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ENGLISH 1A RESEARCH PAPER
Your final paper will be a multi-source research paper of 6-7 pages in which
you define a problem and take a position arguing for a specific response or
responses that you see as mitigating or solving the problem.
The problem you write about may be related to one of the topic areas from our
assigned readings, and you may use these texts to help you begin defining the
problem and as a jumping off point for your research.
The paper must be an argument, not a personal essay and not a report. In it you
should do the following:
• Clearly define the problem and explain why it is a problem.
• Propose a response to the problem that could plausibly solve or mitigate
it.
• Present a causal analysis of the problem that establishes the seriousness
or stakes of the problem and leads logically to your proposed response.
• Present a counter argument to your position and a refutation of the
counter argument.
• Use at least 4 documented sources from the library, our assigned
readings, or elsewhere. You are encouraged to use a variety of source
types such as a book, scholarly journal, newspaper, and magazine.
Periodicals and some books are available online from the PCC Library’s
electronic database. However, given the constraints to access that may
occur due to the covid 19 closures, there is no requirement concerning
the types of sources you use. Wikipedia may be used at the exploratory
stage of research to get an overview of your subject, but it may not be
included among the sources cited in the paper.
• Include in-text citations and a Works Cited page following MLA style.
• Overdone topics, such as abortion, gun control, media violence,
marijuana legalization, gay marriage, and the death penalty, are not
acceptable as topics for this paper.
• The paper must be typed, double-spaced, with 1″ margins on all sides
and use Times New Roman 12 pt. typeface.
• A successful paper will be well organized with an introduction, clear and
logical paragraphing, and a conclusion. It will contain a clearly stated
thesis that you support with relevant, ample evidence. It should be free of
grammatical and spelling errors.
• The final draft is due on December 7. The research paper counts as 250
points in the writing assignments category.
