Final Blog Entry: SRTE

For your final blog entry, I'm asking for all of you to fill out the online SRTE form for this class. You don't have to post anything to your actual blogs -- all you have to do is go to ANGEL and fill out the evaluation  for English 15.

Because I can't see these until next semester, I also have no idea who actually filled out the survey or not. So, please, when you are done filling out the survey, please send me an email letting me know you did so and I'll give you credit!

I'll send reminder emails all through the next two weeks.

Thanks!

Proposal Guidelines for Scholarly Research Paper

- Format Your Proposal according to MLA Guidelines

- Identify your topic of interest -- be specific and precise. If you are using the same topic as the last paper, tell me what you are doing differently in this paper -- how is your question/research different?

- What question are you asking about this issue/problem/phenomenon/object?

- For what purpose? Why are you asking this question? 

- What is your tentative thesis statement? This can and will likely change, develop though more research.

- What sort of evidence will make your paper strong?

- Identify three scholarly sources you might use for your paper. Write a sentence or two about each: what do they claim and how do they make their claims? 

- Create a separate works cited page in MLA format for these sources.

Due by Friday, November 18

Blog Entry Thirteen: Motivating Your Research

Please read "The Craft of Research" PDF posted to ANGEL under Lessons. Then, follow the author's suggested line of inquiry used to motivate and focus one's research by composing the following into your own statements about your scholarly research paper:

1. I am studying/trying to learn about _____________.
2. I am studying/trying to learn about _____________, because I want to find out who/what/why/when/where/whether or not _______________________.
3. I am doing this in order to ________________________.

These statements will be clear/obvious to you if you did the reading. The point is to specifically identify your topic, the question you are asking about your topic (make it specific and precise), and your rationale/purpose for asking such a question.

Due on Wednesday, November 16

Final Paper: Scholarly Research and Reporting

Purpose

Identify an unresolved question or problem about a specific issue or topic that interests you, investigate it using scholarly sources, and then use evidence from your sources to support a thesis that attempts to answer the question or identify the cause of the problem.

Invention

Keep in mind as you brainstorm/draft:

The process for putting together your research paper will be similar to what you did for your argument paper, only that you are now restricted to using scholarly sources. With these sources, you will be making an argument about something, though it will likely be more nuanced and even more specific than the argument you made in the previous essay. You might not argue that stem cell research is morally right or wrong, but instead, you might argue how it is the most effective method for researching the cure of Parkinson’s disease. Similarly, you won’t argue that Teen Mom encourages pregnancy among teens, but you might look at how Teen Mom creates a specific image of teenage pregnancy and what this image is meant to convey about our society. 

Your research for this paper should be guided by a research question to which you do not already know the answer. You are allowed to use the same topic that you wrote about for your Argument Paper, but you want to pose a more nuanced and sophisticated questions rather than: is this right or wrong. Look for cause and effect or an interesting interpretation of a cultural phenomenon.

As you choose an audience with some investment in your topic (likely a group of scholars in the field), consider what kinds of sources and support they will find credible as well as terms they are familiar with.

Aim to include at least one source that challenges your own preconceptions about your topic to build a rebuttal argument.

Expectations

A successful research paper will:

1.     Define the situation or problem that calls for your attention;

2.     Makes a clear statement about this problem or situation (cause and effect; interpretation);

3.     Speak with the appropriate terms for your scholarly audience;

4.     Incorporate good thorough evidence to support a clear thesis statement

5.     Acknowledge and respond to opposing viewpoints; and

6.     Supply a clear, identifiable conclusion that you want your audience to reach about the issue.

7.     Your paper must have the correct MLA formatting.

Length: At least 5 pages (double-spaced) of rigorous analysis backed up by at least 4 respectable outside sources, at least one of which challenges your argument

Final Assignment Portfolio Due: December 9, 2011

Blog Entry Twelve: Revision

I want you to pick one of the weakest paragraphs in your Argument paper and revise it as best as you can for grammatical errors, mechanics, word choice, etc. Your blog entry should include that paragraph in its original/weak form as well as its revision so I can see exactly how you revised your work. Make sure to fix all verb tense agreement issues, too. Include strong transitions if necessary. Get rid of sentence fragments and/or run-on sentences. Tidy up your word choice. Clarify language where needed. And make sure any citations or quotes are properly formatted.

Blog Entry Eleven: Venue For Your Argument

Based on the audience for your argument paper, decide what the best venue for your essay would be. Is it a sports magazine? The op-ed section of a national or local newspaper? A teen magazine? A website? Pick a specific publication in which you can envision your argument essay being published. Then, find an article from that specific publication that makes an argument about an issue, whether it's the effect of reality TV on teenagers, the NBA lockout, stem cell research, or the bank bailouts. Find one that is similar to the sort of argument piece you are writing. It doesn't have to be about the same exact issue, but something similar. Post a link to the article you read and then answer the following questions in 500 words or more:

1. What issue is the article about?
2. What is the author's stance on the issue?
3. How does the writer make his/her argument? How is the piece organized?
4. Did you agree with the writer? Why or why not?
5. What did you like about what the writer did in his/her piece? What would you have done differently (if nothing -- don't worry, you don't have to force an answer)?
6. How might you incorporate some of these techniques into your own piece? What might you do similarly to the author in writing your essay? Consider voice, narrative, statistical information, etc.

Due by class on Friday, November 4

Blog Entry Ten: Finding a Controversial Topic

After being introduced to the various databases available through the PSU Library website during our Library Session on Wednesday, I now want you to find three different links to newspaper articles from these databases, each one focused on a different current issue that truly sparks your interest. 


For each link: I would like you to provide an MLA citation (show me how you'd cite it on your Works Cited Page, that is). Then, give me a brief summary of the issue and then tell me what your stance on that issue is. You can find more on how to cite various sources in an MLA Works Cited page in the handbook of your Norton Field Guide. 


This entry is meant to get you thinking about a topic for your fourth paper: Arguing A Position. It will be important that you pick a controversial, relevant, and timely topic for your paper. I do not want you arguing for the merits of using sunscreen -- that is obvious and not controversial at all. Controversy will be the heart of why your paper topic merit's a discussion. So think about this when finding possible topics for your paper.


Due by class, Friday, October 28