Reference no: EM133027479
Assignment -
Overview - Now that you've written an Abstract and conducted in-depth research for your Annotated Bibliography, it is time to put together all the pieces and write a Research Article. Your topic is a subject matter of your choosing. The main constraint is that your subject matter has to be something that is current, relevant, and urgent, meaning that it should be of our moment (within past two years). This urgency in your subject matter will help you write as you must consider how the argument you craft will add to the ongoing conversation. Scholars write papers in order to contribute to their field, advancing knowledge and understanding. Now, in your own paper, you will too.
A key aspect of a strong paper is that it illuminates a topic that is either not understood or misunderstood. What are most people missing about the importance of an issue? Your job as the writer, therefore, is to use your research and writing skills to educate, inform, and enlighten a general audience about the topic and its significance. Research Articles typically show up in scholarly or academic publications, so be sure to keep this is mind as you make decisions considering your audience, style, tone, and voice.
As always, writing and research is a process. You've already started engaging in the research process in your previous assignments. As part of the actual writing process for your paper, you will submit a first draft, participate in a peer workshop, work on revision, and then submit your final draft. "Please note that the first draft does not receive a letter grade-it is graded for completion and is part of your participation grade.
Purpose: to craft, research, develop, and revise a persuasive researched paper that puts forth and supports a thought-provoking and ambitious argument.
Learning Outcomes: We will hit all the learning outcomes in this assignment:
Information Has a Life Cycle and Value.
Writing and Research Are Meta-Cognitive Processes.
Writing Requires Entering an Ongoing Conversation.
Structure, Style, and Mechanics Are Rhetorical.
Content - The topic of this paper is up to you, so I highly suggest you choose something about which you are passionate or want to learn more. Feel free to tie-in topics from your intended major or other classes (though if you choose to do the latter, make sure you check with me first so we can make sure it abides by AU's Academic Integrity Code). Meanwhile, like any good thesis, make sure that your topic is thought-provoking, specific, arguable, and ambitious, yet manageable and focused.
As the "soft" theme for our course has to do with rhetoric and technology, I encourage you to continue to think about these ideas in your paper, though by no means are you restricted to these subjects. Think about what's "trending" or a hot issue right now and consider what are some major points that keep popping up in the news or in social media. As some general possibilities, you may want to consider: artificial intelligence, social media bots, biased algorithms, techlash, misinformation/disinformation campaigns, propaganda machines, privacy rights, cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, big data, digital surveillance, net neutrality, free speech online, hacking, or digital copyright.
It is your role as a writer to help your reader understand what your issue or topic is and what it means. As you research and write, consider critically some of the following questions: how did this topic become so important? Why is it significant to our contemporary moment? What is at stake? What can we learn about ourselves in relation to this topic? To get started it might be useful to look into the history and background of your topic: what have people previously discussed regarding your topic? Has anything changed? What are your ideas about all this?
The goal of this paper is to thoroughly investigate a topic and then to "put in your oar" by making and supporting an argument that adds to the ongoing conversation. To be clear, this paper is not a report about a current topic nor is it merely an explanation of your topic. Rather, I expect you to push your intellectual curiosity further, think critically, make keen connections, and share sharp insights about what your topic is revealing about the world we live in. In short, help your reader understand what this all really means in the grand scheme of things. Why should we care? Why does this matter? Dig deep in your research and let it guide your discoveries.
When you find a topic you want to address, the following questions may help you get started:
What are the core points and controversies of your issue/topic?
What information will you find as evidence and research about this topic?
What do you need to define or explain to readers so they can understand the topic?
Do your sources agree or disagree about something? Is there something in between?
Given your personal perspective and your analysis of the topic, what do you think?
Why is this topic relevant and important? Why should my readers care?
Requirements and Format - Your Research Article should be no less than six pages and no more than eight pages. Your paper should include all of the required elements and be formatted according to MLA guidelines. Your essay should be double-spaced, have one-inch margins, and use a size 12 standard font. And of course, your essay should be thoughtful, well researched, and persuasive.
Integrate and cite at least EIGHT credible sources-at least FOUR of which should be scholarly.