The Research Paper

Scholarly Research Paper  

The Research Paper is the cornerstone of a student’s college experience. Writing a great research paper is not that complicated, in particular when one selects a topic that a researcher can find an abundance of sources to support their effort. For this assignment, the topic that students need to conduct research on is the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch. There are many, many sources that are easily available and easy to locate on and via the Web. And, as we all live on the same planet, at least for the time being, this unfortunate phenomenon is a concern for everyone and should be both an interesting and enlightening research project. The Assignment: Compose a 1000-word, 4-page research paper. Try to keep it close to 1000 words, this is where editing skills come into play. This is a 6-paragraph essay. This paper does NOT NEED a thesis statement, rather, it is an informative essay. Students may choose to have a thesis, though it is not required. Students need to include Word Count on last page. Sources need only be listed after the narrative and do not need to be on a separate page.

 

 

Students may use either or both the 1st or 3rd person as one’s opinions are welcomed in this assignment. Try to keep the 4 Body Paragraphs relatively close in size. • The research paper must contain the following:

o Introductory Paragraph: § Briefly introduce The Great Pacific Garbage

Patch and the main points in the 4 Body Paragraph

o Body Paragraph 1: How and when the Great Pacific Garbage Patch was formed and give examples of some of the human made materials that comprise it

o Body Paragraph 2: Where it is located, why it is located at this spot, which countries contribute to it as well as the emergence of other garbage patches around the world

o Body Paragraph 3: Examples of the environmental impacts of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the environment, including animal life

o Body Paragraph 4: What is being done, and by whom, to deal with the clean up

o Conclusion Paragraph: § Briefly summarize the main points from the Body

Paragraphs and offer a concluding statement on YOUR OPINION as to “how well we humans are doing at cleaning up this mess”.

 

 

 

• You can any sources you wish and any assortment therein: websites, documentary films, television, books, newspapers, journals, magazines.

• There is a minimum of 3 sources. • No separate title page

o Title of the paper: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch § Students may add onto the title, such as: The Great

Pacific Garbage Patch: Yet another example of Human Waste Materials impacting the Earth

• Students are required to stay with the 6-paragraph

structure

• Papers are graded on the quality of writing and accuracy of formatting (do not stray from the 6-paragraph format)

The Good Essay Writing text components that are of particular value to this assignment are: Chapter 6, Section 6:2 – Formulating an Argument Chapter 7: Writing Introductions Chapter 8: Writing the Main Section Chapter 9: Writing Conclusions