Eh 102 Final Researched Paper

EH 102

Final Researched Paper

Your final essay is an academic position/argumentative essay comprised of formerly submitted essays that must be significantly revised to form a cohesive researched essay.

The format of the essay follows that of a typical academic paper. The sections, in general, will include, and this format follows the schedule of essays during class. Of course, if your topic doesn’t logically follow this organizational pattern, feel free to make strategic changes, just make sure that what you have to say is clear, concise, and effective:

• Introduction---that states your position—clear, thesis that shows position should be located within this section (may reorganize to use parts of definition essay here): 1 to 2 pages
• Definition: 3 to 5 pages
• Review of Literature: 4 to 8 pages
• Position/Argument: 5 to 7 pages (note: This section should be longer than the literature review)
• Conclusion: 1 to 2 pages (discuss relevance, limitations of study, suggestions for further research, for example).

Total number of pages (not including Works Cited): 14 to 20 (No fewer than 14; no more than 20—those are the hard parameters).

This format follows the schedule of essays during class. Of course, if your topic doesn’t logically follow this organizational pattern, feel free to make strategic changes, just make sure that what you have to say is clear, concise, and effective:

Note that your introduction and conclusion will, more than likely, be the last sections you write. Your major goal will be to get the body (definition, review, and position) written well with claims, counterclaims, and evidence.  

Keep in Mind:

Global Issues

• Your readers must be clear about your purpose in this paper. You should have ONE main research focus. That focus should be a clear and focused position and should be represented in the thesis of the paper early, within the introduction as a thesis statement.

• Your paper must address all of the following: relevance, timeliness, impact, prominence, conflict, and consequence.

• Discussing your topic can be difficult. You must provide enough information so that the audience knows exactly what you are talking about, but not so much information that you retell them obvious points or accepted ideas. You also don’t want to talk over their heads, using terminology that lay people would not understand.  But, you also want the language in your paper to be sophisticated enough to meet academic expectation. Remember that you don’t want to state the obvious.
• Your goal is to learn something and then to demonstrate what you learned through argument and analysis. Your goal is not to provide advice for teachers, students, administrators, etc.

• Don't forget the SO WHAT of the issue. Why is this study important?  Why should we be interested in reading it? What does it contribute to the field?

Textual Evidence

• All uses of textual evidence (summarizing, paraphrasing as well as quoting) must be documented three ways. First with the use of signal phrases (as in “According to . . . ) Next with the use of parenthesis (after the summary, paraphrase or quote put the last name of the author and the page number in parenthesis). Finally, all texts must be listed in alphabetical order and in MLA format on the works cited page at the end of the paper.  Remember, all three forms of documentation must be used every time you use a source.

• Work very hard to support your main idea through reasons and proof instead of just providing a simple summary of what you find. Here is where the "take a position" part comes in. Once you have your evidence from your analysis, tell your audience what it means. Interpret that data in the same way you would interpret a literary character or a line of a poem. Use EVIDENCE to prove your analysis to be accurate.

Sentence Structure

• The convention in writing about literature is to write in the present tense.  Be careful to remember this concept when integrating sources from the text.
• Format your quotations so that they fit within the context and the grammar of your sentence.  In other words, citations should read like regular sentences.

• Avoid using phrases like “the part where.”  Be specific use the appropriate descriptive terms. (The third chapter, the passage that refers to death, the scene in which the mother dies).

• Be sure to demonstrate your understanding of the discipline by using vocabulary and terminology from composition studies.  

Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation

• Avoid using vague pronouns such as it, this, and thing.
• Use active voice, avoiding overuse of forms of the "to be" verb like "is" and "are."

• Please double-check spelling and punctuation.  Be careful blindly using grammar checkers as they can give wrong advice (as can spell checkers).
• Punctuation marks go before end quotation marks unless you are using parenthetical documentation at that particular point.
• When using parenthetical documentation, do not put a comma between the last name and the page number.

Formatting

• All work must be typed in Times New Roman 11 point type with 1” margins (double-spaced).
• The heading in MLA formatting papers is as follows:

Your name

Dr. Diana Bell

English XXX: Research Project

31 March XXXX

Title (You must have one)

        You will then begin the text of your paper.  Notice that all of this information is double-spaced and should have no extra spaces between the heading and the title or the title and the text of the paper.

• Your Works Cited page must follow all MLA guidelines.  Please use the MLA handbook or go to the Online Writing Center for details. Please note---this page is a works cited, so include ONLY those sources that you use in your essay.