English 9 Honors Controversial Topic Research Paper



English 9 Honors Controversial Topic Research Paper

420 points for paper

In high school students are expected to develop a strong foundation for research-driven (ethos) writing. The research paper is the best evidence of your understanding of this process. You will prepare a research paper on a controversial topic that follows established guidelines for both composition and content (Topic Sentence, Analysis, Lead-In to Citation, Analysis to Support Citation, Transition Sentences) as well as formatting (MLA).

The ninth grade paper is completed as a process that requires reflection, feedback, and revision.  Some of this process will take place in the classroom and with groups and pairs.

We will work together to choose and develop a topic and thesis statement and learn how to document your sources within the text and in a Works Cited. We will then dedicate a few periods to developing and editing drafts and working together on specific elements of composition. Most of the real work, however, is assigned as homework. As long as you complete these assignments and follow the schedule, the entire term paper process is much less problematic.

COMPLETION OF HOMEWORK IS CRITICAL

Assignment: You will

select a controversial topic

determine your position on that topic

write a formal persuasive essay using the rhetorical appeals of ethos and logos.

Your audience is your teacher

The register (style) is formal.

You will use as your support stakeholders (interested parties) and experts in this topic who will serve as the ethos for your argument and will provide the opinion, experience, opposite point of view that will persuade your reader.

Key: This paper is FREE OF YOUR OPINION OR ANY KIND OF BIASED TONE, DICTION OR RHETORICAL FORMS. Your job is to guide the argument and interpret the quotes as they support your thesis (the main point you are proving). You must be able to persuade your reader to your opinion, particularly the DOUBTERS. The experts do the arguing.

Requirements:

1) Essay of FOUR to FIVE full pages on a teacher-approved controversial topic. The paper will also include the following:

- Standard Heading

- Pagination

- Title that gives a clue of your topic and argument.

- An underlined thesis statement that clearly outlines the argument and provides a clear position on the topic

- MLA formatting

- Content that follows rules for composition

- Acknowledgement (identify and nullify) of the opposing point of view

- 10 (minimum) in-text (parenthetical) citations following MLA formatting (no hyperlinks required)

- A focused paper in which you establish, maintain, and develop your thesis

- Evidence that supports your topic

- Eight underlined vocabulary words from any vocabulary list from Semester 1 or 2

2) Works Cited Page – following MLA formatting

3) SIX sources on a separate Works Cited page (one source is non-electronic, it can be an interview)

Sources

A source is a minimum of THREE pages printed and comes from different sources, not different pages from the same websites, UNLESS that website is a database (for example, Time magazine, EBSCO, etc.)

Some sources are NOT acceptable, these are:

• Any wiki – including Wikipedia (not a legitimate source)

• Blogs – except official news blogs (example, Huffington Post)

• Quote sites – you must find the original source of this quote

• Any source under three pages (unless it is IN ADDITION to the six required)

Rhetoric and Register

The research paper is formal, therefore, the formal register rules the day - absolutely no first (I, we, us, our) or second person (speaking directly to the reader, or you)

The research paper is ethos based, meaning its validity relies on information from experts or others qualified to speak on your chosen subject. Therefore, evidence, quotes, statistics from these expert sources are central to the success of the paper. You will organize the paper in such a way that all vital information, ideas, and opinions come from these experts, you simply guide the narrative.

Final Research Paper Due: _______________________________

Controversial Term Paper Topics

It is important to remember that a term paper is AN ARGUMENT; not a report. It must persuade the reader toward your thesis.

If you have your own idea for a topic, IT MUST BE TEACHER APPROVED.

|Alternate forms of energy |Obamacare/affordable healthcare |

|Animal rights/testing |Obesity – a disease? |

|Any particular student right |Physical education |

|Ban on immigrants |Racial profiling |

|College admissions too competitive |Regulating the internet |

|College tuition – government paid |Salaries of professional athletes |

|Death penalty |School and the arts |

|Drug legalization |School prayer |

|Drug testing for athletes |School uniforms |

|Euthanasia/assisted suicide |Social media |

|Equal rights – state of |Standardized testing/Common Core |

|Felons voting |Steroids |

|Four-day school week |Tablets vs. textbooks |

|Genetically engineered foods |Teenage images in the media |

|Gun control |Value of homework |

|Home schooling |Video games and violence |

|Legal drinking age |Wall separating the U.S. and Mexico |

|Legal driving age |Year-Round School |

When considering a topic consider:

• Your physical guidelines: Minimum FIVE full pages, maximum SIX pages. Does not include Works Cited.

• 10 in-text citations (direct quotes, paraphrasing or statistics).

• Works cited with SIX sources (One must be a non-electronic format – see attached suggestions)

• Can you effectively address the subject in the limited space; can the subject be adequately narrowed to make a compelling and thorough argument?

o Example, instead of drug legalization – California stands to significantly enhance the state’s economy by legalizing and regulating the production and sale of marijuana. Such a move would add much needed jobs and increased tax revenue.

o Example, instead of salaries of professional athletes - The salaries of professional athletes are radically inflated when measured against the salaries of other professions who offer far more vital and redeeming contributions to humanity. Therefore, uniformly decreasing such exaggerated compensation is both morally sound, socially equitable, and economically justifiable.

• Are you passionate about this topic? You will be sitting with it for over a month.

• Can you take a distinct position and stick to a coherent and thorough argument?

• Is there evidence to support your argument?

Note: Consider pairing up with someone who has the same subject but a different point of view; this is an ideal way to take a circumspect position. You will have to acknowledge (identify and nullify) the opposing point of view in your work, and speaking with another student should prove enlightening.

What is a Research Paper?

Register: Formal

Rhetorical Appeal: Ethos and Logos

Type: Evaluative Research Paper

Before we begin our journey in essay writing, let’s establish exactly what the Freshman Research Paper the basics of the paper.

First, this particular assignment is considered an Evaluative Research Paper. This type of paper is developed from multiple sources and addresses problems-solutions, causes or effects, comparisons or contrasts, assessment, analysis, or interpretation. The student must select valid sources and merge information from these sources into one cohesive paper.

This type of research paper is the culmination and final result of an involved process of

• Research

• Critical thinking

• Source evaluation

• Organization

• Composition.

Important Note: Though students are required to argue a side, the student must not personally express an opinion but rather STEER the opinions of experts, rather the writer is the third person narrator directing an argument that is articulated by experts in the field of the topic. The opinion of the paper writer is most definitely NOT a part of the research paper.

And while students focus on one side of the argument, they must also include one aspect of the opposing side so they appear circumspect in their efforts. The point is to IDENTIFY and NULLIFY. Recognize the opposite side but argue it down.

Overview

It is helpful to think of the research paper as a living thing; it grows and changes as the student explores, interprets, and evaluates sources related to the thesis.

Primary and secondary sources are the heart of a research paper as it supports, extends, and enlightens the argument.

Evaluative Research Paper

This type of research paper consists of an introduction in which the writer clearly introduces the topic and reveals his/her position on that topic; this is, of course, the thesis statement. An important goal of the research paper is persuasion, which means the topic chosen MUST be debatable or controversial. For example, it would be difficult for a student to successfully argue in favor of the following stance:

Cigarette smoking poses medical dangers and may lead to cancer for both the smoker and those who experience secondhand smoke.

This statement is a fact. A more responsive thesis, and one that is also more focused, interesting and provable, is the following:

Although it has been proven that cigarette smoking often leads to multiple, chronic, and deadly health problems in the smoker, popular culture, movies in particular, continues to promote smoking as individualistic, seductive, iconoclastic behavior, images that serve to legitimize, even encourage, the practice among teenagers. Therefore cultural vehicles must renegotiate and reimagine such images to more specifically and responsibly address the problem of smoking.

In this sentence, the writer does not state a widely held fact on the subject; rather, she proposes that the social acceptance of smoking promotes a cultural double-standard. This is meaty stuff and rich with argument. The student would support this thesis throughout her paper by means of both primary and secondary sources that persuade her audience that her particular interpretation of the situation is viable.

What You MUST Do in Your Paper

In presenting your argument, you will want to:

• Provide the opposing side to show your reflection and balance (identify and nullify). Remember, your job is to persuade (argue)

• Set the scene: describe the setting of your issue and how your thesis fits in

• Describe background about your topic as fitting (not common knowledge)

• Introduce and describe the problem

• Begin to define terms, concepts, vocabulary

• Ensure your sources provide compelling opinions that only an expert can deliver

• Maintain a specific focus as announced in the thesis (do not veer from thesis)

• Provide details and examples

• Provide specific sources/credentials (not: “a source reveals” “one soldier said...” use Dr. Richard Morgan of Cedars Sinai Medical Center has studied the potential for cell regeneration and adds....)

• Use full and complete names

• Always support direct quotes with analysis (what the quote means and why it matters)

• Aim for antecedents instead of pronouns (pronouns often lead to ambiguity)

What a Research Paper is NOT

As essential as it is to understand the basics of the El Segundo research paper, it is equally imperative to define what it is not.

A research paper is not simply an informed summary of a topic relying on primary and secondary sources. It is neither a book report nor an editorial nor an expository essay consisting solely of your interpretation of a text nor is it an overview of a particular topic.

DO NOT

• Give your opinion (this is wrong; this is immoral – experts provide opinion)

• Take the position of an expert (...but they were wrong. This an erroneous thought because...)

• Ask rhetorical questions in the body (...why would anyone want to smoke?)

• Generalize or assume(example, everyone has taken a drink; no one understands their plight; what all these people don’t understand is…; many people are killed every year, and I mean a lot)

• Provide too much background or background that is common knowledge

• Make unsupported assertions

• Refer to the quote (As this quote reveals)

• Say “say” when you mean wrote

• Keep repeating “this proves that (thesis statement here) in the body paragraphs. You must work to prove it. Not every little detail you bring up proves. Save this for the end.

• Esoteric data (if you paraphrase The Theory of Relativity, make sure you cite it, as it is not your idea – general knowledge does NOT need to be cited, example, Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941)

• No declarations without commentary (People may think racial profiling provides general safety; well, they’re wrong.)

• These statements must come from an expert

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is the act of using another person's ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source. To plagiarize is to give the impression that you have written or thought of something that you have, in fact, borrowed from someone else. The Web makes it more tempting to plagiarize ideas because copying and pasting is so simple. However, the Web makes it easier for teachers to check particularly eloquent writing by doing a Google search on your writing in quotes and locating sources that clearly match your wording.

It is illegal, unethical, and if discovered, will result in a loss of credit for the project and perhaps a failure for the course.

Plagiarism can take several forms:

• Copying any direct quotation from your source material without providing quotation marks or crediting your source

• Paraphrasing of a borrowed idea without introducing and documenting the source of the idea

• Copying another paper, either from someone else or your own paper from a previous assignment

You may avoid plagiarism by:

• Acknowledging borrowed material with an introduction and citing the source page number: "According to Smith," "Smith points out, 24," etc.

• Paraphrasing material by writing in your style and language and citing the source of the information

• Enclosing quotation marks around all material that is directly quoted and citing the source for the information

Oath of Academic Honesty

El Segundo High School considers plagiarism a serious infraction of academic integrity and takes severe methods to discipline such actions. According to the 2005-2006 Eagle Handbook cheating is

“… taking credit for someone else’s work without citing or acknowledging the source as well as providing information to or receiving information from others that is not your own. This includes tests, homework, worksheets, notes, labs, essays, and group projects. Additionally, electronics when not authorized by the teacher, hand-signals, passing test answers/questions between classes, and avoiding school the day of a test are defined as cheating. “ (p. 46).

Your signature below (mandatory) acknowledges your understanding of both the definition of plagiarism as well as the consequences that will be taken should such an infraction occur.

_____________________________ ________________

Your Name Date

Stake Holder Contract

For 9th Grade Honors Spring Term Paper

_________________________________________ will be writing a term paper on a teacher-approved controversial topic for English 9 Honors Spring Semester.

I understand that I am committed to the due date I selected and that papers will not be accepted after that date for any reason. I also understand that the assessment of this term project is based on a maximum value of 420 points.

__________________________________________ Student Signature

(please include the date of your signature)

I acknowledge that my student will be writing an argumentative research paper on a controversial topic that is teacher approved. I understand that the paper will combine both in-class time and homework time. I understand that late term projects are not accepted, and that the assessment has a maximum value of 420 points.

__________________________________________ Parent Signature

(please include the date of your signature)

Detach and return to teacher no later than ____________________________________

English 9 Honors Research Paper (400 Points)

| |Student |

|Development of thesis statement in text |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Thesis established, maintained, developed | |

|Arrangement, relevance and employment of quotations from text to support analysis |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Say/Mean/Matter (Transition, Lead In to Quote, Analysis) | |

| |_____ x 20 = ______ |

| | |

| | |

|Overall organization of work |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Wording and phrasing |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Eight underlined vocabulary words (correct use and context) | |

| |_____ x 10 = ______ |

| | |

| | |

|Grammar and sentence structure |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Punctuation and capitalization |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Minimum Requirements for paper |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Minimum of 5 pages, Max of 6 pages | |

|10 parenthetical citations /8 underlined vocabulary words | |

|Six sources | |

|MLA form in paper |1 2 3 4 5 |

|Citations consistent with Works Cited |1 2 3 4 5 |

| | |

| |_____ x 4 = ______ |

| | |

|Comments | Subsection I Total |

| |_______ |

| |Subsection II Total _______ |

| |Subsection III Total _______ |

| |Total Sections _______________ |

|LEGEND | |

|5- The student demonstrates superior abilities and skills and exceptional attitude; writing offers unique perspective and creative thoughts. |

| |

|4 – The student demonstrates above average abilities, skill and attitude; writing offers good awareness with some creative speculation. |

|3- The student demonstrates suitable abilities, skills and attitude; writing offers accurate but common awareness |

|2 – The student demonstrates elementary abilities, rudimentary skills and indifferent attitude; writing offers limited perspective and simple awareness. |

|1 – The student demonstrates substandard outcomes; writing is off task with faulty awareness. |

Shopping List for Research Paper

The research paper is difficult, you are going to need supplies – not a plethora of, and not expensive but items that will help you mark your pages, and record your sites.

Here’s a start:

Post Its – a small size that will allow you to write your thoughts as you mark the references you will use.

Red Pens- there will be editing sessions

Highlighters – Required. Various colors because when you peer edit, the highlighted colors should reflect a specific area that needs improvement. (ie: Blue= word choice, PINK= phrasing, etc)

White Out – Inevitably you will need it during the writing process

Computer – a working one that prints in black ink.

Functional printer – to print handouts and your homework. Do not send anything to me. I will not print it for you.

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