Research papers make an argumentative claim about a topic and justify this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative research paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided. A research paper presents the results of your investigations on a selected topic. Based on your own thoughts and the facts and ideas you have gathered from a variety of sources, a research paper is a creation that is uniquely yours.
A Successful Paper Must:
Be a reasonable length: Length 8-10 double-spaced pages (or 1,500 to 2,500 words) of text (not including graphics, cover page, appendices, or reference page). However, ten “rambling” pages are not better than eight clear, fully developed pages.
Argue a thesis-driven point using evidence and analysis
Use a minimum of 5 sources (at least 1 must be a scholarly source)
Possible Topics
Your topic should relate (even vaguely) to either a class theme, individual, or historical event we have or will cover in this class
For example: George Lamming, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Mumia Abu Jamal, Richard Wagner, revolutions, struggles for independence, oppression or slavery, speeches, rap music, or West Indian authors, artists, or musicians
Steps in the Process
Proposal Letter
Introduction and Thesis
Research Questions
Annotated Bibliography (extra-credit)
Rough Draft 1
Rough Draft 2
Final
Due the Final class meeting
Include: Title Page, Final Draft, Bibliography, Annotated Bibliography, and Proposal Letter
More Information on Research Papers
A research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic by means of primary and secondary sources. It is neither a book report nor an opinion piece nor an expository essay consisting solely of one’s interpretation of a text nor an overview of a particular topic. Instead, it is a genre that requires one to spend time investigating and evaluating sources with the intent to offer interpretations of the texts, and not unconscious regurgitations of those sources. The goal of a research paper is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in order to thoughtfully offer a unique perspective on the issue at hand.
The argumentative research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and informs his audience exactly which stance he intends to take; this stance is often identified as the thesis statement. An important goal of the argumentative research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen should be debatable or controversial. For example, it would be difficult for a student to successfully argue in favor of the following stance.
Cigarette smoking poses medical dangers and may lead to cancer for both the smoker and those who experience secondhand smoke.
Perhaps 25 years ago this topic would have been debatable; however, today, it is assumed that smoking cigarettes is, indeed, harmful to one’s health. A better thesis would be the following. Although it has been proven that cigarette smoking may lead to sundry health problems in the smoker, the social acceptance of smoking in public places demonstrates that many still do not consider secondhand smoke as dangerous to one’s health as firsthand smoke. In this sentence, the writer is not challenging the current accepted stance that both firsthand and secondhand cigarette smoke is dangerous; rather, she is positing that the social acceptance of the latter over the former is indicative of a cultural double-standard of sorts. The student would support this thesis throughout her paper by means of both primary and secondary sources, with the intent to persuade her audience that her particular interpretation of the situation is viable.
Audience
Who is the general audience I want to reach?
Who is most likely to be interested in the research I am doing?
What is it about my topic that interests the general audience I have discerned?
If the audience I am writing for is not particularly interested in my topic, what should I do to pique its interest?
Will each member of the broadly conceived audience agree with what I have to say?
If not (which will likely be the case!) what counter-arguments should I be prepared to answer?
Incorporating Research
Research is mandatory. Textual evidence/quotes and MLA format citation is required for each quote. A research paper without quotes/textual evidence does NOT receive a passing grade.
Three Forms of Acceptable Research:
Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author. (PREFERRED)
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly. (ACCEPTABLE)
Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material. (ACCEPTABLE, BUT USUALLY INSUFFICIENT BY ITSELF)
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