Assignment II

Assignment 2: Research-Based Argument Essay

~ 3500 words; 9-10 double spaced pages; 25% of course grade
+ en-route Annotated Bibliography 10% of course grade

Due Dates:

  1. Research proposal due 3/11
  2. Peer review of research proposals 3/18 (bring updated version of ~800 words that includes a core research question)
  3. Annotated Bibliography due 3/25
  4. ~2,000-word Draft due 4/3 | Peer review 4/8-10
  5. Final paper due 4/17

Your second assignment will collect and synthesize research to craft an argument. Each member of your group will choose a subtopic from your collective topic, and write a formal paper that explores a clear research question to formulate an argument. It’s important that you really understand the social phenomenon you’re talking about, and to what extent or how it exists. You want your work to make a sound, heavily researched comment on the age. Your essay will need to incorporate at least six credible sources.

Your assignment should answer a core research question that drives your work. Consider how your core research question could test a hypothesis about a current zeitgeist–one related to your group’s larger-scale topic. Then respond to that question with detail and nuance, weaving in what you find. Practice rephrasing your topic into the form of a clear question. Your question should not be a yes or no question, but instead a “how” or “why” question. Your overall research question will be complemented by researchable subquestions. Note that, generally, you’ll need to research before you really know what claim you’re making, and your question might even change, too, over time. The writing process can be messy!

Keep in mind that the core purpose of your research is to contribute to your development of a cultural artifact. You should begin to decide what that artifact is going to be, and how it might speak to/comment on all of the research questions your group is asking.

Grading Criteria

You’ll earn 10 points (of 25) of your grade on this assignment based on process:

  1. Submit all writing, including planning and draft deadlines, on time.
  2. Meet minimum length requirements for each deadline in full.
  3. Directly discuss your research as a response to your central research question.
  4. Complete your annotated bibliography and peer review it.
  5. Complete and attend peer review.

You will not be able to recover the above points with revision.

You’ll earn 10 points (of 25) of your grade based on quality of writing:

  1. Address a central research question, facilitated by sub-points and claims.
  2. Utilize and synthesize at least 6 sources in the development of your argument. (1 point each)
  3. Additionally offer suggestion as to how your research might inform a topically relevant cultural artifact.
  4. Organize the essay effectively to suit your intents and facilitate insight.
  5. Write in a manner that is generally clear, makes logical points, and is written in an appropriately professional (that does not mean inflated or intentionally boring—your voice welcome) tone.

You will be able to recover these points with revision.

You’ll earn 5 points (of 15) your grade based on portfolio revision:

After I read the final draft of your assignment, I will give you summarized feedback with three holistic revision tasks. You’ll earn the remainder of your grade on the assignment by attending to those tasks—and writing a cover letter that explains how you did. Revision tasks will be based on the essay meeting adequate standards of organization, purpose, support, voice and style, and mechanics.

You will be able to earn the above points with revision.

Annotated Bibliography
(10% of course grade)

––due 3/25

In route to your research-based argument writing, you’ll be generating an Annotated Bibliography to compile and prepare research to incorporate. Writers generate an annotated bibliography to give themselves one quick-stop location for keeping effective research notes for reference as they write.

Write an annotated bibliography on four sources (though you’ll need six in the paper):

  • One scholarly book (read smart, not the whole thing)
  • One peer-reviewed article
  • One credible journalistic source
  • One additional of any of the above

Each of the four entries should contain the following:

  • A full MLA-style bibliographic entry of the source.
  • A set of key terms you have identified as most important from the source.
  • A summary of the source’s content.
  • A personal response to the material—what you think about it, its potential significance to your project, and what questions you’re left with after reading it.
  • A collection of key quotations from the source.
  • Borrowed sources: A list of the sources that THEY used (the author of the piece you’ve chosen) to write their work, taken from the essay and the sources it cites. Not ALL of them, just some key ones you might go to if you had more time and needed to make more connections.