Due: Final copy of Paper #4 In-class: Introduction of Papers #5 and #6; Exercise on what academic writing means to your discipline. Compare what you thought academic writing meant at the beginning of the semester and what it means to you now.
Due: Paper #5 proposal--Prepare a one-page abstract detailing the topic you plan to research. Describe the problem, issue or subject you want to study and the questions you think you will need to ask. Your description must be typed and will be graded as a READING JOURNAL. Indicate your general thesis and conclusion (for example, state your main argument).In-class: Paper #4 returned; In-class work with your proposals.
Due: Reading Journal Entries #8 and #9 due.In-class: Come by the classroom to pick up your approved paper proposals. Then we will workshop in class. You will have the remainder of class time to draft on the computer or to do library research. I will be available to workshop with you individually and to answer any questions you have while writing Paper #5.
Due: Rough Draft of Paper #5In-class: Peer Review of Paper #5 (Bring Question Sheet)
- Thursday 4/21
Due: Final Draft of Paper #5In-class: Drafting proposals--how you plan to extend the topic in Paper #6 using one peer analysis. Details TBA.
- Tuesday 4/26
Due: Entry #10 due (Yeah! The last one!)In-class: Paper #5 returned with proposals. Workshop day.
- Thursday 4/28
In-class: Class presentations of research projects. Due: Remember, I will take any revised papers through Friday, April 29th at 1 p.m.
- Tuesday 5/3
In-class: Class presentations.Due: Last day to negotiate if you need a few extra days to work on the final paper. If you want me to read a rough draft of Paper #6, it must be turned in today so I can return it to you by the end of this week.
- Thursday 5/5
In-class: Class presentations.
- Monday 5/9
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER DUE IN THE FOLDER ON MY DOOR BY 5 p.m. Of course, I will take them earlier if the spirit so moves you.
Paper #5--Persuasive Paper
Think of this assignment essentially as a position paper. Take an issue in your field that sparks differing opinions and construct a paper in which you convince the reader your view is best. The beauty of this assignment is that Paper #5 is really half of Paper #6. For the final research paper, you will be extending the Paper #5 topic into a sustained academic argument. Thus, it is important that you select something that interests you. Paper #5 should be 3-5 pages in length with at least 4 sources.Write in a style that is comfortable for you. I do not object to the use of the first person. In fact, that is often the easiest way to differentiate your ideas from those of the writers you will be discussing. Be clear about when you are quoting or paraphrasing others' words and ideas. Failure to cite direct quotations or paraphrases constitutes plagiarism.
Paper #6--Sustaining an Academic Argument
At last, the final English 145 paper of the semester! (Insert big sigh of relief). After digging into all those juicy scholarly articles throughout the semester, I'm sure you're dying for a chance to try it yourself. Well, here is your opportunity. Consider yourself a member of your discourse community (whether it be journalism, criminal justice, accounting, education, agriculture, psychology, graphic communication, nursing, law) and try to sustain a persuasive & thorough argument in an article-length paper. Essentially, you will be extending Paper #5 by treating the issues more in-depth and by answering previously unapproached questions.Your final paper should consist of an analysis of the research problem or of the questions you choose to explore. Your analysis might include a comparison of various writers' perspectives on your research problem, and a discussion of what you find most difficult, interesting, or problematic about the material you have read. In other words, you must think as well as research. For this paper, I am particularly interested in : organization, clarity, analysis and synthesis of the material, and the depth of insight into the subject matter & beyond.
Undoubtedly you have encountered this type of paper before presented to you in the format of a RESEARCH PAPER. Think of this paper as the one in which you "TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW" about a given issue or topic within your specialized field. Make sure you have a point that leads you to a conclusion--10 pages of rambling quotes won't work. For example, if you want to do a paper on collaborative learning don't just gather some data. What you need to do is frame the issue within a specific problem or question: are some collaborative methods more effective than others? appropriate for all subjects and age levels? when did it become popular and why?
Sources:
Minimum of 8 sources for this paper (more is fine, too). Sources must be scholarly journal articles or chapters from related books. Generally, you should look for the most recent sources and work backwards in time (about 5 to 7 years should be as far as you go). A paper on the impact of feminism in your discipline with a bibliography only from the 1970s will be suspect.
Length:
10-12 pages, excluding sources. Anything under 10 pages will be downgraded--even 9 1/2 pages.
Format:
Since you should really understand documentation by now (MLA, APA, or whatever style is used in your field), I expect beautifully formatted papers. To insure your success in this area, I will give you two grades for the final paper: one for format and another for the content. Things to watch:
- proper info in heading
- proper spacing around title
- proper format for in-text citations (i.e. periods, quotation marks, page numbers all listed in the correct order?)
- headers at the top of each page (page 1 is optional)
- Works Cited/References page
Further Info:
Diana Hacker's Rules for Writers (pages 354-431) and A Writer's Reference (pages 207-232) both contain sections that tell you how to approach the research paper if this is a new experience for you. There should be copies of these texts available in the library ,or you may borrow mine during class to read or make copies.
>Final Project Presentations:
For a reading journal grade. Each class member will present a 10-minute presentation on their findings and their own views about their chosen topic. This exercise will be a good opportunity to test how persuasive & logical your paper is. Papers do not have to be completed in order for you to give your presentation, a working knowledge of the issue will suffice.
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