Our final major assignment is the archival research paper, in which you will do both primary and secondary research. To prepare, do the following:
1. Read the Guide to First Year Writing, Chapter 7 – sections: “Academic Research Paper”
2. Read through the assignment sheet below.
3. Then, go back and re-read Project 2, specifically the proposal section.
4. Then, complete your Annotated Bib project with project 3 in mind.
Objective
Compose a 6-7 page research paper (2100 – 2400 words) based on primary and secondary sources gathered for the annotated bibliography. The first and main source should come from archival research and discuss an aspect of culture/history/politics that your archival artifact is connected with. The paper should synthesize these sources in support of a compelling thesis.
Assignment Checklist
A successful research paper will include the following:
- 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 (see below)
- Strong supporting evidence from your secondary research
- Inclusion of at least one archival source, which is the jumping-off point for your paper
- One relevant image for each section of your paper (Intro, Contexts, Body, Conclusions) that includes a citation-caption.
- In-text citations for at least FIVE different secondary sources
- A careful evaluation of alternate conversations or relevant counterpoints
- A coherent organizational structure that enhances the argument and effectively portrays the research
- An identifiable audience
- A clear ethos
- The equivalent of 6-7 pages, translated into a project website
- MLA citation for all sources in an attached works cited page
- Proofreading and proper MLA formatting
The Specifics
The Archival Research Paper is a research paper dependent on the archival research you do for the Annotated Bibliography and the secondary research you use to develop your ideas. You have been asked to write a project proposal for this paper as part of the Annotated Bib.
The paper and the Bib focus around 1-2 archival artifacts you have chosen to further investigate. You will not write a paper about the artifact, however; rather, you will use it as a jumping off point for your research paper. Once your project proposal has been approved, you may begin writing and researching your essay. Beginning next week, we will discuss how to write each section of the research paper, section by section. We will also review MLA citation structures and Works Cited pages.
But, I encourage you to begin with these initial questions:
What is the assignment? A research paper
What is the purpose of this essay? To use an archival artifact and argue a point of view about a topic connected with that artifact.
What is the essay’s thesis statement? Know this and you understand the work in front of you. Make sure the thesis takes a position (one among several, more than two) – this is the definition of an argument.
Who is the intended audience? We will talk more about this later, but audiences are not varied. Your thought may be that the intended audience is me, but I want you to write beyond the classroom. That means that I am not your primary audience – nor are your classmates. Instead, ask yourself, ‘who needs to hear these words/read this article?’ What conversation are you starting? What field of study connects to this topic and argument? These questions will point you to your primary audience; I will become a secondary audience.
Organizing Structures
Next, employ an organizing structure like an outline. With an outline in place, you can begin to write each section from your outline, rather than writing from beginning to end. This lets you think about the work in a strategic way, rather than as a task to be completed.
You can use one of the following examples as a model for organizing your thinking about the essay as you finish your Annotated Bibs.
Alphanumeric Outline
This is the traditional outline, employing both letters and numbers. YOu can fill in each line with key words and phrases that help you see the arc of your paper and argument.
Full Sentence Outline
The full sentence outline is formatted just like the alphanumeric outline, although instead of keywords and phrases, the full sentence outline uses full sentences in each section. The benefit of a full sentence outline is that you can try out sentences and ideas together. Looking at the sentences together allows you to see where transitions or gaps in ideas might be.
Check out the Purdue OWL’s outline examples: outline examples.pdf.
Drafting and Peer Review
When the time comes for peer review, you will submit a complete essay draft, saved in MS Word, to Assignments submission box the day prior to peer review. I will then share drafts among groups for Peer Review. We are doing peer review this way because in our last peer review, some group members did not read closely and submitted their drafts too close to the closing date for their team members to complete their assignments. So, in order to avoid this and level the field, these essays will be due the night before by 8 PM. Hopefully, this will allow each of you to review in your own time.
(Please note that you will not be able to engage in peer review if you do not submit a draft to me and there can be no extensions given for this, as we simply don’t have the luxury of time).
Important Dates
JULY 17: WEBSITE BUILDING WORKSHOP (WEBEX)
JULY 20: ESSAY DRAFT DUE TO THE SUBMISSION BOX FOR PEER REVIEW
JULY 21: PEER REVIEW
JULY 23: WEBSITE CHECK DUE
JULY 31: FINAL ESSAY DUE