ENGL 102-XA1: English Composition II
Spring 2023
Arati Jambotkar
Assignment #2: Research Paper
Prompt: Write a research essay on a topic of your choice. Choose a subject because you want to find out something about it; avoid things you already have a strong opinion about. This research paper should be on the SAME topic and use the SAME sources/research as that of your annotated bibliography.
This essay should:
• Be based on a “researchable” question (Example: What is discrimination, and how does it affect Americans’ everyday lives?). Don’t include the question itself in your paper. This is just a launching point to formulate your thesis statement.
• Have a central thesis statement in your intro that represents your best answer to your research question. The thesis should not be in the form of a question but rather, a statement that encapsulates the main idea of the ENTIRE paper.
• Use appropriate and relevant sources based on your own experiences, observations, interviews, and reading, or all four sources of information. Remember that at least 80% of your sources should be scholarly in nature.
• Incorporate the ICE method when presenting all research.
• Be cited according to MLA format.
• Be written for an audience of peers rather than experts on the topic.
Logistics and Format:
• Your essay must be between 1,800 and 2,500 words long (the works cited page does not count in the word count but MUST be included at the end of the paper).
• Your essay must include 7-9 sources (the same ones as those in your bib).
• At least 80% of your sources must be peer-reviewed/scholarly sources (consult the Nicholls Library database for sources).
• Your essay must be formatted according to MLA style.
