ENGLI 1010 - RESEARCH PAPER
TOPIC : Impact of Social Media on Young Adults Students The Researched Position Paper Tasks (this is a multi-task project) Project Summary Using a variety of invention strategies, drafting techniques, model texts, and revision activities, you will write a thesis-driven, persuasive, research essay about some current topic related to a community service project. The topic and project must be approved by the instructor. Manuscript Requirements · Required length: 1,000-1,300 words (approx. 4-5 pages plus your Works Cited page) · 4+ Sources, including at least one academic source · MLA format for layout, Works Cited page, and in-text citations Elaboration For this project, you will take a position on a topic that is important to you (and important to the world). The idea is to convince us of your position by using Rhetoric effectively. This means that you must be credible (use Ethos), make us feel empathy for your position (Pathos), and use sufficient evidence to logically support your position (Logos). You will introduce your topic and then give a Thesis Statement that lays out your position with a main claim and three reasons. Then you will support each reason with evidence. You will present the opposing position, and then refute it. Finally, of course, you will conclude, by reminding us of your thesis and predicting what happens in the world if your position is taken or ignored. To give sufficient Evidence, you must engage in outside research. You need to be sure your sources are credible; largely you will have to make this determination. Your instructor will require that you use one Academic Source from the VSCC Library databases. Learning Materials in this course, especially the section on Documentation and Research can help. Also, you can consult the English 1010 and 1020 Research Guide at the Vol State Library website. Otherwise, you may use articles you find on Google if they are credible (usually those that are in the domains .gov, .edu, or .mil are best). Getting Started The first step is to consider a Topic and your Position on it. (This corresponds to section 6A in Module 6 in the Content). Once you have chosen your topic and done some preliminary research, you will write a Request for Topic Approval and submit it to your instructor through the dropbox. Be sure to read your feedback on this assignment to make certain your topic is acceptable for the assignment and also to get help narrowing or refocusing your ideas. Reach out early and often if you have questions. Research You will need to use 4 or more cited sources (1 or more should be academic from a scholarly database, meaning the Thigpen Library's databases). (This section corresponds to section 6B in Module 6 in the Content). Academic Source At least one of these sources must be a scholarly source acquired from peer-reviewed journals from academic databases or books found in the Thigpen (VSCC) Library. We will cover how to find academic sources in VSCC's online library resources in online class activities and guides. You may also use scholar.google.com for Academic sources, though it can be more difficult to find full sources there. While only one academic source is required, a strong paper likely will feature more than one. Other Sources As explained above, you need to assess the credibility of a source before you use it. Base this decision on the logical evidence in the source, and if the source seems to have an agenda, and so on. Please note that you must use a source to support your counter-argument. Give the opinion of someone else who holds the opposite position. This does not have to be an academic source and counts as one of your required four (or more) sources. It is better not to use your only academic source in support of the counter-argument. Other Steps As you work on this big project, you will also complete these assignments on the way to your final draft. See the dropboxes for assignment instructions and due dates. · Annotated Bibliography - this assignment in section 6C in Module 6 will help you analyze your sources and practice creating Works Cited entries. · Working Thesis and Outline - this assignment will help you organize your paper and allow you to get some feedback from your instructor. · First Draft Submission to the Essay Review and Writing Support resource - this assignment will give you some feedback from the writing center tutors and allow you to form a revision plan (Revision and reviewed draft go into the dropbox). Final Steps · Complete final revisions, edit, and proofread your paper. Be sure your Works Cited list is the last page of the paper and starts on a separate page after the end of the essay. Note: Avoid second and third-person Point of View unless you are quoting (NO "I" or "you" forms). · Submit your paper to the dropbox by the due date. Criteria for Success · CONTENT: How well do you construct your argument? Is it thorough and compelling? Do you sound like an expert on your topic? Do you include a counter-argument and refute the counterargument to solidify your own stance? · ORGANIZATION: How effectively have you composed the elements of the argument? Does everything seem to fit and connect to the thesis? Does the essay flow as it progresses? · RESEARCH: Is evidence from sources abundant and credible? Is it properly cited? · POLISH: To what degree is the essay clear, polished, and copyedited, free from elements that distract readers? (See note above about Point of View.) Specific grading criteria are listed in the Researched Position Paper rubric. Please read through that rubric prior to submitting your final paper.