Research Essay

Research Essay. 20%
1000-1250 words (approximately 4-5 pages). Put the word count at the end of the last sentence in the last paragraph.
Maximum words that you can go over: 100 (total 1350 words). If you are under the word count by more than 25 words, you will be penalized for not meeting the assignment requirements. If you go over, please email me for permission, and provide a reason.

The Research Essay is an argument essay. It is developed from the Proposal and Bibliography assignment that you handed in. Unless you have arranged with me otherwise, the topic is the same as that in the Proposal you wrote. Your thesis may become more focused as you do research, but you cannot change your topic area.

Use APA format and style.

Due date: Dec. 7
One day late: 10%, Dec. 8, 11:59 p.m. I won’t dock marks for the first 5 days that it’s late (so you have until Dec. 12 to hand it in). After that, late penalties apply.

Follow the guidelines and lessons that we have been developing over the term, such as strategies for arguing a stance. Use various development strategies (such as compare contrast, definition, cause-effect, etc.). Pay attention to format and style.

Include a well-developed introductory paragraph with a clearly-worded thesis. Your thesis should be arguable; that is, you are not just explaining or describing your topic, but making a claim (of value, of policy) about it. Use the comments I gave you in the P&B to help focus your thesis.

Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence. All of the ideas developed in the paragraph should support the main idea of the topic sentence. Bring in evidence and support. Include examples. Refer to ideas in your secondary sources. Develop all of the body paragraphs. Do not write only two sentences for a paragraph!

Write an effective and developed concluding paragraph.

Write a variety of sentence types. Edit sentence structures for grammatical accuracy. Use correct punctuation and capitalization.

Edit diction. Edit out informal word choices. Edit out second person ‘you.’ Do not overuse third person (we, our); if used, be sure you have a referent for it.

Include at least one counter argument or arguments. Respond to it.

Use signal phrases, signal statements, and paraphrasing to include ideas from secondary sources.

Integrate and synthesize secondary sources.

The References page must have a minimum of three secondary sources listed, two of which must be scholarly. You are not limited to only these three secondary sources. Most likely you will find more sources since having written your P&B. If I have commented on one of your sources as unsuitable, find a new one that is more applicable or credible.

The Research Essay assignment tests your rhetorical skills. Both the content (the ideas that you will argue and evidence and support that you use) and form (how you will present your ideas structurally, organizationally, and grammatically) should make an effective and readable argument. Support your claim with credible evidence, critically-informed interpretations, and valid analyses. Persuade the reader to your stance through rhetorical appeals of logos, pathos, and/or ethos.

Make your paper interesting to read by writing in a style that is not banal.

Do not generalize or use general terms. Bring in specific examples and word choices.

Edit out informal tone.

To move into interpretation and critical analysis, ask yourself how, why, and so, what questions. For example, why is this important to know? What is the significance of this? Is the effect beneficial or something to be avoided? Why does it matter? How does this affect people, specific groups, communities, society, the environment, etc.? How does it shape (viewers, youth, subjects, people, etc.)? What are the ramifications (socially, psychically, geographically, culturally, economically, etc.)?

Checklist. After drafting your essay, go through the list below. Did you

make an APA style title page?
place the title centered on the first page of the essay?
number your