These guidelines introduce the major assignment that you will develop over the course of this module. The final version will be due at the very end.
Purpose
Whether you are trying to solve a challenging problem or learn a valuable skill, research is an essential part of the process. As you research, exploring multiple perspectives and engaging diverse sources is ideal for developing nuanced understanding and making discerning choices. In this major assignment, you will write a research essay that integrates at least two different primary perspectives on a topic and uses at least 4 quality sources. Ideally, this assignment can also help you develop expertise in an area that will be valuable for your personal development.
Challenge
For this assignment, you’ll write an unbiased research paper comparing and contrasting at least two different viewpoints on a topic of your choice. Your essay should be approximately 1250 words plus a Works Cited page.
Your audience for this assignment is someone who is unfamiliar with your topic.
This challenge focuses on four major goals:
Discover an opportunity for learning based on academic research
Select a topic for which there are multiple, diverse perspectives and arguments
Create research questions to guide your exploration of these diverse perspectives
Narrow your topic appropriately. The goal is offer an in-depth examination of small part of a broader, more complex topic.
Collect, document, and integrate evidence from research material
You must use at least four credible sources for your essay.
Sources must not be used in class (such as a textbook reading or assigned article).
Research and summarize expert knowledge and diverse perspectives on the topic to develop a mediated argument that clarifies your understanding and contributes to the conversation
Identify and present the reasons why some people think one way and others think another way
Your goal is not to discover who is “right.” Your goal is to remain unbiased and understand the issues that impact how people view this topic without arguing for a side.
Utilize skills used in previous modules:
Accurately summarize and analyze others’ arguments and perspectives
Evaluate sources for credibility while conducting research
Use direct quotes and paraphrases strategically and correctly
After writing your essay, you’ll deliver a presentation on your paper.
Submission
Submit your final draft here: FINAL 4a: Documented Essay
submit your assignment as a PDF file.
Strategy
The following guide will help you plan, organize, draft, and revise your rhetorical analysis:
Research Essay Assignment Guide
Skills & Knowledge
The purpose of this assignment is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your success as a communicator:
Course-Level Skills
CO 1: Collect, document, and integrate evidence from research material.
CO 2: Design and compose communication that is based on a well-defined purpose.
CO 3: Identify rhetorical strategies and apply rhetorical theory to read, interpret, and analyze a variety of texts.
CO 4: Design cohesive arguments based on credible sources using framing and support.
Module-Level Skills
MO 4.1 Select and use reliable resources to determine research questions (CO 1).
MO 4.2 Draw critical connections between different sources and arguments (CO 1, 2, 3).
MO 4.3 Evaluate effectiveness of essay using analytic support (CO 3, 5).
MO 4.4 Compare and contrast different authors’ purposes, rhetorical strategies, and motivations (CO 2).
