Welcome to the fourth and most important phase of the Research Project. This assignment is the culmination of all your work over the semester, and it amounts to
12% of your final grade. Please make sure to give considerable time and effort to this assignment, as it has the biggest impact on your final grade.
1. The essay should be 6 full pages, or as close as possible.
2. The essay should be followed by a Works Cited page(s) with full citations for the 6-8 sources you used as your basis of information.
3. This all should be in MLA format. Use the Purdue OWL MLA guide for assistance.
· This means the font should be Times New Roman (12-point), and the paper should be double-spaced with a proper heading and headers.
· It also means there should be in-text citations to show where you used your sources in the essay.
4. The paper should follow the outline below closely, addressing each question as clearly and concisely as possible using only the information found in your sources and your own thoughts or analysis.
1. Introduction (< 1 page)
1. Summarize your main topic and the key issues you will address in your paper. Preview the structure of the paper.
2. Summarize your theory of how these issues are related and why they are important to US society.
2. Issue Analysis (~ 1.5 pages)
1. Explain why this is an important issue for the US government to address with scientific evidence to support this view.
2. Discuss the potential causes and consequences of this issue, again providing scientific evidence to support all arguments or claims.
3. Summarize your key points and conclusions from this section.
3. Options Analysis (~ 1.5 pages)
1. Explain the position of the national Democratic Party on this issue. Rely on the party platform and other sources to summarize how Democrats address this issue.
2. Explain the position of the national Republican Party on this issue. Rely on the party platform and other sources to summarize how Republicans address this issue.
3. (Optional) You may also explain one other position on this issue as might be provided by a minor party or interest group. Summarize this alternative approach to the issue if you chose to discuss one.
4. Summarize your key points and conclusions from this section.
4. Social and Personal Solutions (~ 1.5 pages)
1. Using your own analysis of the information provided, discuss how you think the federal government should address this issue. Provide evidence and reasoning for your position. Discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of your view.
2. Briefly discuss what you as an individual might do to help with this challenge in your own community. What role might you play independently of the government to improve American society in this regard?
5. Conclusion (< 1 page)
1. Review the structure of the paper, highlighting the main points you want your reader to remember.
2. Reflect on your original theory and discuss how your views may have evolved because of your research.
6. Works Cited
1. Cite the sources you used in the text in MLA format.
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Total points: _____/ 100 |
Excellent – A |
Good – B |
Average – C |
Poor – D/F |
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Content
____/60 |
Essay follows the prompt well; Strong research, critical thinking, and communication.
(60 – 54 points) |
Essay generally follows prompt; Good research, critical thinking, and communication.
(53 – 48 points) |
Essay strays from prompt at times; Adequate research, critical thinking, and communication.
(47 – 42 points) |
Essay does not follow the prompt; Insufficient research, critical thinking, and communication.
(< 42 points)
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Sources
____/10 |
High quality sources and evidence from reputable and/or scientific sources.
(10-9 points) |
Good sources and evidence from credible and/or objective outlets.
(8-7 points) |
Relevant sources and evidence from biased or simple sources.
(6-5 points) |
Poor sources and evidence from dubious or conspiratorial sources.
(<5 points)
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Organization
____/10 |
Clear and coherent paragraphs and essay structure; Strong summary and transition sentences.
(10-9 points) |
Acceptable paragraph and essay structure; Adequate summary and transition sentences.
(8-7 points) |
Confusing paragraph and essay structure; Weak or unclear summary and transition sentences.
(6-5 points) |
No clear structure across or within paragraphs; Few to no summary or transition sentences.
(< 5 points)
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MLA Format
____/10 |
Few to no errors in citation and paper format
(10-9 points) |
Some minor errors in citation and paper format
(8-7 points) |
Poor citation and/or paper format
(6-5 points) |
Incorrect or inadequate citation and paper format
(< 5 points)
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Grammar
____/10 |
Few to no errors in usage, spelling, and punctuation
(10 – 9 points) |
Some minor errors in usage, spelling, or punctuation
(8-7 points) |
Distracting errors in usage, spelling, or punctuation
(6-5 points) |
Many or major errors in usage, spelling, or punctuation
(< 5 points)
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One last reminder about Artificial Intelligence:
You are expected to use your own words for the entirety of the paper. A few brief quotes are acceptable with proper quotation marks and citations for them. Otherwise, you should originate all content without plagiarizing sources or using Artificial Intelligence tools. Your papers will be screened by Turnitin for both plagiarism and AI-generated text. Evidence of either could result in penalties at the instructor’s discretion.
