed.

*A zero can be earned if the above criteria are not met.

*Plagiarism will result in a zero.