English 102: Intermediate College Writing
Matthew Nunes
Formal Assignment 3: Research Essay
Overview:
You will write an 8-10 page argumentative research essay on a topic of controversy that relates to your major or field of interest.
(This cannot be the same topic you had for your multiple-source essay). To develop a thesis statement, you will first generate a
research question for which you will use your research to answer. Your topic must be approved by me. Your essay must make an
argument on a particular issue and not merely be an informative essay. Your argument must be based on research, using at least
eight sources. The essay must be written in a formal academic style, in the third person, using sources effectively and correct
MLA or APA citations (or another approved citation style).
Topic Approval:
Your topic must be approved by me. This way I can be sure that you are not chosing something that will not work for the
assignment. Final approval will be given for your topic when I have seen your formal topic proposals. If you write your proposal on
a topic that will not work for the assignment, you will have to write a new topic proposal. For this reason, it is better to give me your
ideas even before you write your proposal and to do a little preliminary research. Final papers will not be accepted if you do not
turn in your topic proposal for that topic first. Your thesis or focus might change, of course, as you write your paper, but complete
topic changes must have my approval.
Goals:
This assignment is designed for you to
 generate a research question
 demonstrate an ability to use multiple sources to make an argument
 practice writing in a an academic style
Source Requirements:
 You will need at least eight (8) sources.
 Do not use Wikipedia, or any other encyclopedia or dictionary as a source. These can be helpful to get you started on
your research, but they are not good sources for an academic paper.
 Only three sources can be internet sources, and these must be reliable sources.
 You should include scholarly articles and books as your sources.
 Be cautious about using magazines and newspapers. While these can be reliable sources, they are often meant only to
be informative and do not take a position on an issue.
*The library and the library databases are the best places to look for sources.
Formatting and other Requirements:
Your paper should be approximately 8-10 double-spaced pages. Use at least eight sources. Be sure to include
 page numbers (in Word, go to the Insert menu and select Page Numbers)
 a title
 your name
 a works cited page
Evaluation Criteria:
Your analysis will be evaluated using the following criteria:
Criteria
Goal
Using Sources The essay uses sources effectively to make an argument. These sources are treated fairly and appropriately
for an Argument paraphrased or quoted. Sources are synthesized appropriately in relation to the essay’s argument.
Organization
Use of Quotes
and Citations
The essay has a clear thesis statement and a logical organizational structure. Each paragraph has a clear
topic sentence and adheres to one main idea. Each paragraph has a smooth and logical transition from one
to another.
The essay uses quotes effectively. All quotes are appropriate and do not stand alone. Long quotes are
avoided. Your sources are correctly cited in the text of the essay and in a works cited page.
Completeness & The paper was turned in on time and formatted correctly. It contains no grammatical errors that interfere
Mechanics
with the reader's ability to understand the argument. The style is efficient and clear. The essay is written
entirely in the third person.
Due Dates:
See the daily schedule (on Blackboard) for all due dates associated with this assignment.