English 112: Documented Research Essay (Argumentative)
Professor Stanbach
Length: 5 pages, MLA Format (no more or no less). 12 Font only: Calibri or Times
Roman.
Important Dates: See Canvas for details as they become available.
You must have your Narrowed Down Topic by March 20th. We will discuss &
brainstorm in class & start collecting resources the week before spring break
3/11-3/17.
Remember that both Rhetorical Analysis Essays are somehow related (loosely
or closely) to your main topic of research/exploration this semester.
Monday 3/25 by 11:59pm- Considering the Other Side Essay with a Works Cited
Page (a 2-page essay). You are stepping into the shoes of the opposing view---the
opposite opinion from which you are leaning. Create an annotated bibliography, or
at least a works cited page- come to class with your collection of resources. You
must submit this viewpoint to the submission tab on tab [some of this material
-the rebuttal-will become part of your major research essay.
Outline Completed in class/reviewed 4- form given/reviewed in class. Submit
to tab in class- more info TBA.
Annotated Bibliography Due Monday 4/15- submit to separate tab.
Wednesday 4/8-Peer Review for Final Essay (a rough first draft at least 3 full
pages of the required 5 pages- in other words, if you only have less than 3 pages
completed, you will only earn credit for peer reviews, not your draft) and
Annotated Bibliography final check-Submit by 4/8 by class meeting.
Monday 4/15- Final Draft of the Essay Due for Full Credit @ 11:59pm. What to include in your essay and reference in your Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation
is followed by a brief (usually about 50 words if a professional journal) descriptive and
evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of
the information in the source-much like a mini summary---but annotations can be descriptive
and critical; they expose the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression
and authority. You will use your annotated bibliography to help you develop your research
plan.
You must have a minimum of 8 sources, using a variety of types. You must have at least 2
professional, peer-edited journals. Other outside resources may mean books and articles, but
are not limited to them. Resources may also mean films, interviews, artwork, as well as other
things I may not have thought of. This whole sequence of assignments and activities is
designed to encourage you to use writing as part of your research process, to use writing to
help you learn. Seek the assistance of our awesome librarians for help with finding or narrowing
down your search.
You must have at least:
At least two (2) peer reviewed journal articles
6 other sources—any type, but make sure they are reliable.
The types of references you choose will depend on the research subject and topic question you
are addressing. Use the following format:
Sources should be listed in alphabetical order by last name of the author or lead author.
Begin each entry with a bibliographic reference (author, title, publication info) using MLA
format. Single space please.
Skip a line, or indent, and then include the following information about each source:
1. Identify the author(s) (e.g., a journalist, a former election campaign chairperson, an
editor, fiction writer) and the publisher (e.g., a university press, a popular commercial
press, a press sponsored by a political organization, a web publisher)
2. Write a brief summary of the source
Purpose of ESSAY
The purpose of your final essay is to develop an articulate, persuasive argument about your
studied and analyzed topic. You will apply critical thought and research skills in support of
your argument to substantiate any and all claims made, providing all necessary contextual
information and background. You must, in short, prove to the audience that you actually know what you are writing about, that you know your subject, as you proceed to take,
explain, and defend the position you have put forth. The final essay has three main
components:
Introduction & Thesis
After the introduction, your thesis should open the paper and introduce the main claim you
are making. The thesis is crucial because it serves as the foundation on which you will build
the rest of your paper. A strong thesis is one that has a strong, articulate, and well-
developed claim. Your paper's claim should be the most concise formulation of your
argument that you can muster — the no-frills version of the case you are making. It should
very clearly make a case and persuade your audience. This can be difficult though, and you
must strike a balance between hyper-specificity and vagueness. You will be able to flesh
your arguments out in the argument's body paragraphs with explanation and direct source
references, so you shouldn't go into extreme detail, but should also avoid vague,
directionless language.
In providing this concise, not-too-specific and not-too-vague statement of your argument,
you also provide a quick summary of the scope of your paper, the ground it will cover. In
this capacity, the thesis statement is a roadmap that tells your reader not only the points
that you will make, but also the order in which you will make them. You must also identify
your target audience—who you are directly arguing to, and so trying to persuade—in the
thesis.
Research and Supporting Paragraphs
Again, refer to the materials posted on Canvas as well as your notes from class and
feedback given on your previous essay. There are many ways to write and structure the
paragraphs that will support the thesis, but here is a general overview of supporting (body)
paragraphs from Purdue OWL regarding MLA that you can refer to if you find it helpful:
Keep one idea to one paragraph. If you begin to transition into a new idea, it belongs in a
new paragraph. There are some simple ways to tell if you are on the same topic or a new
one. You can have one idea and several bits of supporting evidence within a single
paragraph (in the case of research, that could involve more than 1 source. You can also
have several points in a single paragraph as long as they relate to the overall topic of the
paragraph. If the single points start to get long, then perhaps elaborating on each of them
and placing them in their own paragraphs is the route to go.
Keep in mind the general structure of arranging support for your thesis: ☐ ☐ ☐
Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for.
Data: Evidence gathered to support the claim.
Warrant (also referred to as a bridge): Explanation of why or how the data supports the
claim, the underlying assumption that connects your data to your claim.
Backing (also referred to as the foundation): Additional logic or reasoning that may be
necessary to support the warrant.
Counterclaim: A claim that negates or disagrees with the thesis/claim.
Rebuttal: Evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim.
Including a well-thought-out warrant or bridge is essential to writing a good argumentative
essay or paper. If you present data to your audience without explaining how it supports
your thesis your readers may not make a connection between the two or they may draw
different conclusions.
Don't avoid the opposing side of an argument. Instead, include the opposing side as a
counterclaim. Find out what the other side is saying and respond to it within your own
argument. This is important so that the audience is not swayed by weak, but unrefuted,
arguments. Including counterclaims allows you to find common ground with more of your
readers. It also makes you look more credible because you appear to be knowledgeable
about the entirety of the debate rather than just being biased or uniformed. You may want
to include several counterclaims to show that you have thoroughly researched the topic.
Conclusion
An effective conclusion goes beyond simply restating or summarizing the argument. The
goal is to synthesize, rather than repeat, an insight that derives from the points you made
and the support and examples you used that fits everything together. You should indicate
what the broader implications of your argument are, or in what ways the problem your
argument seeks to address can/should/will/will not change. Doing this can be tricky, so
don't be afraid to tinker with a couple of drafts of your conclusion before making a final
decision.
Finally, make sure your paper has:
5 PAGES MINIMUM Length
| Proper MLA citation format
☐ A works cited page with at least 8 (Eight) sources
☐
☐
Sufficient use of each of your sources in the paper
| MLA citations used properly for both quotes and summaries
□ A complete Introduction and a complete Conclusion
☐ A clear thesis statement
Well-reasoned support and justification at every step of the way □ Proper page formatting. 12 point Times New Roman or Calibri, 1 inch margins, double
spaced. Block quotations—when what you are quoting exceeds four typed lines—must be
centered, indented a half-inch, and single spaced.
