Eh 124 Spring 2011: Week Twelve Class Three
January 1, 2009
Unit Three
Research Argument
Opening Comments
What’s something you have an opinion on but do not have an informed opinion on?
Journal Entry: (Suggested 10 Minutes)
Go into some detail about a subject you have an opinion — rather than an informed opinion — on. Next, explain to me why it might be a good idea to gain an informed opinion on this subject at this point in your educational career.
Group Discussion
Class Discussion
Paper Three: Research Argument
Through reading texts from a variety of self-selected sources, identify an issue of contention relevant to a particular area of study and then, using appropriate rhetorical strategies, compose a 4-6 page thesis-based argument that draws from at least 5 sources and which is designed to inform your audience about the contentious issue and to persuade them of the validity of your position.
Research Topics:
Performing authentic research requires you to investigate a topic before you know precisely what you want to say about it. Therefore, you must perform your research with some general ideas and an open mind, looking for points where texts seem to be in debate with one another. As your idea takes shape, your research can become more focused as well, until you have honed it down to its most articulated form: your thesis. The steps for this kind of research can be summed up like this: identify a broad area of interest; research and read a variety of texts; revise area of interest to narrow its scope; research and read in that new area; repeat as needed.
Activities:
1) Generate a list of as many areas of interest as possible. Use brainstorming with partners or groups to lengthen this list. Then choose five items from the list and write 2-3 sentences that state what argument you could make about each item.
Homework for Monday:
Choose one of the most promising items from your list and research it to locate from 10-15 texts in a variety of genres and media, from both print and digital sources, and create a document which lists the bibliographic information of these sources in MLA format.
Using skimming and annotation, read through the texts to narrow your list to 4-6 main sources. Then, write a brief paragraph on each entry that summarizes what the text says and explains how you would use it in your paper.
