English 102: Intermediate College Writing
Paper 4: Controversial Texts
Howard
Overview:
Select a controversial text to explore for a research paper (the longest document of the semester). This text will
most likely be a written artifact, like a book that has been censored (either fiction or nonfiction).You may base
your topic and argument on past experiences you have had with the text, and you may certainly refer to these
experiences occasionally, as long as they do not dominate the paper. This paper relies on “forwarding” other
opinions and voices as a major component of its content.
Pick a text that has been discussed in academic journals and newspapers as well as in social forums online. Your
research will reflect both academic (peer-reviewed) and non-academic opinions.
Ultimately, you must argue that this text still has “value” as you discussed in Paper 1. One possible organization
model would be to divide the paper into 2 parts. The 1st half will deal with the history of the controversy, and the
2nd half will address what the text has to offer today’s audiences.
Essays should be 1850-2000 words (8 pages) and should cite 7 sources. Four of these sources must be from
peer-reviewed journals. The other 3 may be from less scholarly sources (we’ll review what is permissible).
Goals:
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Increase your awareness of how texts are being discussed, debated, and treated with value.
Give you practice locating and analyzing information from a wide variety of sources.
Give you practice writing and organizing a lengthy research paper.
Make you think critically about how a text can alter public views and create controversy.
STARTING THE PROCESS:
1. Take the time to find something interesting and worthwhile.
 Ask classmates about their experiences and problems/controversies with past assignments or books.
 Use other professors’ experiences with books or news in their fields. They can point to one text in
their field that has caused problems and debate.
 Google “lists of books that have been censored” as a start. Use a Boolean search (we’ll discuss this).
2. Some ways to find peer-reviewed research:
 Google Scholar specifically searches for peer–reviewed publications. (Note: you may not be able to
access the full article. Write down the journal name. Then look it up at UofL’s library).
 Use databases at UofL (http://louisville.edu/library/ ). From the main page, click on “Subject Guides,”
and browse the database that seems most relevant. Click a box to choose peer-reviewed information.
3. Use a newspaper database such as Lexis-Nexis (available through our library).
PAPER IS WORTH 200 POINTS. You receive a score based on the normal scale of grading like a 92 (A-),
but the grade is recorded TWICE. There are no rewrites on this paper due to end of semester submission.
Criteria
Goal
Analysis/Argument Essay analyzes information from both scholarly and nonscholarly sources to explain a
35%
controversial text’s place in our culture. Explanations are supported with evidence from
sources. Essay provides an accurate history of the controversy and also forwards your own
ideas about why the text is still causing debate.
Sources
Essay includes seven sources. Sources have been selected to help the writer make an
30%
informative argument and are cited correctly. Sources do not overwhelm the paper but are
used as support to major topics and subtopics of the main thesis.
Organization
Essay has a clear thesis statement. Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and focuses
25%
on a main idea. Coherence strategies including the Old/New Contract are used to connect
ideas.
Completeness & The paper was turned in on time and formatted correctly. It contains no grammatical errors
Mechanics
that interfere with the reader's ability to understand the argument. The style is efficient and
clear. Quotations and paraphrases are cited correctly and a list of works cited is included. *A
10%*
PAPER WITHOUT A WORKS CITED PAGE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED. LATE
PAPERS ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT ARE NOT ACCEPTED, EVEN WITH GRADE
PENALTY. AS ALWAYS, THIS CATEGORY MAY AFFECT ALL OTHER CATEGORIES.