thinking · create connections among texts discussed H u m a n i t i e s

Research Paper Requirements Fall 2021

Objective: Write a college-level research paper that meets all the course outcomes. (See list at the end of this document).

Requirements: The research paper will focus on your text from Essay 2. The show must be the same, but the episode may be changed if you like.

In addition to the essay itself, the research paper must meet the following process requirements.

• A research question (Slideshow example)
• A research proposal
• A library instruction module
• A full draft of the paper (Essay 3)
• A video conference with instructor (Optional)

The research paper must meet the following formatting and source requirements:

• A minimum of five (to a maximum six) secondary sources must be used including two types of resources. A citation for the television show is also needed.
• All sources (except for the television show) must come from the MVCC library resources unless you ask for permission to use them. Just send a Canvas message with a link and a brief analysis of the source’s credibility so that I can make that determination.
• MLA 8 format is required for in-text and works cited entries.
• A combination of six direct quotes and/or paraphrases (with the quotes introduced) is compulsory.
• The research paper process counts for 20 percent of a student’s grade in COM 102.
• No student can pass COM 102 without submitting this assignment.
• COM department grading standards of grammar and mechanics still apply. See Rubric.
• The page count is 5-6 pages excluding the Works Cited page.

Note: Any intentional cut-and-paste plagiarism will earn an “F” for the course. Cite all your sources. See the plagiarism policy in the course syllabus for more information.

Here is an example of an argumentative position on an episode from The Good Place. The Good Place example meets the needs of our research assignment and contains a step-by-step breakdown of the research process.

Assignment meets the following requirements from the syllabus:

VI. Course Learning Outcomes

Critical Reading and Thinking

· Create connections among texts discussed and other texts.

· Analyze a writer’s stylistic choices, such as the perspective or tone adopted for a

particular audience and purpose.

Source-Based Writing

· Construct an argument based on a text or texts.

· Demonstrate ethical awareness in writing by incorporating and documenting source material responsibly according to a guidelines system (MLA, APA).

· Correctly document sources through appropriate in-text citations and a Works

Cited page.

· Move beyond managing correctness in writing and toward making deliberate choices about stylistic elements such as clarity, concision, cohesion, and emphasis.

· Demonstrate skill at the stylistic aspects of integrating sources, such as employing a variety of transitional effects or integrating a quote into the grammatical structure of a sentence.

Research Question Process

For every process:

• Re-Watch episode (first step).
• Choose episode {essay 2}
  • Identify what kind of text you have: fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, police procedural, reenactment, reality TV, documentary or docuseries, fantasy, sitcom, romance, and so on.
  • The genre of the text matters. It impacts the audience, the message, the creators, and the purpose (see Rhetorical Analysis chapters for refresher on those elements if you need to).
• Ask preliminary questions—Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How are great to start with. Make lists.
  • This is a first list of potential ideas. This is a form of pre-writing.
    • See Chapter 4 Invention for more pre-writing ideas

• Do pre-search—Look around online and see what is being said about the series
  • See Research methods in our main text and supplemental guide
• Ask more questions based on what you see in the presearch step.
  • See Hoarders: Buried Alive example and how the research question idea changed based on material found
• Slow down
  • The text will bring ideas forward if you pay close attention to the message of the show or how it is being sent.
  • Don’t try to do too much too fast; it is easier to add to your research question.

How does ________ illustrate _________ through __________?

Why does _________ highlight ________ in _______ way?

How or Why questions work best for Research Questions.