Background/Prompt:
Conduct independent research is a vital skill for college writing. It requires you to consider multiple perspectives, to explore “gaps” in the ongoing conversation, and to actively seek complexity and nuance. In this way, it is a fundamentally epistemological act.
For this assignment, you will be tasked with synthesizing your research using techniques we have practiced this semester (contextual introductions, comparing/contrasting, summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, analysis, etc).
To begin, you will be exploring questions that you have about important or relevant topics. Eventually, your research should help you answer some part of your initial question, which will lead you to create an original argument.
You may choose almost any topic you like, from topics that you already hold strong opinions on. This is a chance to learn something new.Moratorium on conspiracy theories, as they are not conducive to researched-based argumentation.Reserve the right to veto any topics that will not be conducive to your success in this course.
The goal of this essay is to synthesize material from a diverse array of sources and to formulate them into an original argument. You should be making a clear argument that goes beyond a simple pro/con analysis. Your argument will be focused in a cohesive thesis statement.
In pursuit of a well-rounded perspective, you should be seeking out a diversity of sources. This means you need to find sources that cover different angles/perspective, that use different types of evidence to support their claims, that consider a variety of constituencies, and that represent a variety of identities.
You will be documenting these sources in a mini Annotated Bibliography which will be due at the same time as your paper.
Conventions of an Argumentative Research Paper:
It is grounded in research, not opinion. You should be seeking out a variety of sources, including ones you may not agree with.
It is driven–you are making an original claim
It relies on rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, pathos, kairos)
It should include few (if any) personal examples
You should be particularly careful to give full, transparent credit to all of your sources
