ENGLISH 115: Analytical Research Essay Prompt
Assignment Goal: to be able to construct an account of an author’s project and argument and carry out focused research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate that argument; to use appropriate, correctly-cited reference materials, in order to clarify your understanding of the complexity of the argument.
This semester, we have examined a variety of texts, considering not just what the message or argument was, but also how the author constructed that argument. We also examined the variety of issues surrounding the complex subjects (i.e., how “otherness” and difference are often viewed, how identity is constructed, etc).
For our research project you will select and incorporate into an essay of 5-8 pages at least five other outside sources that illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate one of the arguments advanced in the article in one of the texts we have read this semester. (You will choose from
Krakauer, Yousafzai, Sibley, Tan, Masih, Marin, or Urrea as your primary text.) The outside texts should come from a variety of sources. These sources may include credible, reliable material from the Internet, books, scholarly articles, films/videos, interviews, etc., but at least
THREE of the five sources must be from the library (sources originally appearing in print – online academic journals are acceptable). You must make sure that the outside sources you select connect with claims found in your primary text, but they can relate to it in different ways— clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate.
Criteria for Evaluation
Successful papers will:
1.
Introduce your topic, the essay you’re writing about, and give some indication of how the paper will proceed;
2.
describe your author’s argument, claims, audience, and how he/she supports the argument
(use of evidence) (part 1);
3.
smoothly integrate information and evidence in MLA format from at least five outside sources and explain how this information helps illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate arguments found in your primary text (part 2);
4.
discuss the significance of this research—in what way is our understanding of the primary text illuminated as a result of researching into its context or opposing views?
5.
use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next;
6.
be thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for a college-level paper;
7.
include a properly-formatted MLA works cited page.
8.
be reviewed by three different classmates during our designated peer review workshop

Notes

Please keep in mind that this is NOT a traditional argumentative research paper .
You are not writing a paper that says whether or not you agree with the author; rather, you’re analyzing the primary text and searching for other, related sources that shed light on the primary text.

Plagiarism will result in an automatic F on the assignment. Do not copy and paste without putting quote marks around it, do not paraphrase too closely; do introduce and cite your sources.
 When selecting your primary text, read it at least twice before settling. Remember, you’re going to be analyzing the author’s argument, purpose, methods of support, etc., so you’ve got to be very familiar with it before you begin researching.
 Don’t really have a preference about which article to select? Worried about going through this process alone ? o Keep in mind that you have the opportunity to make this project your own and choose a topic that will interest you. o In class, however, we will be reading and analyzing an excerpt from Luis Alberto
Urrea’s book Across the Wire.
I will be bringing in resources and walking us through how to incorporate those sources into the essay. You are also welcome to use Urrea’s essay as the subject of your assignment—this will doubtless make the process easier, although what we do in class will translate to any article you use.
(You will, however, have to find your own outside sources.)

Your final essay will be presented in MLA format, with parenthetical references and a
Works Cited page, which we will discuss in detail later on.

The question you address must somehow relate to one or more of the concepts addressed in this class (e.g., “difference,” otherness, borders/border issues, identity, race/ethnicity, immigration/emigration, etc.). Avoid overused, broad, clichéd
“research” topics like gun control, abortion, capital punishment, violence in the media, etc. Instead, you want to look at a particular troubling question that arises from an issue.

The question you choose should be related to a social issue; that is, it must be controversial and arguable .

The question you choose should be sufficiently narrow so that it can be discussed adequately in 5-8 pages.

The quality of your essay will largely depend on the quality of your initial question. I will be working with you early on to help you pose a productive question.
To Recap
This assignment will require two different topic proposals, multiple summary-responses, drafts, and peer review. This essay should be at least five pages long, have at least five outside sources, and conform to the requirements listed under the criteria for evaluation.