Research & Summaries Question
Dr. Dominy—ENGL 1102 Researched Argument Essay: Argumentative Synthesis Required Length: at least 2,500 words Assignment Weight: 20% of final grade Peer review of this essay will be completed in class on April 22nd and 23rd. Your final draft of this essay is due Wednesday, May 1st at 11:59 pm. Rationale The purpose of this assignment is to enter a scholarly conversation. After thorough preparation in the previous two major assignments, you’ll participate in a scholarly discourse by narrowing your research topic into a research question, then stating your own argument clearly and directly clearly and directly. You’ll support your argument by identifying the existing discourse in the sources your surveyed in the annotated bibliography and inserting yourself into that conversation by relating your own claims, evidence, and reasoning to those you find in your sources. By applying the skills in research, source evaluation, and synthesis that we have been practicing through the term, you will contribute to an existing conversation by presenting your own original argument. That argument will speak to the existing conversation by using sources to support your argument (either as evidence, by extending or modifying your sources’ arguments, or by refuting sources’ arguments). The most important thing to remember as you work on this essay is that you cannot simply parrot the information or arguments that you find in your sources, nor can you simply listing facts and information that you find in sources that you read. Rather, this essay will be driven by your unique argument answering your research question. Your essay must be a persuasive argument that allows you as a young scholar to enter and contribute to the ongoing conversation on your topic. Instructions The bullet point below provides the briefest set of instructions for this assignment: • Write a thesis-driven essay that develops an argument answering your definitive research question related to the topic you have been researching all term. Your thesis statement must be formulated as an enthymeme and be direct answer to that question. Your essay should cite five to seven sources to both support your claims and show your argument’s relationship to the existing conversation on your topic. Your essay should also explain how your topic is related to dragons. You can use these particular steps to guide your process on this assignment: 1) Review all of your notes and research on your topic so far. Complete any additional brainstorming, research, note-taking and gathering of bibliographic information that you need to prepare for drafting the essay. 2) Formulate the definitive question about your topic that you will answer as your thesis statement for the research essay. This will help you be sure that you are writing a focused argument. We have already discussed in class what makes a good question, but for starters, good research questions are currently under debate, are unsettled, are not too big or too small, do not invite binary solutions, and may have multiple ways of answering. 3) As necessary, review any previous assignments or assigned readings that provide strategies for taking notes and identifying connections between different sources and for developing an argument. Follow the textbook’s suggestions to help you adequately take notes and brainstorm to prepare for writing the essay. 4) After thorough preparation, write an essay that presents your answer to your research question. Remember to outline, draft, and revise. Your essay should have a. A focused introduction that introduces your topic. b. A thesis statement that answers your research question and takes the form of an enthymeme with a clearly stated CLAIM + because + REASON. This is a strict requirement for the essay. c. Body paragraphs that support the thesis with adequate and appropriate synthesis of five to seven sources. Utilize summary, paraphrase, and quotation to show the similarities, agreements, and disagreements among your sources. Be sure to elaborate in instances that you summarize/paraphrase/quote to make the connections you draw clear to the reader, and always cite the source. 1 Dr. Dominy—ENGL 1102 i. One of your body paragraphs may need to raise a possible counterargument and defeat it to support your claim. If you do so, be sure to fairly and accurately represent any counterarguments. d. A conclusion that reiterates your thesis for the reader. 5) This essay should NOT a. Simply summarize the sources. b. String together information in substitute for a sustained argument c. Stray too far from the topic in order to complete the assignment. d. Be framed as a pro/con essay. You must stake out a claim. Particular Requirements about Sources: Of the five to seven sources you are required to cite in your essay, • At least two (2) must be scholarly • At least four (4) must have been found via GALILEO • All sources must pass the CRAAP test • No sources should be tertiary sources (e.g., book reviews, Wikipedia, encyclopedias). You may cite more than seven if you deem it necessary, but focus more on the quality of your sources and the quality of your integration and synthesis of them into your argument rather than looking for the highest quantity of sources possible. Rhetorical Situation Imagine for this essay that preparing an article for submission to a journal that publishes student scholarship on your research topic. Therefore, you should write this essay in a diction that is appropriate for academic readers. Do I need a works cited or references page? Because you will be quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing from sources, you will need to provide attribution, parenthetically cite your sources in the essay as necessary, and include a works cited page that follows MLA Style. Please ask if you have questions regarding citation, and remember that all essays will go through the Turnitin Originality Check in the D2L Dropbox. Questions? Stop by office hours or make an appointment. I encourage you all to bring a draft by for us to go through. 2 Dr. Dominy—ENGL 1102 ENGL 1102 Common Rubric – Used in this class to grade all major assignments. Excellent Insightful main idea is clear, followed throughout, and fulfills the assigned purpose. Beyond Passing Main idea is clear, followed throughout, and fulfills the assigned purpose. Passing Main idea is clear and fulfills the assigned purpose. Unsuccessful Main idea is vague, confusing, or changes throughout the essay. Comprehension and Use of Sources Displays sophisticated understanding of source texts by skillfully integrating relevant evidence with generous discussion of the evidence’s relation to the writer’s own argument. Displays clear understanding of the source texts by discussing relevant evidence from them as support for the writer’s own argument. Displays understanding of source texts by including relevant evidence that provides basic support for the writer’s own argument. Paragraphing Each paragraph has a well-defined and singular focus expressed in a topic sentence; each paragraph follows a logical organization from sentence to sentence; transitional devices facilitate logical flow. Most paragraphs have a well-defined and singular focus expressed in a topic sentence; most paragraphs follow a logical organization from sentence to sentence; transitional devices are effective. Organization The order of paragraphs is thoughtfully determined; transitions guide the reader through developing support for the thesis. Excellent, timely, and relevant sources are selected from numerous and varied academic sources available through academic resources such as the University Library. The order of paragraphs is logical and supported by transitions. Most paragraphs have a singular focus expressed in a topic sentence; some paragraphs’ topics may be overly broad; most paragraphs follow a logical organization from sentence to sentence; transitional devices are present. All paragraphs relate to the essay’s main idea. Writing displays some misunderstanding or inappropriate use of source texts, does not adequately maintain control of sources for the writer’s own argument, does not adequately develop discussion of the evidence, or does not demonstrate relevance of evidence to the writer’s own argument. Few paragraphs have a well-defined and singular focus expressed in a topic sentence; some paragraphs follow a logical organization from sentence to sentence; transitions are misplaced or ineffective. Good and relevant sources are selected from several academic sources available through academic resources such as the University Library. Skillfully uses in-text citation (lead-in phrases, quotation marks, parenthetical references) to document all quotations, paraphrases, or Uses in-text citation and documentation of all quotations, paraphrases, or summaries in MLA style with few minor errors; all sources quoted or Thesis Research Method Citation and Documentation Failing No apparent main idea (or main idea does not follow the assigned purpose or does not address the assigned topic) Writing displays little or no understanding of source texts, does not use sources, or fails to distinguish between the writer’s and the sources’ ideas (possible plagiarism). Few paragraphs have well-defined and singular focuses; no apparent structure to paragraph(s). One or two paragraphs do not relate to the essay’s main idea. Few paragraphs relate to the essay’s main idea. Suitable sources are selected from basic academic sources available through academic resources such as the University Library. Sources are inadequate; limited academic resources used in the search process. Appropriately places in-text citations; all sources quoted are listed in the Works Cited; there may be some errors in MLA citation format. Some quoted, paraphrased, or summarized material has no in-text citation or some sources are missing from the Works Cited; may use a blend of citation styles; there Sources are nonacademic, inappropriate for the topic/assignment, demonstrate careless Internet searching or reliance on general Internet reference sites, or are absent. Few or no resources used in the search process. Little or no attempt at citation or documentation in any style; no in-text citations; no Works Cited page. (Possible Plagiarism) Dr. Dominy—ENGL 1102 Style Grammar and Mechanics summaries from sources, using MLA style with no errors or few minor errors; all sources quoted or paraphrased are correctly cited in the Works Cited. Sentence structure is sophisticated and varied; word choice is precise and vivid; academic formality is observed by avoiding passive voice, contractions, and second person pronouns. paraphrased are cited in the Works Cited. may be frequent errors in style-specific format. Sentence structure is varied; word choice is precise; academic formality is observed by avoiding passive voice, contractions, and second person pronouns. Sentences are soundly constructed, but may be simplistic; word choices are clear; there may be a few instances of passive voice, contractions, or second person pronouns. Sentences may be choppy or show a pattern of run-ons or fragments; word choices lack clarity; there are many instances of passive voice, contractions, and/or second person pronouns. Carefully edited with no (or very few) errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Competently edited with few minor errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Adequately edited with minor errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling that interfere with style, but not clarity or meaning. Errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and/or editing delay reader’s understanding at the sentence level. Sentences are poorly structured or simplistic in structure with patterns of frequent run-ons or fragments; word choices are confusing; there may be many instances of passive voice, contractions, and/or second person pronouns. Multiple and/or serious errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and/or editing frequently impede reader’s understanding.
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