For this assignment, you will complete an 8–10-page research paper, using both primary and secondary sources, on a current topic of concern in your major field (if you are an undecided major, then just go with a topic that interests you from the field you think you will pursue). We will work on learning proper documentation formats as well as learning to find and evaluate sources. Identify/evaluate at least 8 potentially useful sources before selecting resources to integrate. At least four of these should be scholarly sources. You will create multiple documents for this assignment, including:
A 1-2 page proposal, focusing on your topic of concern and including a plan for how you are gathering your data (for example, what years might you look at? What databases from the library seem appropriate? What are the major strands of argument that you see developing about your topic just from briefly researching it?)
An annotated bibliography of 5-7 sources
A paper, including the following sections:
Introduction (What is the context for your study, what is your main idea, and what is your purpose?)
Literature Review (What research has been published already about your general topic? What are the common arguments, methods, and problems associated with your topic? How do your sources work together to support what you are trying to do with your own study?)
Methods (How did you gather your data?)
Results (What did you find? This section should be just a report or summary – not an analysis – of the data. This section should also include a visual representation of some of your data that you will create.
Discussion (What do your findings mean? How did the limitations of your study impact your results? This should be an analysis – not a summary or report – of your data.)
Conclusion (Why are your findings important to the larger question or general topic you addressed in this study? Why should your readers care about your findings? What can future researchers do to further address your research question, and how might they learn from your challenges or mistakes?)
