The Academic Research Paper
Overview
The final learning outcome for this course is to demonstrate the ability to gather, evaluate, and analyze research and to become part of a formal, academic conversation. You will accomplish this by putting together an academic research paper that is thesis driven, informative (presents the research), analytical (evaluates the research), and persuasive (makes an original, nuanced claim about the research). Your thesis should represent a clear stance on an issue, question, or problem that is open to debate.
While you are free to choose your own topics, keep in mind that they should be something to do with your major/program/career field, so you have a vested interest in what you’re researching.
Method
One way to make this process a bit more manageable is to break the essay down into three “mini essays”:
The first section should resemble a proposal or a problem solving essay. In this part, you will provide an overview of your topic: identify the problem/issue/question, provide background information on the problem/issue/question, and present your own proposed solution/answer/stance (i.e. your thesis statement). The goal in this stage of writing is primarily to inform.
The second section will evaluate solutions to the problem/insights into the issue/answers to the question that have already been proposed and/or tried, are currently in place, or that have been supported by others in the field. This is where you will spend the most time researching and reading scholarly journals to find out what experts have to say about your topic, both those with whom you agree and those with whom you disagree. The goal of this stage of research and writing is to analyze.
The third section presents an opportunity for you to compare and contrast your proposed solutions/answer/stance with those you evaluated in section two. This is where you will enter the conversation that already exists on your topic. Essentially, you will be in direct dialogue with the experts. This is your chance to raise your voice in unison with (or in protest to) all of the reading you have done up until this point. This is also where you will respond to counter arguments. Your job in section three is to persuade your audience to agree that your proposed solution, idea, or stance is the best one.
Specifications/Requirements
5-7 pages (not including Works Cited page/Annotated Bibliography)
proper MLA formatting, citations, and Works Cited page
minimum of FIVE sources; THREE must be scholarly and peer-reviewed
a strong, well-developed, fully-supported thesis statement
at least one successfully executed refutation of an opposing argument or counter claim
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