Write an argumentative research paper in response to the question(s) at issue that you have developed through inquiry-based research on an issue you identified related to stereotyping or unconscious bias.
Information/Source Requirements
Your research paper should incorporate a variety of sources, some of which contradict or complicate each other, in order to demonstrate your ability to respect the original ideas of authors, to recognize the value of certain types of information, and, most of all, to enter into authentic scholarly conversation with the ideas of scholars, researchers, professionals, and other experts.
Number of Sources
minimum of 4 scholarly sources
Total number of sources (scholarly or not scholarly): 6-8
Evaluation of Sources
All sources you use MUST
be relevant, current, & authoritative
be representative of the scholarly conversation on your issue
Citation of Sources
When using source information in your essay, you must
integrate the information appropriately
use signal phrases to indicate authorship and context
use summary, paraphrase, and quotation appropriately
use appropriate in-text citation (MLA)
use synthesis (FIAW Chapter 8)
include an appropriate entry for the source in a Works Cited list (MLA) contained on the page following the last paragraph of the paper
Higher-Order Concerns
The research paper should demonstrate your best abilities to write a coherent, focused paper that synthesizes source information in support of what you have to say about the issue you are addressing in the paper.
Focus/Thesis
The thesis statement makes an arguable claim in response to the question(s) at issue (FIAW Chapter6)
The thesis statement is so detailed and specific that this is the only paper it could be written form.
The introduction demonstrates the writer’s awareness of the complexity of the scholarly conversation on this issue and addresses the So what? and Who cares? questions.
Development
Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that connects to and supports the thesis.
The type of argument is clear by the kinds of sentences that begin and end each paragraph.
All source information used in the paragraph is synthesized and connects to and supports the paragraph’s topic sentence.
Each body paragraph contains sentences that explain the significance of the paragraph and connects the paragraph to the focus/thesis of the paper.
No paragraph should have as its primary activity the reporting of another authors ideas. What you have to sayyour ideasshould be the primary focus of each paragraph and your ideas should be clearly distinguished from what others have to say through the use of signal phrases, reporting verbs, and appropriate citation.
Your paper should NOT have one or two sources that it primarily uses throughout the paper, so much so that the paper reads like a paper in support of or in defiance of someone elses ideas.
Organization
The order of the body paragraphs makes so much sense that the paper would be less effective if the paragraphs were put into a different order.
Each body paragraph is organized around one main point (topic sentence).
Transitions are used to show how ideas connect to and follow from each other–both between sentences and between paragraphs.
Lower-Order Concerns
When I read this paper, I will assume that you have made each rhetorical, grammatical, stylistic, and syntactical choice (from purpose to audience to tone to punctuation to types of sources included to transitions) intentionally in order to effectively persuade your audience to accept and support your thesis.
