Information synthesis with research

Assignment 3: Information Synthesis with Research

(100 points; 6-7 pages plus a works cited page)
(I will also need an outline following the instructions and format in the documents I uploaded)

Purpose: Inform

Goal: Compose a research paper of six pages minimum that discusses opposing sides of a controversial topic while ethically incorporating research from a minimum of six credible sources accessed through the online research databases. You must choose your topic from the list of topics in this instruction sheet.

For each of these topics, keep in mind you’re presenting different perspectives regarding this controversial subject matter and citing sources to demonstrate the different points of view. Remember, the purpose of this essay is informative, so at no time during this essay will you present your opinion. You are simply relying on what individual authors say to create a discourse regarding an idea. Try to be as objective as possible.

Previously, we discussed the PRO-CON model for organizing this essay and the MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES model. Please choose one of these models for your essay.

Thesis: Your thesis statement should present different sides on which you will focus. The model for organization you choose will indicate what type of informative thesis statement you compose. Review the thesis statement samples for both PRO-CON and MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES. Please keep in mind, any concept you introduce in your thesis should be discussed in the body of your essay:

Example: Some believe that distance learning is an important model of education for students to obtain a college degree, yet others feel that the negative elements associated with distance learning often hinder students in their pursuit of higher education.

Incorporating Sources: Each paragraph of your essay should rely on source material to develop each claim, so you should still use the claim, support, discussion model:

Lead with a strong topic sentence
introduce your source to build credibility
quote your source ethically using a signal phrase and an in-text citation; because this is an objective essay, it may be more beneficial to quote individual sources instead of summarizing their perspective
end the paragraph by discussing the source and transitioning to the next idea.

It is best not to use more than two sources per paragraph as this is a short essay, and avoid quote stacking, plopping one quote on top of another.

***Please note that your paragraphs should NOT begin with a source. The paragraph will begin with a TOPIC SENTENCE introducing the idea/subject for that paragraph, and then you will use sources to discuss the idea presented in the topic sentence. ***

Research: A minimum of six sources will come from research databases, which can include either the Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Points of View Reference Center, Encyclopedia Britannica High, or Gale Virtual Reference Library, so each of your bibliographical entries (your work cited page entries) will use the format for a work accessed from an online database. You are also welcome to use an additional two open web sources in your essay if you like, but you are not required to use the open web. Please use no more than ten sources for this paper total.

Also be sure to:

Provide a works cited page
Have a thesis statement that focuses the essay by listing multiple, differing perspectives OR a pro-con setup. Please see the PPT on Writing an Informative Essay for examples of the two different formats.
Use focused topic sentences with transitions
Compose a discussion with an appropriate level of development for a college composition class. Use the claim-support-analysis structure in each body paragraph
Use MLA format to set up your essay (don’t forget your pagination!)
Stay objective; keep your purpose in mind while writing.
Do not rely on more than two quotations per paragraph
Informative Research Paper Topics

These topics come to you from the online research databases in our library. Begin your reading/research with these databases not the open web. Please remember the questions/prompts listed below are meant to be starting point to gain perspective on the topic. You are not taking a position. This is an informative essay, so you are presenting multiple perspectives objectively.

Minimum Wage for Food Workers: should the state of Michigan increase the minimum wage for food service/hospitality workers?

Prescription Drug Prices: should a cap be placed on the “markup” of prescription drugs?

Plastics/Water Bottles: should the production and/or use of plastics be limited? For this topic, you might want to limit this to the production and use of water bottles, but you can keep it aimed at plastics in general if you like.

Immigration: Will limiting illegal immigration protect U.S. economic interests?

Energy: should the United States invest in coal-fired power?

Energy: should the United States invest in nuclear energy?

Unemployment: are green jobs a viable solution to the problem of unemployment?

Advertising/Politics: should the use of attack ads be limited?

Medical Technology: should medical research be shared from company to company? Or nation to nation? For this topic you might look at sharing research between companies or sharing between nations.

Medical Ethics: Should the selling of body parts for medical purposes be legal?

Internet Rights/Social Media: should tighter restrictions be placed on social media content as it relates to political advertisements/political rhetoric?

Space Exploration: should the budget for exploration be expanded? This doesn’t necessarily limit you to discussing NASA as the US also makes use of privatized space exploration.

Social Programs/Food Stamps: should individuals who receive federal assistance for food (food stamps) be required to meet a work requirement?

Parenting/Child Development: should parents continue to spank their children?

Food/Agriculture: should the practice of factory farming continue?

Education Funding: should the federal (and perhaps states) government reduce (or perhaps stop altogether) the funding for charter schools?

Advertising/Tobacco: should the amount/volume of in-store tobacco advertising be limited/restricted?

Medical Technology: should mobile medical app usage be limited/restricted?

Medical Technology: should medical procedures be recorded?

Social Issues: should vaccinations be required for students in grades K-12?