ENG 123: Research Paper Guidelines and Rubric Overview In this assignment, you will write a research paper. Research writing is commonly required in college courses for well-established reasons. It helps you develop specific skills and abilities that are essential in college, the workplace, and life. Regardless of your major and the career you choose, you will need to be able to demonstrate the critical thinking that research writing requires. Why are critical thinking skills so important? They are what allow us to comprehend difficult concepts and to engage with complex ideas, including ideas with which we may disagree. Writing research papers helps us develop critical thinking skills because we have to use critical thinking throughout each step of the writing process. We use critical thinking when we determine how to find information, when we comprehend information new to us, analyze information, evaluate sources, reach conclusions, make rational decisions, and solve problems. Moreover, we usually engage in research writing with the goal of persuading, and the ability to persuade effectively is also essential in life. Much of what we do in school, the workplace, and even our personal lives depends on the ability to persuade. You will need to know how to write research papers for your college courses, but research writing is not restricted to the academic setting. In both personal and professional contexts the development of your research paper is a concrete demonstration of your mastery of the topic, enhancing your credibility and deepening your own understanding. Your Mission Select a topic that considers your interest, your career, and/or previous knowledge and experience. You will identify a research question based upon this topic. Your research paper should allow you to explore some aspect of your interest from an objective perspective. Be wary of choosing topics that you know absolutely nothing about. For example, if you choose a topic in the health sciences, you need to be prepared to read health sciences research material, which can be quite intimidating to someone who is not familiar with the language of the discipline. Your Resources Use your Learning Modules to guide you through the development of your Research Paper Project. Each module is a valuable resource that will walk you through important aspects of your research paper. Review your syllabus and Learning Module titles to identify the purpose of each module in the process. You will explore your topics and post them to the discussion forum at the beginning of Module One so that you are ready to create a working research question by the end of the module. You will submit an annotated bibliography at the end of Module Two. Your completed Outline is due in Module Three. Your first draft is due at the end of ModuleFive to you instructor. You will engage in a peer review for this draft in Module Six and submit the final draft of your completed Research Paper at the end of Modu ...

1. ENG 123: Research Paper Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
In this assignment, you will write a research paper. Research
writing is commonly required in college courses for well-
established reasons. It helps you develop specific skills and
abilities that are essential in college, the workplace, and life.
Regardless of your major and the career you choose, you will
need to be able to demonstrate the critical thinking that research
writing requires. Why are critical thinking skills so important?
They are what allow us to comprehend difficult concepts and to
engage with complex ideas, including ideas with which we may
disagree. Writing research papers helps us develop critical
thinking skills because we have to use critical thinking
throughout each step of the writing process. We use critical
thinking when we determine how to find information, when we
comprehend information new to us, analyze information,
evaluate sources, reach conclusions, make rational decisions,
and solve problems. Moreover, we usually engage in research
writing with the goal of persuading, and the ability to persuade
effectively is also essential in life. Much of what we do in
school, the workplace, and even our personal lives depends on
the ability to persuade. You will need to know how to write
research papers for your college courses, but research writing is
not restricted to the academic setting. In both personal and
professional contexts the development of your research paper is
a concrete demonstration of your mastery of the topic,
enhancing your credibility and deepening your own
understanding.
Your Mission
Select a topic that considers your interest, your career, and/or
previous knowledge and experience. You will identify a

2. research question based upon this topic. Your research paper
should allow you to explore some aspect of your interest from
an objective perspective. Be wary of choosing topics that you
know absolutely nothing about. For example, if you choose a
topic in the health sciences, you need to be prepared to read
health sciences research material, which can be quite
intimidating to someone who is not familiar with the language
of the discipline.
Your Resources
Use your Learning Modules to guide you through the
development of your Research Paper Project. Each module is a
valuable resource that will walk you through important aspects
of your research paper. Review your syllabus and Learning
Module titles to identify the purpose of each module in the
process. You will explore your topics and post them to the
discussion forum at the beginning of Module One so that you
are ready to create a working research question by the end of
the module. You will submit an annotated bibliography at the
end of Module Two. Your completed Outline is due in Module
Three. Your first draft is due at the end of ModuleFive to you
instructor. You will engage in a peer review for this draft in
Module Six and submit the final draft of your completed
Research Paper at the end of Module Seven.
Critical Elements
In your Research Paper project:
1. Identify a clear thesis that articulates a logical argument
about your chosen topic
2. Select a coherent research question that purposefully explores
an interest, your career, or knowledge
3. Demonstrate an informed, logical counter-argument with
sufficient detail that support the claim
4. Use supporting sources that are credible and effective in
supporting thesis argument demonstrating the quality of your

3. research process
5. Purposefully integrate sources within one’s own work at
appropriate points in structure of argument
6. Apply clear pattern of organization around the thesis
argument
7. Apply relevant rules of grammar
8. Apply correct syntax in developing sentence structure
Format
6–8 pages, double-spaced (excluding reference page) with
standard margins and Times New Roman 12-point font. The
paper should adhere to all APA or MLA standards of
formatting. The paper should use a minimum of three resources
from those qualified in the Annotated Bibliography.
Rubric
Critical Elements
Exemplary
Proficient
Needs Improvement
Not Evident
Value
Thesis
Identifies a clear thesis that offers a persuasive argument in
direct response to the selected research question
(14-15)
Identifies a clear thesis that offers a persuasive argument that
responds to the selected research question
(12-13)
Identifies a clear thesis but does not offer a persuasive
argument that responds to the selected research question
(11)
Does not identify a clear thesis that offers a persuasive

4. argument that responds to the selected research question
(0-10)
15
Counter-argument
Demonstrates an informed, logical counterargument with
sufficient detail that support the claim
(14-15)
Demonstrates an informed, logical counterargument with some
detail
(12-13)
Demonstrates a counterargument but with gaps in detail
(11)
Does not demonstrate an informed counterargument
(0-10)
15
Research Question
Identifies a coherent research question purposefully supported
with concrete and relevant examples from one’s own interest,
career, and/or knowledge base that inform selection
(9-10)
Identifies a coherent research question purposefully supported
with relevant examples from one’s own interest, career, and/or
knowledge base that inform selection
(8)
Identifies a coherent research question supported with examples
from one’s own interest, career, and/or knowledge base but it is
unclear how examples inform purposeful selection
(7)
Does not identify a coherent research question from one’s own
area of interest, career, and/or knowledge base
(0-6)
10

5. Evidence of Quality Research Process
Uses supporting sources that are credible and highly effective in
supporting thesis argument
(14-15)
Uses supporting sources that are credible and effective in
supporting thesis argument
(12-13)
Uses supporting sources that are credible but they are not
effective in supporting support thesis argument
(11)
Does not use required supporting sources that are credible
(0-10)
15
Integration of Evidence
Purposefully integrates sources within one’s own work at highly
effective points in structure of argument
(14-15)
Purposefully integrates sources within one’s own work at
appropriate points in structure of argument
(12-13)
Purposefully integrates sources within one’s own work but need
be more effectively placed at appropriate points in structure of
argument
(11)
Does not purposefully integrate required number of sources at
appropriate points in structure of argument
(0-10)
15
Argument Structure
Demonstrates thesis statement’s connection to all supporting
points represented by evidence applies effective pattern of
organization throughout

6. (9-10)
Demonstrates thesis statement’s connection to most supporting
points represented by evidence applies effective pattern of
organization throughout
(8)
Demonstrates thesis statement’s connection to most supporting
points represented by evidence but applies ineffective pattern of
organization throughout
(7)
Does not demonstrate thesis statement’s connection to
supporting points
(0-6)
10
Rules of Grammar
Easy to read with highly effective application of relevant rules
of grammar throughout
(9-10)
Easy to read with correct application of relevant rules of
grammar; errors, if any, are minor
(8)
Ease of read is impeded by some incorrect application of
relevant rules of grammar; errors are moderate
(7)
Difficult to read with incorrect application of relevant rules of
grammar; errors are frequent and or/severe
(0-6)
10
Syntax
Applies correct syntax in developing sentence structure highly
effective to essay throughout
(9-10)

7. Applies correct syntax in developing sentence structure within
essay
(8)
Applies correct syntax in developing sentence structure within
essay with few errors
(7)
Does not apply correct syntax in developing sentence structure
(0-6)
10
Earned Total
Comments:
100%
ENG 123 Research Essay Outline Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
You will use an organizational technique to organize your
evidence under each major point. The choice of organizational
tool is your own. However, if you chose to use a visual
organizer it must contain all the required elements and you must
be able to save the file in a format that can be added and easily
displayed within a word document. Your instructor will use the
word document to review your outline and provide you with
feedback. Click on the Research Essay Outline Guidelines and
Rubric document to review the elements that the outline must
contain and upon which you will be graded.
Develop a simple, bulleted outline of the information you plan
to cover in your introduction, one sample body paragraph,

8. including at least two integrated sources; and your conclusion.
As you bullet out the order of information in these paragraphs,
look for continuity between the introduction and conclusion, as
well as how clearly the body paragraph connects to the
introduction and conclusion. Furthermore, be sure to
demonstrate that you understand the body paragraph’s relation
to other body paragraphs as well as the different topics that can
be contained within a body paragraph. Lastly, be sure to
demonstrate that ideas transition not only between paragraphs
but also within them.
Format
The selected format and structure is of your own choosing but
should be added and easily displayed within a word document.
The sources and citations within the outline should adhere to all
APA or MLA standards of formatting using at least two
resources from those qualified in the Annotated Bibliography.
Rubric
Critical Elements
Exemplary
Proficient
Needs Improvement
Not Evident
Value
Organization
Selected organizational structure enhances meaning and
transitions are highly effective
(18-20)
Selected organizational structure is sound and ideas flow
logically
(16-17)
Selected organizational structure is difficult to follow at times,

9. and there is a lapse in the logical flow of ideas
(14-15)
Selected organizational structure is confused and ideas lack
clarity
(0-13)
20
Introduction
Identifies a clear thesis that responds to selected research
question
(18-20)
Identifies possible thesis that that is relevant to the selected
research question
(16-17)
Identifies a possible thesis but it is unclear how it relates to the
selected research question
(14-15)
Does not identify a clear thesis that is relevant to the selected
research question
(0-13)
20
Body Paragraph(s)
Identifies topics with concrete and specific details about each
that relate to thesis
(18-20)
Identifies topics with relevant details about each that relate to
thesis
(16-17)
Identifies topics but lacks relevant details in how each relates to

10. thesis
(14-15)
Does not identify topics
(0-13)
20
Conclusion
Identifies topic that will wrap up paper with details that connect
it to the thesis without restating it
(18-20)
Identifies topic that will wrap up paper with details that
demonstrate relevance to thesis
(16-17)
Identifies topic that will up paper but lacks relevant details in
how it relates to thesis
(14-15)
Does not identify topic that will wrap up paper
(0-13)
20
Source Evidence
Identifies more than two sources connecting them to separate
topics in body paragraph(s)
(9-10)
Identifies at least two sources connecting them separate topics
in body paragraph(s)
(8)
Identifies at least two sources but does not connect them to
separate topics in body paragraph(s)
(7)
Does not identify at least two sources
(0-6)
10
Control of Syntax & Mechanics

11. Adheres to the conventions of grammar, punctuation, spelling,
mechanics, and usage with few errors to impact readability
(9-10)
Adheres to the conventions of grammar, punctuations,
mechanics, and usage with minor errors that do not impact
readability
(8)
Adheres to the conventions of grammar, punctuations,
mechanics, and usage with minor errors that impact readability
(7)
Does not adhere throughout to the conventions of grammar,
punctuations, mechanics, and usage hindering readability
throughout
(0-6)
10
Earned Total:
Comments:
100%