Research Project/Literature Review
Issue
What is a question sparked from the supplemental reading folder found in the “Major Assignments Block?” For example, did the “Clan of One-Breasted Women” spark questions about how one’s religion factors in the healing process? Or, how did government testing of the atomic bomb directly impact the women in Utah?
Questions to Address
As you read about the subject, consider these questions. Use the questions as a spring board to an in-depth analysis of the selected issue.
What is so controversial about the issue?
Why is the issue still or is relevant to your discipline?
What has already been stated about the issue?
What are some conclusions that have been reached about the issue?
Do experts or authorities in the field agree on the conclusion or resolution involving the issue? Why or why not?
Are there any new developments that may affect this issue in the future?
Purpose
The project demonstrates that you have read extensively in your field, have a thorough comprehension of the issue that makes you capable of critiquing others’ work and incorporating scholarly work along with expressing your own thoughts.
Objectivity
The presentation of the material should be objective. First person and second person pronouns are prohibited (i.e. I, me, my, our, we, you, yours, etc.). Such pronouns move a writer towards presenting information with a subjective tone. Along with language, the structure of the paper is important. While some writers use pathos (emotions) to persuade readers, this paper is to focus on ethos (credibility) and logos (logic).
Structure
The introduction must introduce the issue, address its relevancy to the issue, and its reasons for its controversy. The thesis statement should state the student writer’s purpose for examining the subject. The body section should then elaborate the issue by explaining what has been addressed by experts about the subject, any conclusions or resolutions. The body should incorporate paraphrases and direct quotes from the scholarly sources to support the student writer’s thesis. Finally, the conclusion is to summarize the literature reviewed as well as student writer’s final comments about the issue.
Sources
Use 4 of the 5 sources you examined in the Annotated Bibliography. The sources should be from scholarly, peer reviewed sources. Such resources are found in the college’s databases.
Websites such as Wikipedia are to be avoided as they do not always provide accurate information.
Avoid Plagiarism
As you conduct research, you should avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is the intellectual theft of another’s words and presenting them as your own. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a zero for the assignment. To avoid such action, you should (1) paraphrase or (2) quote the source directly. Refer to your class notes as well as Rules for Writersor Moodle files regarding the proper citation format—CSE (Council of Scientific Editors).
Length
The essay should be 5-7 pages, double spaced. The essay must follow the documentation format as prescribed by your discipline. The 5-7 pages does not include the title page, abstract, or reference page. Be sure to use Rules for Writers.
Assistance
Your work must be saved as a Microsoft Word file or a Rich Text file.