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**This is the beginning assignment to ultimately lead up to a research paper. I will be using the same writer for each assignment so it’s consistent.
Write a Research Question, Thesis, and Outline
ASSIGNMENT: Following the Topic Selection Guidelines below, choose an argumentative topic to research. This will be your topic throughout the entire course, so the activities required for this assignment will provide the foundation for your future Touchstones. The topic for an argumentative research paper must be an arguable topic, meaning that it involves a stance that advocates for a concrete course of action and at least three supporting reasons which are defensible with credible sources. Additionally, it must take a stance that someone could hypothetically disagree with. You will need to take a firm position on the topic and use evidence and logic to support the position. You must include a research question, a working thesis, and a detailed outline.
A. Topic Selection Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: You may choose any topic you wish as long as the stance is arguable, and the supporting reasons are defensible with evidence. Your topic should be current, appropriate for an academic context and should have a focus suitable for a 6-8 page essay.
EXAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS (off-limits):
1. Rather than ending at age eighteen, compulsory education in the United States should be lifelong in order to improve civic engagement, teach new skills, and stave off cognitive decline, thus extending life expectancies.
2. Local governments, businesses, and property owners should replace conventional grass lawns with clover lawns in order to create habitat for pollinators, save water, and reduce maintenance, which will also lower carbon emissions.
3. Colleges and universities should prioritize academic freedom for students because sensitive discussions on difficult topics are necessary for students to learn, confidence in their own expertise is essential to teachers being effective, and students should be prepared to be exposed to many different opinions.
B. Research Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Refer to the list below throughout the writing process.
1. Research Question and Working Thesis
Keep in mind: The research question and working thesis are the driving force behind your research and eventual argument.
❒ Your research question should be a single sentence, framed as a question.
❒ Your working thesis should be a single focused sentence, framed as an actionable statement that takes a clear position on the research question and includes three main supporting points for holding that position.
❒ Include your research question followed by your working thesis.
2. Detailed Outline
Keep in mind: Your detailed outline provides a map of the argumentative research essay that you will write in Touchstone 3.2, including your key claims and the sources that support them. You might not have all seven required sources yet, and that is fine, but at least three are required. (As a heads up, the next unit will focus on sources and will require them all to be credible and mostly peer-reviewed.) The outline is a way to organize your essay and determine which areas (e.g. your sub-points) will require researched evidence as support.
❒ Headings: one for each paragraph with a brief label of the paragraph’s controlling idea(s).
❒ An introduction, at least five body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
❒ Introduction includes your working thesis.
❒ Body paragraphs should each have their own unique title and key points.
❒ At least one body paragraph is devoted to addressing counterarguments.
❒ Conclusion includes notes on your final thoughts.
❒ Subheadings: two to five for each paragraph, below each heading, indicating key points that support the controlling idea
❒ Sources: one to three for each paragraph, as relevant, indicating the support for the key points. Do not over-rely on any single source.
❒ For each source, include the author’s name and the idea or information relevant to your argument (e.g. “Lappé (2017) on mono-cropping corn/soy and production”). Link with a website if it is available.
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