Research Paper Requirements

Your task for this essay is to consider your chosen issue, research it thoroughly, and then present an effective argument regarding that issue following the Classical Model of Argumentation.

You have four choices for the type of argument you can do. They are:

1. A course of action argument. This would be an argumentative essay which proposes changes/actions that every day, common people can do to solve or improve this issue. You would not write about what the government, or companies, or institutions, or organizations should do. You would be proposing a course of action. You will argue that some specific, individual action(s) should, could, must, ought to be taken in order to solve/improve/address an issue or problem which you have chosen. 

• A causal argument, arguing the proximal and distal causes of the issue you have chosen. This cannot be just an informative essay though. The topic must be controversial/debatable, and not something everyone already agrees on. The thesis would assert that problem/issue “A” is caused by W, X, Y, Z, etc. For instance, you might argue that unhealthy body image in teens is caused by social media, advertisements, etc.

• An effect argument—the opposite of the causal. Instead of arguing what caused something, you would argue what the effects/consequences of something is. The thesis would assert that issue “A” results in multiple effects W, X, Y, Z, etc. For instance, you might argue that our reliance on technology has many negative effects, including…etc.

• Arguing for or against a law—a specific law. For this argument, you would select a law that is either being currently contested or one that is being proposed/considered. This law can be at the local (city ordinances), state, or federal level. The law/bill would count as one of your sources, and you would be arguing for or against that law, providing reasons for your position. An example of this would be an argument for Texas legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.

The objectives of this essay are for you to:

• Learn and apply the Classical Model of Argumentation including counterargument
• Understand how to access the Library Databases and locate scholarly sources for your writing
• Apply MLA guidelines for format and documentation
• Demonstrate an understanding of audience and formal tone and style in your writing
• Develop argument with evidence from scholarly sources and synthesize that info with your ideas
• Practice the appeals and rhetorical techniques which we have been studying in class
• Demonstrate a strong ethos
• Create an edited, rhetorically persuasive essay

Minimum research/drafting requirements:

1. Research Proposal
2. Minimum of seven sources
3. Two book/ebook sources required. I recommend you use the Library Catalog in the DCCCD Library page to access ebooks.
4. Two academic database sources required. These must be from the DCCCD Library Databases.
5. One expert, scholarly, credible website source required.
6. The other sources may be of your choosing (documentaries, print, database, credible online sources)

5. General encyclopedias or dictionaries do not count as one of the required sources. This includes print and electronic editions of works like World Book, Britannica, Wikipedia, Webster’s, and Encarta. No general reference works are permitted in this essay.

6. A specialized encyclopedia, such as the Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, MAY count as one of the required sources.

7. All Internet sources MUST be credible, expert, authoritative, reliable, academic sources.  Do not use sites such as about.com, Webmd, ehow, booknotes.com, Wikipedia.org, etc.  Avoid Google altogether.

     C. Works Cited page (see due date on syllabus)

1. All of the required seven sources must be on the WC page
2. WC page must be in MLA format

     D. Draft due—for peer editing—will count as a grade (see due date on syllabus)

Minimum writing requirements—if you do not meet the minimums, you cannot pass the paper.

1. 2000-2200 words
2. Classical Model of Argument—required structure
3. Citations from seven different sources, with parenthetical documentation.  You must use all of your seven required sources in your paper.  Each source must be used at least twice.  You must use both embedded direct quotations and paraphrases throughout the essay.
4. No more than two direct quotes permitted in each body paragraph.  Paraphrase! No more than one block quote in the paper.
5. Minimum of three citations in every body paragraph(the narratio, all confirmatio, and the refutation).  You may incorporate citations into your intro and conclusion as well, but they are not required.  This minimum will force you to accomplish two things:

1) stick with the evidence and avoid mere opinion, and

2) develop your body paragraphs sufficiently

• Works Cited Page—with all sources that are used in the paper; in proper MLA format

Form requirements—MLA format

1. Formal tone and style (no 1^st singular or 2^nd person pronouns or contractions; as you know, these earn a 50)
2. Typed in size 12 Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced, proper heading, pg numbering, etc
3. MLA documentation and in-text citations required
4. MLA Works Cited required
5. Mark (highlight/underline) your thesis and topic sentences