The thesis of your paper must answer the question stated above. You ARE NOT allowed to answer, “Yes and No.” The point of the research question is to pick one side and support it with research. This is not science, though. There is no right or wrong answer to the question. Clearly, both yes and no answers can be supported with credible research. You simply pick one side and find the research that supports that position. This is a persuasive essay. This means that your goal is to convince someone who picked the other answer to agree with your position. Do not state the obvious or make common sense arguments. You need to provide information that is not already painfully obvious to the average person. The way to do this is by providing insightful and credible research. Your paper must show evidence of critical thinking – that you have analyzed the topic, not just reported on it. Technical specifications: • Your paper must be in MLA format. • Your paper must contain at least 9 in-text citations from “credible” sources. • Your paper must include at least 9 different “credible” sources on the works cited page. • Each source on the works cited page must have a first and last name (see credibility handout) Credible Source = A person who is considered an expert by his or her peers. How does Mr. Ristroph evaluate the credibility of your sources on the works cited page that you submit for a grade? 1. First and Last name of the expert. The source must be a person – not a website or group or company. 2. The credentials for the expert are easy to obtain. The person’s name shows up on the first page of a google search. 3. Credentials must be related to previous work that can be easily verified and for which the expert is accountable. Generally, experts are held accountable by some form of payment. This means….was your expert paid by some other company or organization for his or her opinion. 4. If you claim notoriety or reputation as evidence of his or her expertise, then you have NOT found an expert. 5. For example. Lebron James is an expert at playing basketball. This can be verified by the fact that he is paid a lot of money to play basketball. His expertise can also be verified by watching ESPN or other news outlets that show his expertise. He is accountable to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 6. When you find a person to quote, ask yourself if the person is an expert. What are the person’s credentials? Is the person paid for their expertise? Can the person’s expertise be verified by other experts? i. Lebron James has credentials. All-star, NBA championship, Leave MVP, etc.. ii. Lebron James is paid for his expertise. iii. Other athletes, basketball players, and NBA experts agree that he is an expert. Content specifications: • You must have at least as much of your own perspective and thoughts as you have citations from other sources. This means that you cannot simply turn in a paper that is a collection of supporting research for your thesis. You must personally contribute to the support of the thesis by including your explanation, interpretation, and analysis of the research that you find. • Additionally, your paper must contain enough specific evidence that supports your position so that your opinion can be seen as valid and legitimate. No matter how much you have to say and no matter how intelligent it sounds, your perspective is genuinely not worth listening to unless it has credible research to support it. See credible research handout for more information. Research should include quantifiable data from an expert in the field. • Your paper must have a clear sense of organization and structure. This organization must be clearly stated in the introduction AND clearly identifiable throughout the paper. • Your paper must have a substantial introduction that includes the thesis statement and a preview of the research project as a whole – including some kind of statement or comment that engages the reader’s interest. • Your paper must have a substantial conclusion that provides some kind of implication about your research. The conclusion is not just a restatement of your main points but it is also some kind personal interpretation of why your research is significant. Your conclusion should answer the question… “So what?” Research Paper Grading: 250 points • 150 points – final draft (credibility of sources and quality of each quote will be a significant factor in this grade). • 50 points – works cited page – will be graded for strict adherence to MLA format. • 50 points – Required Video Presentation (see handout). This is the proctored event for the class.
