- selection of topic
- development of the thesis and informal outline
- preparation of annotated bibliography
In Essay 4, you will research and take a stand on an issue and find and incorporate evidence to support your claim. Review section A1 in Hacker and read the sample argument essay in section A4-h. You will prepare and deliver the essay in stages (first a proposal on week 8 and then the essay on week 10, followed by an optional second draft on week 12).
The process of writing the proposal begins with your selection of a topic, which must be current, debatable, researchable, and manageable, as explained in this chart:
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CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF TOPIC |
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Current |
Avoid overdebated topics (e.g., gay marriage, drug legalization, capital punishment, school uniforms). Endeavor to develop an original argument and not merely rehash someone else’s. |
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Debatable |
Topic must allow for reasonable disagreement. Avoid unarguable (subjective) claims, such as matters of taste or opinion, matters of fact, and claims based on belief or faith (review R1-a in Hacker). |
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Researchable |
You must be able to find a variety of credible and current sources reflecting different points of view, always keeping an open mind as you read them. |
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Manageable |
Limit the scope of your essay to meet the length requirement. Avoid topics that are too complex to be covered well in a short paper (e.g., Poverty, Terrorism, Crime, Climate Change.) |
After selecting an appropriate topic, develop a thesis and qualify it. Is the claim you are making true in some cases? In all cases? Is it true for everyone? Under certain circumstances? Review C1-c and MLA-1a or APA-1a Hacker. Also, recall the instructions you received at the library workshop or tutorial, and consider using the services of a writing coach or the school’s thesis generator.
After reviewing the information above and deciding on a thesis for your paper, write a 350-500 word proposal in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spaced with regular margins, and post it as a Word document (not PDF). On the first page in the headings area write Proposal for Essay 4.
The proposal should include three sections:
- Thesis. An original thesis statement formulated in clear and precise language.
- Outline. An informal outline (see C1-d in Hacker). The outline will help you organize your ideas and will show me the direction your paper will follow.
- Annotated Bibliography. In an annotated bibliography, you will summarize and evaluate the sources you researched and plan to use in the essay. Read the explanation and the sample annotated bibliography entry in section R3-e in Hacker.
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