ENGL 1100
Dr. Ladd
Summer 2021
Assigned Research Essay Topics
Introducing the Research Essay
I will post more details about the Research Essay, but some preliminary information:
Due Date: Friday, July 30 at 11:59 pm, but you may submit earlier.
Format: PDF document (Submissions in other formats will not be graded).
Submission: You will upload this assignment to a Moodle dropbox, which I will make available on Monday, July 25 at 9:00 am in the Week 12 Tile.
Length: 1600 words, which does not include your Works Cited. You may go under by 100 words but please do not go over by more than 50 words. Editing your work for length is part of this assignment.
Academic Integrity: If you commit an academic integrity offense in producing this Research Paper, you will receive a zero for this assignment and you will be reported to the Office of the Dean. No exceptions.
Topics: General Guidelines
You MUST choose one of the topics listed below for the research essay assignment. There are no exceptions to this rule.
Remember that the topics below are broad in focus.
You have the freedom to narrow your focus by generating focused subtopics.
You have the freedom to explore within the topic but avoid straying from the assigned topic too much; see me during my office hours to discuss your essay if you are uncertain about your focus.
If your topic is not based on one of the topics below, your essay will receive a grade of zero.
Research Essay Topics
Topic #1: Fish farming has been a subject of controversy in British Columbia. Do the economic benefits of fish farming outweigh the environmental costs? You will need to consult geographically specific academic research on fish farming and conservation for this topic.
Topic #2: Employers often differ in their opinions about productivity in the workplace. Many employers operate on the classic system of an eight-hour workday with a total of one hour of breaks, while others have abandoned the punch clock altogether. Is it more productive to do away with a structured workday and allow employees to work from home? You will need to examine specific, academic research on a specific industry and that industry’s success/failure to do with workplace environment for this topic.
Topic #3: There is currently a poisoned drug supply/opioid crisis in Canada. There have been many proposed methods to deal with this issue, but which one, according to research, would be the most effective if implemented to its fullest extent? You will need to examine specific, academic research on a proposed solution to the poisoned drug supply/opioid crisis for this topic.
Topic #4: The new generations are digital natives, meaning they have grown up around social media, but does social media promote a truly social lifestyle? You will need to examine specific, academic research related to social media’s effect on the social well-being of teens for this topic.
Topic #5: The International Panel on Climate Change has determined that the crisis of climate change will disproportionally affect women. What is the relationship between climate change and gender inequity and what kind of actions will help mitigate the negative effect of climate change on women? You will need to examine specific, academic research related to climate change and gender for this topic.
Topic #6: In the past year, several statues of Sir John A. Macdonald have been toppled in response to the former Canadian Prime Minister’s role in creating the Residential School System and enacting other oppressive colonial policies against Indigenous peoples. How does this critique of Macdonald fit into a larger Canadian movement of reconciliation and decolonization? You will need to examine specific, academic research related to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee.
ENGL 1100 Dr. Ladd Summer 2021
Instructions for the Research Essay
Due: Friday, July 30 Pacific Daylight/Vancouver time (late penalties will apply after
midnight)
Format: PDF document (Submissions in other formats will not be graded).
Submission: You will upload this assignment to a dropbox, which I will make available on Monday, July 25 at 9:00 am on our Moodle course page in the Week 12 Tile.
Weighting: 25% of your final grade for the course
Length: 1600 words, which does not include your Works Cited. You may go under by 100 words but please do not go over by more than 50 words. Editing your work for length is part of this assignment. Remember to put a word count at the end of your assignment. Example: Word Count: 1500
General Instructions: Building on your thesis and annotated bibliography, write an argumentative research essay answering the assigned question you have chosen. You must cite 5-6 sources in this essay. At least three of these sources must be Tier 1 Sources (peer-reviewed academic publications). You are strongly encouraged to cite at least one e-book, as articles are often very specific. You may not use Tier 4 Sources (non-credible and agenda-driven sources and pieces from unknown sources. i.e., Wikipedia). You must include a Works Cited page that is formatted in the MLA style (8th edition).
Make sure your essay has an introduction and conclusion, but the number and order of your body paragraphs is up to you. Impose structure on your points and supporting evidence. Your writing should be readable and your ideas organized and connected. State your thesis, which should be
1
original, somewhere in your introduction; throughout your essay, engage in signposting (phrases to indicate the direction of your argumentation). Support your claim with the research you have done on your topic, ensure that all information from your sources is properly cited in the MLA style (8th edition). Leave yourself enough time to properly edit and proofread your essay. At the university level, your professors expect polished work.
Formatting: Double-space your work, which should be in 12-point Times New Roman font. Number your pages. No title page, please. In the top left-hand corner, please put your name, your instructor’s name (Dr. Heather Ladd), the course & section, and the date you have submitted.
See this sample essay (I will also post the link on Moodle), for how to format your works: https://style.mla.org/app/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Matthias_PrescriptionsofLivingHistoricalHappi ness.pdf Grading: See the Grading Rubric on the next page.
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Grading Rubric for ENGL 1100 Research Essay
Criteria Mark
Title: Your essay title is specific and points to your thesis. /3
Appearance: Your essay is doubled-spaced, your font is 12-point Times New /2 Roman, and your pages are numbered.
3
Introduction: Your introductory paragraph is carefully composed and serves as a road map for the rest of the essay; your thesis and major areas of argument are clearly laid out and when necessary, your major terms are explained.
/7
Thesis: The argument of your essay is incisive and original and shows your understanding of the topic you are exploring; your thesis statement is specific and limited (as opposed to vague and broad) and suitably complex; your central claim is contentious rather than obvious or self-evident.
/7
Argumentation: Your essay answers the assigned question, your position is convincingly argued throughout your essay, carefully supported with evidence and analysis. Your essay demonstrates sophisticated critical thinking skills; the argumentation is balanced rather than simplistic, noting counterarguments.
/15
Research: Your essay is the product of sufficient reading and thinking. You have carefully and correctly read your sources and have demonstrated your ability to think critically about them and identify the material relevant to your claim; your analysis of your topic is thorough as well as creative. You have cited 5-6 sources. At least three of them are Tier 1 Sources (peer-reviewed academic publications).
/25
Organization: The ideas in your essay are well-organized and relate back to your thesis; major areas of argument and paragraphs are connected with transition sentences. Your essay unfolds smoothly, clearly, and logically.
/10
Quotations and paraphrases: Short quotations and longer block quotations are correctly formatted in the MLA (8th Edition) style. Quotations are well-chosen and properly integrated into your paragraphs, and when necessary, prefaced with contextual information. Paraphrases are well-selected, accurately convey the source’s information, and are properly cited.
/8
Conclusion: Essay is persuasively concluded. The thesis and main points of your essay are elegantly summarized (well-written and engaging) without being perfunctory; the argument in the conclusion matches that in your introduction.
/8
Works Cited: This page is properly formatted (MLA 8th edition). /5
Subtotal (out of 100): Deductions (lateness, length): Total (out of 100):
Proofreading: Essay is polished, the product of careful planning, writing, and editing; essay contains few unclear and awkward sentences and is largely free of grammar errors and typos. Word choice errors rarely obscure your ideas.
/10
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