Research Essay Requirements
1) You must choose a research essay topic that meets the following requirements: controversial, objectively researched, and argumentative. Here’s what those terms mean in the context of this course:
Controversial means that reasonable people can rationally disagree about the topic. “I think children should be healthy” is not controversial – no reasonable person will disagree with that. On the other hand “I think the federal government should control what goes into school lunches to ensure children get healthy meals” is very controversial – reasonable people can and do disagree about whether or not it is appropriate for the federal government to dictate the content of school lunches, or whether it should be left to local schools and parents to decide for themselves.
Objectively Researched means that the topic has been studied by objective, impartial researchers, and that you are using such research for your essay and not basing your work on personal beliefs or opinions. “I believe the death penalty is morally wrong” is not an objective statement, because morality cannot be objectively defined, and your personal beliefs should not form the basis for your research paper. “Evidence shows that the death penalty is more expensive than life in prison, and is often applied disproportionately to poor and minority offenders” is an objective statement, because it is based on research and not personal opinion or belief. If a topic cannot or has not been verified by the scientific and/or academic community at large, it is not likely to be a good topic for your paper. I have a degree in philosophy and love debating theology, but this is not the course for faith- or philosophy-based papers – while you may be inspired by those things to pick a topic, you should avoid religious or philosophical arguments in favor of more concrete, objective, practical approaches to your topics.
Argumentative means that you are taking a position on the topic and defending it by using evidence. In other words, you are not simply reciting facts, dates, and other information – that’s a report, not a research essay. Instead, you are taking a position (such as “Evidence indicates we should abolish the current death penalty statutes”) and then supporting that position carefully with evidence you’ve collected from solid, credible, reliable sources.
Choose your topic carefully!
2) Your essay must have a thesis, where you take a position on your topic and defend your point of view. Think of it as a “pro” or “con” position, where you must take a strong stand on one side of the issue or another. Do not sit in the middle – pick a side and defend it! So if you choose to write about the death penalty, your essay should either by for or against the use of the death penalty, and make a case for why you believe you’re right.
3) Remember – this is an argumentative essay, not a report. Simply repeating facts about your topic or summarizing its history will not earn a passing grade. If you choose to write about the death penalty, for example, you shouldn’t spend paragraphs talking about the history of the death penalty in the United States, unless that history directly relates to an important argumentative point you are making in your essay, and you make that connection clear to the reader. Otherwise it’s not relevant and should not be included. You must analyze information from your sources and use it to persuade the reader that your point of view on the topic is one they should adopt themselves.
4) Your essay must have at least three (3) sources. These sources must be authoritative, reliable, and relevant for college level academic work – not personal blogs by non-experts or infotainment websites with no fact checking. If you are wondering if a particular source meets course standards, contact the professor. Note that three is the minimum – it’s not a bad idea to look for more!
5) You must quote your sources properly, and include a Works Cited page correctly listing all the sources used in your essay. Use MLA format for all quotation and source citation standards.
6) The Research Essay should be 5-7 pages, not including the Works Cited material. It does not require a cover page, and if a cover page is used, it does not count toward the minimum number of pages. Pages that consist mostly or entirely of images or graphics also do not count toward the minimum. If you want a rough word count, 5-7 double-spaced pages typically means around 1500 words or more. If you are under 1000 words you definitely need to go back and expand your essay.
7) There are no exceptions to these requirements.
Research Essay Requirements 1) You must choose a research essay topic that meets
Struggling With a Similar Paper? Get Reliable Help Now.
Delivered on time. Plagiarism-free. Good Grades.
What is this?
It’s a homework service designed by a team of 23 writers based in Carlsbad, CA with one specific goal – to help students just like you complete their assignments on time and get good grades!
Why do you do it?
Because getting a degree is hard these days! With many students being forced to juggle between demanding careers, family life and a rigorous academic schedule. Having a helping hand from time to time goes a long way in making sure you get to the finish line with your sanity intact!
How does it work?
You have an assignment you need help with. Instead of struggling on this alone, you give us your assignment instructions, we select a team of 2 writers to work on your paper, after it’s done we send it to you via email.
What kind of writer will work on my paper?
Our support team will assign your paper to a team of 2 writers with a background in your degree – For example, if you have a nursing paper we will select a team with a nursing background. The main writer will handle the research and writing part while the second writer will proof the paper for grammar, formatting & referencing mistakes if any.
Our team is comprised of native English speakers working exclusively from the United States.
Will the paper be original?
Yes! It will be just as if you wrote the paper yourself! Completely original, written from your scratch following your specific instructions.
Is it free?
No, it’s a paid service. You pay for someone to work on your assignment for you.
Is it legit? Can I trust you?
Completely legit, backed by an iron-clad money back guarantee. We’ve been doing this since 2007 – helping students like you get through college.
Will you deliver it on time?
Absolutely! We understand you have a really tight deadline and you need this delivered a few hours before your deadline so you can look at it before turning it in.
Can you get me a good grade? It’s my final project and I need a good grade.
Yes! We only pick projects where we are sure we’ll deliver good grades.
What do you need to get started on my paper?
* The full assignment instructions as they appear on your school account.
* If a Grading Rubric is present, make sure to attach it.
* Include any special announcements or emails you might have gotten from your Professor pertaining to this assignment.
* Any templates or additional files required to complete the assignment.
How do I place an order?
You can do so through our custom order page here or you can talk to our live chat team and they’ll guide you on how to do this.
How will I receive my paper?
We will send it to your email. Please make sure to provide us with your best email – we’ll be using this to communicate to you throughout the whole process.
Getting Your Paper Today is as Simple as ABC
No more missed deadlines! No more late points deductions!
You give us your assignments instructions via email or through our order page.
Our support team selects a qualified writing team of 2 writers for you.
In under 5 minutes after you place your order, research & writing begins.
Complete paper is delivered to your email before your deadline is up.
Want A Good Grade?
Get a professional writer who has worked on a similar assignment to do this paper for you