ENGL120 Juveniles be Tried as Adults for Serious Crimes Research

ENGL 120 Cuyamaca Should Juveniles be Tried as Adults for Serious Crimes Research

ENGL 120 Research Paper Prompt

Topics in Agency and Rights: A Research Essay

Thus far in our course, we have explored issues that involve our agency (or our ability to determine the circumstances of our lives) and our individual rights. This research essay process allows you to select a specific topic and corresponding question within the course themes. You will conduct research on that topic, and synthesize that research with your own informed position. Ultimately, you will develop an academic, argumentative essay in response to the prompt you select. This assignment offers you not only an opportunity to learn more about a pressing topic in American society and culture, but also hone your academic research, critical thinking and writing skills. PURPOSE Explore academic arguments and evidence related to topics that are highly debated today! Become a more informed person by learning how to locate and evaluate sources in a library database. Make your own academic claims based on expert arguments and evidence. Consider counterarguments against your own position and write smart, convincing refutations or accommodations. Don’t these skills sound like they will come in handy for future college classes, future work in a variety of fields, or future debates with family members whose beliefs oppose your own? PROMPT Select a research topic and corresponding question(s) from the Research Essay Topics list. Write an argumentative essay that offers original claims and researched evidence to respond to the selected question(s).

REQUIREMENTS

§ Final research paper must be 5-7 pages long (or 1600-2100 words), double spaced, 1” margins, 12 point Times New Roman or 11 point Arial. Essays that do not meet minimum length requirements will not receive a passing grade. § Final research essay must follow the required formats from course lessons, materials, and models, and . . . o Include an introduction that offers important contextual information about the topic for an unfamiliar reader, as well as a 3D Thesis Statement, according to class lessons/materials. o Incorporate SEAS Body Paragraphs with subclaims, introduction to and incorporation of evidence, author-focused analysis, and a discussion of the significance of the evidence with regard to the larger argument. o Cite/draw evidence from a minimum of four sources from the Opposing Viewpoints in Context database. Two sources should come from the Viewpoints sections of Opposing Viewpoints (either featured viewpoints or all), and should form a point/counterpoint in response to your question (think pro/con). Two additional sources can come from any section, including Viewpoints, Academic Journals, News, or Magazines. The general research starter article at the top of your research page does not count as one of your sources. If you don’t see what you think you need for your essay, contact me. § Note: any sources outside Opposing Viewpoints need prior approval before being incorporated into the assignment. o Introduce a counterargument, and then either refute or accommodate that counterargument according to the formats offered in the corresponding lessons/materials. o Wrap up your essay with a conclusion that restates your main argument and subclaims and addresses the larger significance of your position. You can connect to current events, offer a call to action, or end with a personal connection to the topic. § Use in-text citations and include a works cited page according to MLA standards. The works cited page does not count toward essay page length. Tip: All sources in the Opposing Viewpoints in Context have a completed, formatted, correct MLA citation available, already completed for you. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Locate and evaluate reputable, scholarly sources on a specific topic within the course unit

• Respond to that research question in an argumentative essay that includes a thesis, subclaims, and well-developed body paragraphs

• Synthesize, present and analyze evidence from research in support of claims

• Produce a largely error-free academic research paper of 5-7 pages (1600-2100 words), citing at least 3 sources

• Avoid plagiarism by properly citing quoted, summarized, and paraphrased material using MLA format in in-text citations and a works cited page

DUE DATES Research Essay Discussion Assignment due Tuesday, July 14th Research Essay Draft for Instructional Review due Friday, July 17th Research Essay Final Draft due Friday, July 24th The research topics list and a detailed list of steps to access the database and conduct your research are included below!