ENGL 135: Academic Reading and Writing

ENGL 135: Academic Reading and Writing

Research Essay (and related assignments and materials)

Word Count: 1600-2000 words

Overview of deadlines and materials you need to review:

· Watch “Starting Your Research” video series and listen to the C.R.A.A.P. method (transcript available)

· Complete Annotated Bibliography with Reflection assignment; get feedback on Wednesday July 22 and submit Sunday July 26.

· Complete Practice Assignment Three: Introduction to UVic Libraries Resources by Friday July 24

· Attend the Research Consultation on the date you signed up for, and then submit the summary of the meeting for grading by Friday July 24

· Submit your Introduction, Thesis & Outline for peer review by Wednesday July 29, and submit for comment and grading by Friday July 31.

· Research Essay with Grading Reflection due: August 10 (may change based on classroom poll results).

· Final Assessment (Revision with Grading Reflection) due: August 17.

Please do not skip assignments. Each one is designed to help you complete the major Research Essay assignment.

Research Essay overview:

Research is at the foundation of all work that goes on at a university. What’s more, it is a crucial part of the life-long learning educated people undertake when they encounter an important new subject or issue. Writing a research essay offers you an opportunity to become an expert on a topic of your choice and to develop an effective argument on that topic. In the process, you will learn skills that will be important to advanced work in university classes.

And note that there are a number of employability skills you gain from writing a paper like this:

· Project planning;

· Logical organization and critical thinking;

· Developing ideas and articulating them effectively;

· Research skills;

· Interacting with professionals (e.g. library staff, Centre for Academic Communication);

· Creative and critical thinking skills.

The ability to create a thesis, find reliable information, and defend your position is a major skill set.

Your final research essay assignment will be the culmination of all the work you have done over the course of the term in ENGL135. Thus, you should expect to bring analytical, rhetorical, and stylistic as well as research skills to bear on this project.

Choosing your topic:

To begin with, you need to identify a broad research area that interests you. Please choose a subject from this list:

· Immigration

· Wellness and Health

· Education

· Student Mental Health

· Ocean and Biodiversity

Note that it is possible for you to work on a topic that doesn’t fit neatly with any of the subjects listed here – but you must have instructor approval for that topic before proceeding with your research.

Note that a research area or subject isn’t the same thing as a topic. It’s up to you to find a controversial or debatable issue related to the general research area around which to focus your research. How will you discover such a topic? You could simply think of this as a chance to explore a debate within a subject area that has always seemed interesting to you. You might have a conversation with a professor or TA about their current research and the topics that seem compelling to them. You might have come across big questions or exciting debates in other university classes. You might consider exploring some high-quality periodicals for general audiences (such as national newspapers or news magazines) to find discussions of current issues that relate to the general subject. And you could even start with a question that relates to a conversation with a friend or something you read as a social media post.

Your topic needs to be controversial or debatable because your job in this essay isn’t merely to report on what others have said and written – instead, you need to take a position, argue in support of a thesis.

Your research:

Your research will be guided by your topic, and it’s possible that you will need to shift or refine your topic as your research gets underway.

That being said, there are some recommendations and requirements you should keep in mind as you conduct research related to the Research Essay project.

Recommendations as you proceed:

· Because you are writing an academic essay, peer-reviewed academic sources are likely to be the most appropriate places to find up-to-date, authoritative information and arguments.

· Any other types of sources that you rely upon for information or to represent key arguments should be authoritative and reliable. Reputable sources are likely to be high-quality newspaper articles, newspaper articles, government reports, and websites synthesizing academic or nonprofit organizations’ research. Think critically about whether a source is reputable.