College Composition
Graziano
In College Composition, you are required to complete a ten-page research paper as your last major essay in the course. However, the essay should be engaging and incorporate all of the writing techniques we’ve covered in the course, as well as having a singular focus, a solid thesis, and clear purpose for writing. You might look to some of the magazine articles and features we’ve examined and discussed in class as models. Often times, writing is learned through emulation. You will also be required to use MLA format and be mindful of the page requirement.
The topic is your choice, but you should take the latitude seriously.
A successful research topic usually meets the following criteria:
 The writer is genuinely interested in the topic, and willing to learn more about it;
 While the writer may be committed to a perspective on the topic, the writer can recognize the value and importance of perspectives that contest or complicate the writer's views;
 The topic is susceptible to analysis, rather than founded in articles of faith or personal tastes that readers cannot be expected to share;
 The topic can be researched; there are relevant facts and viewpoints on record in a variety of print and electronic sources;
 The topic matters, not just to the writer but to a broad potential readership. Good topics often start with a question that has something to do with how we live, what we care about, or what we may need to know; a good research question is one that raises more questions, and can't be answered simply.
Conversely, the following topics are likely not to work well for writers:
 Topics that can't be researched adequately (vague philosophical musings about the meaning of life, questions that ultimately lead back to the writer's personal tastes rather than to a shared body of information, and questions that are ultimately trivial in an academic context);
 Topics about which the writer has such strong personal convictions that s/he can't imagine or accept the validity of views that differ from his/hers;
 Topics that lead to binary questions and answers (yes or no; good or bad; right or wrong; should or shouldn't), because a good research topic is susceptible to a variety of perspectives and answers;
 Broad social issues that can't be addressed adequately in the space of ten pages. Many books have been written about abortion, euthanasia, gun control, affirmative action, animal rights, and similar topics. Unless you have extensive experience that qualifies you to speak knowledgeably and persuasively in an already-crowded conversation, shy away

from such topics. If you're having trouble finding a topic, don't retreat to broad social issues as a default move; instead, do more work on discovering a productive topic.
Since this essay is a comprehensive measure of your skills as a writer and thinker, you should have some vested interest in this topic. Perhaps it is an ethical issue in relation to a field of study you intend to pursue at college. Perhaps you would like to focus on an issue that affects our community or the state of New Hampshire.
All topics must be approved with the submission of a one-page proposal (guidelines attached), which includes a working thesis statement, and rough outline of the research. The proposal and outline should be typed, and you can list resources you’ve already found.
We will be examining sample research papers in your textbook, as well as discussing outlines and index cards. However, if you’d like to get a jump on the assignment, read Chapters 6 &
7 in Axelrod and Cooper’s Concise Guide to Writing. Please, DO NOT put this off until the last minute. Hurried essays and hasty topics are obvious to teachers, and this will likely result in a failing grade. You will have a copious amount of class time to research and draft these essays; however, you will also need to work on this outside of class.
Finally, remember that writing is thinking. This paper should demonstrate your ability to think logically and rationally, and to organize your thoughts cohesively. Ultimately, you should choose a topic that makes you intellectually curious. This, in no small way, is the essence of your education.