English 1301 Composition I Essay 4– Research Paper Project timeline: Research Guides Complete (numbers 1-10 in Module 3) by October 9 MLA Research Process Quiz by October 9 Research Paper Proposal/Essay 3 due by October 12 Essay 4/Research Paper final draft due by November 23 Purpose: Write a research paper that is primarily either referential with an analytical focus (Option 1 below) or persuasive (Option 2 below). You are required to incorporate information from at least 5 sources that are drawn from at least three different types of media (read page 3 of this document in full for an explanation of types of sources/media). The body paragraphs of your paper must contain at least 6 internal (in-text) citations from these sources. Length: 1,000 words minimum (1,200 words maximum) Format: You will adhere to the standards of MLA document design, as you have for your other formal essays. Underline the one or two sentences in your opening that establish the chief part of your thesis. You must document all specific information, whether quoted, summarized, or paraphrased. Training requirement: You must complete the ACC Library Research Guides (numbers 1-10 under Module 3). Check these research guides off as you complete them. The information found in these nine Research Guides is what you will be assessed on when you take your MLA Research Process Quiz. □ Choosing a Topic □ Identifying Keywords □ Academic Honesty □ Evaluating Information □ Finding Background Information □ Finding Books and Ebooks □ Finding Articles □ Finding Scientific Information □ Demystifying Research Articles □ Building Research Papers You have two options for this paper: Option 1: Choose one of the following topics to explore in an analytical essay. Your purpose is not simply to inform, but also to analyze by examining cause and effect relationships, cultural norms, perhaps the evolution of norms, and solutions (if the topic you have chosen is a problem). If you would like to pursue a research topic not listed below, simply email me so we can discuss it. The environmental effects of meat production/feedlots The proliferation of food photos (“food porn”) on social media over the last decade The changing face of vegetarianism and/or veganism The evolution of the National School Lunch Program The evolution of other institutional foods (hospitals, prisons–choose one) Depictions of food cultures in mainstream media (the Bon Appetit story is BIG right now) The use of racist tropes to market foods (e.g. Aunt Jemima) Food security on college campuses Food shaming and/or food policing The evolution of cookbook culture over the past 10 years Diet culture in the United States (including blogs, cookbooks, etc.) The proliferation of “mindful/intuitive” eating Option 2: Write a persuasive argument about a topic related to food about which you are passionate. Be sure to incorporate sources to support your argument and also incorporate sources in your refutation/counterargument paragraph. You may choose from the list of topics below, or propose a topic not listed via email: The need for better food options on college campuses The need for more women and/or people of color to hold leadership positions in the food industry (may include restaurants, media, government agencies) An argument for mandating a home economics requirement in K-12 An argument for food as medicine (meaning widespread integration of nutrition into treatment plans for certain diagnoses) Types of sources explained: The research sources may be books, magazines, journals, newspapers, brochures, Internet-based articles from credible sites, personal or published interviews, surveys, but general encyclopedias and dictionaries don’t count toward your five sources. Media types include books, magazines, newspapers, institutional Internet article archives (for instance, the U.S. government site which provides job statistics or the site for an organization which represents a particular profession), authoritative individuals’ Internet article or information sites (for instance, the site maintained by a Vietnam veteran, which contains essays on his/her personal experience), personal interviews you conduct with an individual, unscientific surveys you conduct with persons who have experience or knowledge in your research area, published interviews, radio or television news or talk show transсrіpts, video documentaries, and specialized encyclopedias for a particular professional area. PLEASE DO NOT CITE WIKIPEDIA, though it can be a starting point for more scholarly sources. Formatting your paper/academic documentation requirements: You will again use the MLA system of documentation, including a Works Cited (bibliography) page. See the ACC Library website for an explanation of how to handle complex internet and library database article Works Cited entries. The formatting for this paper is the same as your other essays. Include in-text citations when you quote directly or paraphrase. The ACC Library website and the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) also have explanations of how to handle in-text citations for sources that don’t have an author indicated. Research from on- or off-campus: You can access all of the ACC library’s electronic article archives. From the library site, http://library.austincc.edu/ , click on the Find Articles link. The archives under the General and Reference category include searches of newspaper articles (Infotrac, for instance) and a wide range of journal and magazine articles. Elibrary is a useful general archive, and both the CQ Researcher, which has articles on current issues, and the Vocation and Career Collection, might contain articles useful for a career-area discussion. If your career is business-related, you might search one of the archives in the Business and Economics archive category.
