Description
A 7 page paper in which you synthesize facts and opinions from sources with your own experience and views on a topic that is important to you.
Purpose
As you are undoubtedly aware, you will be writing research papers throughout your college career. Because each discipline has its own expectations and conventions for the research paper, English W131 cannot prepare students to write in every discipline.
However, the research paper in W131 can help prepare you to think critically through writing —something most professors expect of students. Furthermore, you can use the experience of writing the paper to reflect on your writing process.
Audience
Think about who, other than you, will be interested in reading your paper. I will discuss your audience with you.
Genre/Style/Stance
The traditional research paper is often a regurgitation of research with little originality from the student. For this research paper, it is okay to blend your personal experiences with research. Whether you include personal experiences or not, your paper should primarily be your thinking. A paper that is primarily the thinking of your sources is unacceptable.
How you approach the topic is up to you. For example, you may choose to write an argumentative paper in which you: present arguments against your thesis, counter these arguments, and present additional support for your thesis. Or you may choose a more non-traditional approach such as writing the paper in the form of a series of letters. Think about what your purpose for the paper is and who your audience is.
What type of writing will best allow you to accomplish your purpose for you audience?
Media/Design
Subheadings are often an effective way to break up the text as they serve as transitions and provide reader-friendly white space. Consider using them. As we will discuss in class, you may also add visuals to your text. And you may, depending on your purpose and audience, use different fonts and/or page layout.
Sources
You must cite at least 6 sources. Three of these sources must be scholarly

W131 Research Paper 2
Criteria for evaluation:
I will evaluate the final draft based on:
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Evidence of original thinking
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Thoroughness of treatment of topic
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Logical organization
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Answering reader questions
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Length —7 pages (300 words per page) minimum
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Use of transitions
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Effective paragraph structure
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Minimum of surface errors
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Correct MLA citations
Final drafts that do not meet the length requirement or that do not cite the required number and type of sources will receive an F.