(((((( an argument research ))))))
Final Research Paper
“Arguing a Position”
ENG 120
Over the course of the next five to six weeks, we will be focusing on the fundamentals of writing a college-level research paper, specifically one which asks you to ultimately “argue a position.” We will discuss how to come up with a topic; we will consider how to plan your research; we will consider issues of plagiarism, how to avoid it, and how to use the MLA style of documentation; we will discuss how to find appropriate, substantial scholarly sources; we will review the fundamentals of paper content, organization, and style, particularly as they relate to this question of how to argue a position; finally, you will be handing in at least one rough draft, meeting with me individually for individual conferences, and presenting your research findings in an oral presentation. Here are some initial fundamentals…
Pages: around 8-10
Sources: at least eight separate secondary sources (and as many primary sources as necessary), one of which must be a printed book. The following website offers information on the difference between primary and secondary sources as well as useful questions to ask when evaluating a source: http://library.ucsc.edu/help/howto/distinguish-between-primary-and-secondary-sources. In addition, you may use no more than one unvetted source (this means no more than one Wikipedia source or blog, etc…) as part of your eight sources; an “unvetted source” is one that has not been thoroughly checked by a reliable source (i.e. an editor) to be sure that it is valid, factual, and worthy of publication. Finally, be sure that your sources are “meaty,” substantive sources (ie. 8 1-page sources will not be adequate) and that the majority come from scholarly sources; a few of your sources may come from newspapers or popular & special interest magazines, but the majority should come from professional & trade periodicals as well as scholarly journals. The following link on the SNHU website should help you to distinguish between these different types of sources: http://library.lakelandcc.edu/PDFs/research/evaluatingsources.pdf (click on: “is this scholarly or popular?”).
The topic for this final research paper will, to a large extent, be left up to yourselves to choose. The only requirement is that the general topic be about some area of popular culture, specifically on one of the following six areas: Advertising, Television, Music, Technology, Sports, Leisure (i.e. hobbies, etc…), and Movies.
Now, how should you come up with a topic? Start with a “topic,” i.e. an area of popular culture that interests you. Then narrow down that topic to a specific “subject,” i.e. a smaller subject within that area. Finally, consider what question (“issue/query”) about that subject you wish to research and, ultimately, take a side on. Note: While you might already have an opinion about your “question,” do not pick a topic where the answer is either an obvious one (i.e. “is steroid use bad for children?” or “is texting and driving dangerous?”) or one you are absolutely and ridiculously firm on (i.e. “Red Sox rock, Yankees suck”). You should begin with a viable question (not rhetorical) rather than a thesis: the research should ultimately guide you to your argument and final conclusions.
Examples of useful past topics/paper proposal ideas:
Topic: Sports; Subject: Children and Sports Issue/Query: Do the dangers of children playing contact sports outweigh the positives?
Topic: Music; Subject: Gangster Rap; Issue/Query: Does gangster rap reinforce or question gender and racial stereotypes?
Topic: Sports; Subject: Basketball; Issue/Query: NBA Dress Codes/Are these new dress codes simply an issue of professionalism or do they reflect unfair, racist stereotypes?
Topic: Leisure/Sports; Subject: Extreme Sports; Issue/Query: To what extent should the government regulate extreme sport activities (such as skiing Tuckerman’s Ravine or wing diving)?
This final paper will count as approximately 25% of your grade. This means that you should consider, as you write, all of the issues of organization, thorough analysis and evidence, style, and mechanics that we will have covered. Please utilize my office hours. DON’T BE A STRANGER!
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