The Research Paper Assignment: Due April 28.
OBJECTIVE:
This assignment asks you to synthesize the concepts of this class. You will be asked to gather information, evaluate it, analyze it, compare it as well as integrate your own original ideas. Ultimately you will create a well-researched, well-written, argumentative, paper.
BACKGROUND AND DIRECTIONS:
As you know, your final paper is an Argumentative Research Paper. We have been leading up to this assignment all semester, and I have every confidence in your abilities to produce excellent work. Here are the criteria for your research paper:
Your paper should be prompted by some element, topic, or discussion from The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols. This is crucial. The topic must relate in some manner to “expertise” and your field of study or a field that interests you. 1) So you should be examining some area of your field in which experts differ greatly in opinion, so you will need to take a stand in this argument . 2)Or examine some area that laypeople continually question experts in your field, and again you will need to take a stand. 3) Or finally you may address some other controversial topic in your field that could only be addressed by an expert. Other than that, it is open-ended. You may not submit a paper that you have written for another class.
It should be an argumentative paper, meaning your thesis needs to be proving a point not simply explaining something or informational.
It should be at least 2500 words—roughly 10 pages. You may go over this amount but not under. Your final paper grade will be docked 10% for every page (every 250 words) that is missing.
It should follow the format of classical argument.
Make sure to include two rhetorical devices in your paper, i.e., anaphora, anecdote, rhetorical question, metaphor, etc. (Which by the time you start writing we will have discussed thoroughly in class.)
You should use and cite at least 10 sources. These need to be scholarly, peer-reviewed sources. Otherwise, you won’t receive credit for them. I cannot stress this enough: you must cite and include your sources in your papers. It won’t be enough just to have them on the Works Cited page.
All of your sources need to be accurately documented. Remember a plagiarized paper will earn a failure in the course.
You should have a Works Cited page at the end.
You should adhere strictly to MLA format.
WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:
All of the elements above
A thesis sentence that demonstrates original, critical analysis and presents a strong argument
In general terms, I’m looking for a well-argued paper free of any grammatical errors (such as, comma splices, fragments, run-ons, and subject verb agreement issues).
Each paragraph should have a strong topic sentence that refers to your thesis. Each paragraph should provide evidence and details to support your topic sentence.
You should include strong transitions between your paragraphs and ideas
Language that is appropriate and is cognizant of the academic audience
