Research Paper Assignment Description

Class,
Below is pasted the Research Paper Assignment for easy reference and to provide you with a place to get an additional copy if that is necessary. Keep in mind that with this paper you'll be focusing mainly on your own argument about the issue you choose. In other words, it will not be primarily about what position either Barak Obama or John McCain takes but rather about your own position. The Obama and McCain information will be part of your greater research project (along with articles, books and other sources) that supplements your own thinking.
Sue


Research Paper: Arguing Your Position on a National Issue

As you all know, 2008 is a presidential election year. For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.

Audience: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument.

Paper Assignment Schedule

October 10 Come to class with a topical area and if possible a tentative thesis picked out to explore. We’ll be meeting in the library computer classroom at 9 am for instruction in doing library research for this paper. Look over the Lehman Library website during the next week (before this instruction session) and gain some familiarity with the library catalog. Also pick out a couple general databases such as Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis or Readers’ Guide Full Text to become at least somewhat familiar with. Some familiarity with these resources will help you get the most possible out of the session. Also be sure to review the readings assigned on researching arguments and evaluating sources:
From Dialogues: Pages 264-280
From A Writer’s Reference: Pages 318-341
Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.

October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper will be due

October 24 A draft outline for your paper will be due

November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due

November 21 Your final draft will be due

There will be more explanation of these assignments as they come up. There will also be various other paper-related assignments the class will be doing.

Formal Paper Requirements

--Six to eight pages long (not including your Works Cited page)
--At least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books
--MLA format used throughout

The preparation for and writing of your Research Paper will be a major part
of this course and is worth 30% of your grade.