Research Paper

Academic Writing Assignment: Research Paper

General Description
For this assignment, you will be tying together all that you have learned thus far in the semester, by writing a 6 to 8 page documented research paper. Being a documented paper, you will have to cite all of your sources in the correct citation format. However, with your citations, you do not have to give a brief summary or evaluation (this should come in body of the paper). Your objective is to fully research your topic, and compose a compelling argument around one or more particular issue(s). Given the length of the paper, you should ideally be addressing three or four very specific points or units of analysis about your chosen issue (you do not have to explicitly state these as questions in your thesis, but this IS an option). You will want to take a firm stance on one or more of the issue(s) – or at least fully explore your topic, and cite outside sources to reinforce/augment your argument (this does not mean you simply adopt someone else’s argument).

Purpose
Writing this research paper serves multiple purposes:

  • Critically develop and fully explore an issue in your academic field
  • Articulate and develop a critical and analytical perspective in writing
  • FULLY DEVELOP evidence/warrants in support of your main argument
  • Locate and evaluate source information to support your claims
  • Familiarize yourself with the various research techniques, methods, and sources available to you
  • Demonstrate proper in-text citation procedures (using the documentation format style for your chosen field of study)
  • Demonstrate proper end-text citation procedures for bibliographical citations
  • Study the writing in relation to articulating human values, cultural perspectives, or interdisciplinary understanding

Steps
Here’re a few steps for you to follow:

  1. Choose Your Topic (and stay with it). Your topic is the one you submitted in your proposal, or one you have discussed with me prior to beginning your research paper. Avoid straying too far from this topic, or your argument will become unmanageable.
  2. Use your annotated bibliography. Having completed an annotated bibliography of secondary sources, you are already well prepared to write this paper. The first major step toward synthesizing the information you’ve collected is to read over what you’ve highlighted or captured from your secondary sources. Consider all the sources and evidence you’ve gathered fairly and carefully. Think about what data or quotes are most relevant or interesting and make note of them.
  3. Develop a clear thesis statement. Consider your own interest in and existing views on the topic, as well as all you’ve learned from your secondary sources or empirical research. Your research paper thesis should reflect what you’ve found in the secondary research and/or empirical data. The thesis should also demonstrate your own point of view and original contribution to the conversation surrounding your topic. Don’t merely rehash arguments that already exist about your topic or inform the audience on the issue. Make sure you are saying something new and debatable. Your research will help you do that.
  4. Draft an outline for your paper. We will be looking at several paper models in class, but since every topic is different, you also want to think about how to present your information logically and rhetorically. In other words, organize your paper in a way that will help your audience to understand and be convinced by your argument. Keep in mind that the addition of your research may change the structure of your argument.
  5. Start drafting! The sooner you get to this stage of the assignment, the better off you’ll be. Include in-text citations of your sources and to balance direct quoting and paraphrasing. Remember that citing sources not only helps you support your argument, it also contributes to your ethos. Be sure to introduce all quotations [no dropped quotes!] and to limit yourself to no more than one block quotation. Academic research can be dry at times, but you chose this topic because you are passionate about it. Look for ways to blend that passion with your research.
  6. Complete your works cited list page. You may copy and paste the citations from your annotated bibliography (annotations are not necessary). If you’ve added new sources, remember to create citations for them as well.
  7. Leave time to revise. A research paper is not the type of essay that can be written successfully in a single evening or in a first draft. Take your peers’ comments seriously, have something prepared for our scheduled conference, come to my office hours, or make an appointment with the writing studio.
  8. Be proud of your hard work!

Requirements

  • A well-researched, academic argument that adds a new perspective to the existing conversation about your topic
  • A clear thesis statement that advances a specific, substantial, arguable point
  • Strong supporting evidence from your secondary research and/or empirical data
  • In-text citation of at least FIVE different secondary sources
  • A careful evaluation of relevant counterpoints
  • A coherent organizational structure that enhances the argument and effectively portrays the research
  • 6-8 double-spaced pages
  • Works Cited (MLA) or Reference (APA)
  • Meticulous proofreading and proper formatting

Don’t Do the Following

  • Dropped quotes (always provide the author’s name)
  • Multiple block quotes (no more than one)
  • Changing topics at the last minute. I will only accept papers on proposed topics.

Submit your paper:
Save your paper as a Word file using the following file name “Research(YourName).docx” and submit it through email, bgu@gsu.edu