Dear Class,

Here is your next assignment. It is more preparation for your research paper. Keep reading if you want to know what the next few weeks will look like for us.

All my very best,

-Prof. S.

Next Assignment, Due Nov. 22: “The First Three Questions”

Write a few paragraphs (no more than four, no less than two) that sketch out each the following:

1. Your Research Paper Topic and Issue.

Example: “global warming/the problem of increased drought in India.”

2. Your Personal Position Statement.

This is where you get to vent about right and wrong (if you so choose). What do you think about the issue right now? Why? What connects you to the issue personally, or how can you make it connect to yourself and your life personally? What do you think about other perspectives?

3.     Create Questions: Now, brainstorm a whole series of questions to ask about the topic and issue. For our example, you might ask things like: What’s happening in India? Why is it happening? Is anybody doing anything about it? What? What kinds of politics are in play here? Who are the people who are most affected? What possible solutions are people proposing? Why or why aren’t those solutions being implemented? Again, these are just examples.

 

Turn this in to me, typed, double spaced, on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at the adjunct office at Namm 529. Yes, Tuesday. We can discuss any issues you are having in class on Monday before you hand it in.

 

What happens after this? Once you complete this exercise (remember you also have a list and an outline) you will have a very good sense of how to read up on your topic. Okay, maybe you don’t have a thesis statement yet, but you are on your way to working independently. Research and Read All You Can on your Topic and Issues! Start Now, and don’t stop.

 

Notes: Don’t hand in your only copy!! You will need one for yourself. I will not grade this for punctuation, etc. I want to see where you are and what you are thinking. And again, it is On You to begin researching and reading up all you can. Go!!

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Q: Okay, Professor, what comes next, after we do this?

A: Before and over Thanksgiving, you will start a very rough draft of your research paper. It will be due Nov. 29. It will take the 3-pronged structure outlined below. (Please don’t start this until you have completed the above assignment and done some good research.)

 

ASSIGNMENT 2: “The Next Three Questions: A Rough Draft”:

1. Write a paragraph or so of background information on the issue/topic and why you chose to dig into it.
2. Write as many paragraphs as you need to show us what you found from your sources. These will look a lot like brief versions of the summary, evaluation, analysis work we’ll be doing together in class. You won’t agree or disagree at this point – save that for question 3, below – just a “this is what the author says, this is what’s good/bad about it in terms of my evaluation and analysis.”
3. Write a final section where you give us a “so what?” Tell us where you agreed or disagreed with any of the authors, what you learned, what surprised you, what new insights you gained, what you now know about the “conversation” that you didn’t before, etc. Also tell us why you think this kind of analysis is important to you as a part of today’s society.

 

Once this above rough draft is done, you will arrive at a good thesis statement. Section 3, above, will help you find it. 

Eventually, that thesis statement will appear in the introductory paragraph of your final paper.  🙂

 

I will give you a worksheet to take home over break that will help you with your rough draft. It is called “Claim, Reason, Evidence.”

 

Remember Class: Writing is a Process.

And writing can change minds and change the world around you. You are on your way.

–ss