Assignment Description: Research Essay
The research essay should result in a mid-sized paper (4-5 pages, 1200-1500 words).
The paper will be a response to one of the texts we’ve read in class（https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/22585287/technology-smartphones-gmail-attention-morality）. This text will be called your “anchor source.” You should write the essay as an explicit response to the anchor source you chose.
The paper should make an argument, i.e. develop a thesis and defend it. In academic contexts, we consider argument to be a valuable tool for enhancing our own understanding of an issue. The goal is not simply to “win” or to show that the other side is wrong, nor is the goal to simply declare something “good” or “bad.” Instead, the goal is to argue about causation, i.e. identify something that is happening and argue about the likely causes for why it is happening. This might also imply recommendations for how we can improve things.
Grading Criteria: The research paper should…
Contain the proper length: a minimum of 1200 words and maximum of 1800 words.
Make a clear thesis and support it with evidence. Don’t tell the reader what to believe. Instead, show the reader the evidence that supports your argument.
Be based on research and include a bibliography with at least 5 quality sources.
Include in-text references to your sources. These might be done using a traditional citation method such as MLA or APA, or the citation can be done using hyperlinks. Either way, the paper will need to show clear, citable evidence for the argument you are making.
Summarize evidence from other sources both clearly and honestly.
Be polished and well-edited; it should not be full of errors in grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. It must show that you put in thought, effort, and time to make an effective final product.
Use paragraphs well, meaning you should help reader navigate the content using focused topic sentences and transition statements.
Regardless of varying generic conventions concerning formality, the paper should use language well. It should incorporate techniques such as parallelismLinks to an external site., end weightsLinks to an external site., “old to new,Links to an external site.” and effective topic sentencesLinks to an external site..
Incorporate quotations well; see chapter 3 in They Say I Say. Also see the primer on quotations.
Actions
Avoid over-quoting; provide most of the information using your own words, and only include quotations if they accomplish something.
Use a polite tone; don’t call people names, and don’t be insulting or deliberately rude. If an argument is wrong, then point out why it’s wrong, but do so with a sense of civility and in the spirit of constructive debate.
Be structured as a response to some other article or reading (i.e. your anchor source)
The paper must be written with a specific audience and publication in mind. Try not to think of it as a document that you’re creating solely for the class. Instead, try to think of it as a document you’re creating for a given publication, as described earlier on this page.
Use a genuine voice that reflects your ideas and voice as a person. Avoid ham-handed, clearly “fake” usage of AI to make the paper sound artificially complicated.
Maintain factual accuracy: don’t let an AI system insert things that are plainly not true into your paper. Maintaining factual accuracy includes citation and sourcing; if an AI system is claiming that a source said something that it didn’t say, it will result in a severe reduction to the paper’s grade. Severe cases of AI misuse may result in failure for the course and academic ethics complaints.
A note on personal details and anecdotes: It’s okay to use personal anecdotes and first-hand experiences in the paper; depending on the genre in which you’re writing and the “target publication” you have chosen, personal anecdotes may be a very effective way of making a point. However, we should be clear that the essay is not necessarily a “narrative.” It’s fine to mention things you’ve experienced or witnessed, but they should appear in service of the larger goal, which is to support your argument.
