Assignment 4
Research Paper

• Present an argument about a current issue
• Research other published materials to support this argument
• 6 to 8 pages
• APA documentation

Choose a current event that is of interest to you and present an argument about how existing policies should change in response to this issue. You may build upon what you have already written for your Opinion Piece.

Find a minimum of five (5) published works on this issue or on related issues. They can be books or articles in magazines or journals. On-line versions of these journals are acceptable. Do not use non-refereed web-sites unless you discuss this with me in advance.

Use quotations from published works in order to support your own argument. In referring to these published works, you should explain whether you agree or disagree with the writer and why.

As you write this paper, explain also how these writers agree or disagree with each other. Consider how they make their arguments as well as what they say. Consider the assumed audiences of these works when you interpret their ideas.

At the same time, your own argument needs to be the dominant feature of this essay. Do not allow the works you cite to determine the structure of your argument. Instead, structure your argument according to the order that will allow you to make the best case for change.

A good paragraph in a research paper will tend to follow the following pattern (though there are times when it is necessary to deviate from this pattern):

1. Claim—A sub-topic supporting your thesis. It should, like your thesis statement, be arguable.

2. Support (evidence in support of the claim from a published work)—Quotations work the best, but paraphrases are also useful. All quotations and paraphrases should include the last name of the author and year of publication in parentheses immediately afterward.

3. Conclusion (explanation of the evidence)—Do not leave the evidence to speak for itself. Write your own interpretation of the evidence and explain how it fits into your overall argument.

Organize your paper carefully. Either before or after writing the first draft, write an outline of your argument.