Introduction to Divorce Opposing ViewpointsDivorce, 2009.docx

Introduction to Divorce: Opposing Viewpoints
Divorce, 2009
"Every society requires a critical mass of families that fit the
traditional ideal, both to
meet the needs of most children and to serve as a model for
other adults who are
raising children in difficult settings. We are at risk of losing
that critical mass in
America today." Hillary R. Clinton, It Takes a Village
Divorce is something that affects most Americans directly or
indirectly. According to a 2006 Gallup
poll, 30 percent of adult Americans say they have been divorced
at some point in their lifetimes, up
from 23 percent in 1985. Nearly everyone either has been
divorced or has family members or close
friends who have been divorced. Many married couples who do
not divorce have nonetheless thought
about it. Among those who are married, a 2008 Roper Poll
found that 33 percent have at some point
considered divorce. Women were more likely than men (39
percent vs. 27 percent) to have at least
thought about divorce at some point during their marriage.
Historically, divorce has been both a religious and a civil or
secular issue. Some current issues in
divorce have antecedents in Judeo-Christian beliefs.
Deuteronomy 24:1, customarily attributed to
Moses, states that if a man maries a woman "and it comes to
pass that she find no favor in his eyes,

because he hath found some uncleanness in her; then let him
write her a bill of divorcement ... and
send her out of his house." At the time of Jesus, two schools of
thought concerning the meaning of
Deuteronomy 24:1 existed. One school, led by Rabbi Shammai,
argued that the passage meant
divorce was permitted only for adultery; the other view, led by
Rabbi Hillel, was that a man could
divorce his wife for any reason. Analogizing to modern terms,
one view required fault as grounds for
divorce and the other view permitted the equivalent of a "no-
fault" divorce.
The book of Matthew has several statements attributed to Jesus
concerning divorce. In Matthew
19:4-6, Jesus states that a man and a woman joined in marriage
are "one flesh" and "[t]herefore what
God has joined together, let not man separate." A similar
passage appears in the book of Mark. When
critics challenged Jesus to explain his statement, which appears
to contradict Deuteronomy, Jesus
states in Matthew 19:8, "Moses, because of the hardness of your
hearts, permitted you to divorce
your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." In Mark
10:11 and Luke 16:18, Jesus says that
those who divorce and remarry commit adultery, which also
implies that divorce cannot abolish the
marriage bond.
In Matthew 5:32 and 19:9, however, Jesus appears to approve
divorce on grounds of adultery. So
does Christianity permit divorce or not?
Christianity is divided over divorce. The Catholic Church
decreed that marriage is a spiritual

sacrament that, once created, remains intact in the eyes of God
regardless of the desires or actions
of the parties to the marriage. Since true marriage is considered
spiritually indissoluble, only
annulment of the marriage—a finding that a true marriage never
really existed—is permitted. The
#
#
Eastern Orthodox Church and most Protestant denominations
permit divorce if sufficient grounds for
divorce exist.
For many centuries in England the ecclesiastical courts, rather
than civil courts, regulated dissolution
of marriage. The courts only annulled marriages based upon
grounds that existed at the time of the
marriage. Later people came to regard marriage as a kind of
contract, and civil courts began
regulating the dissolution of marriages. Divorce was still
considered against public policy, but civil
courts expanded the grounds for divorce to include conditions
that occurred after the marriage if it
constituted violation of the marriage vows and if the party
requesting the divorce was innocent of any
wrongdoing. Circumstances that constituted violation of
marriage vows included adultery,
abandonment, and extreme cruelty.
The legal system in the United States was based upon that of
England, the country of origin for most
of the early colonists. Historically, divorce laws in the United
States required grounds for granting a

divorce. To obtain a divorce, the party had to be without fault.
Grounds for divorce varied by state
and, prior to the widespread adoption of no-fault divorce, those
who could afford to do so would go to
Nevada or even outside the United States where they could
obtain divorces more easily. Many
couples who were not victims of abandonment, adultery, or the
like nonetheless wanted to divorce. As
a result, many husbands and wives simply fabricated grounds
for a divorce and lied under oath.
Divorce reform was proposed by a group assembled by the
archbishop of Canterbury based upon the
single ground of "irreconcilable differences" without regard to
fault. California studied the proposal
and adopted the first no-fault divorce law. Today all states
except New York have some version of no-
fault divorce.
The women's movement also played a role in the development
of divorce law, promoting equal
distribution of property and better enforcement of child support
orders. By the late 1970s,
noncustodial fathers began forming groups to fight what they
perceived as unfair treatment from
divorce courts.
In recent years, various groups have advocated reforms to make
divorces more difficult to obtain,
suggesting ideas such as a return to fault-based divorce, longer
waiting periods, mutual consent for a
no-fault divorce, and mandatory counseling and education
before marriage and before divorce. Other
groups have promoted ideas to "improve" divorce by making it
less combative through techniques
such as mediation and collaborative divorce. Do-it-yourself

divorce kits have become popular in the
effort to make divorce less costly.
Americans remain divided over the issue. According to a 2007
Gallup poll, 66 percent of Americans
think divorce is morally acceptable, but 26 percent disagree.
Notwithstanding religious teachings on
the issue of divorce, a 2004 Barna Research poll found that 58
percent of Protestants and 69 percent
of Catholics believed that divorce in which the other party had
not committed adultery was not a sin.
As recently as April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI called divorce a
"serious offense" that violates human
dignity, inflicts deep injustice on human and social relations,
and "offends God himself," yet divorce
rates for Catholics exceed 20 percent. A Barna Research survey
found that born-again Christians had
a higher likelihood of divorce than agnostics and atheists.
#
Given the very real impact divorce has on people's lives, it is
little wonder that so many opposing
viewpoints exist. The authors of the following selections
examine issues of divorce in chapters
focused on four themes: "Is Divorce a Serious Problem?" "Can
Divorce Be Prevented?" "Do Divorce
Laws Work?" and "Can the Negative Effects of Divorce Be
Minimized?" These issues will likely
remain a point of controversy well into the future.
Further Readings
Books
Kirstin Armstrong Happily Ever After: Walking with Peace and

Courage Through a Year of
Divorce, New York: Faith Words, 2007.
Cheri Arterburn The Perfect Divorce, San Diego, CA: B & C
Publishing, 2005.
Nadir Baksh and Laurie Murphy In the Best Interest of the
Child: A Manual for Divorcing Parents,
Prescott, AZ: Hohm Press, 2007.
Dierdre Blair Calling It Quits: Late-Life Divorce and Starting
Over, New York: Random House,
2007.
Michelle Borquez, Connie Wetzel, Rosalind Spinks-Seay, and
Carla Sue Nelson Live, Laugh,
Love Again: A Christian Woman's Survival Guide to Divorce,
New York: Warner Faith, 2006.
Gary D. Chapman Covenant Marriage: Building Communication
& Intimacy, Nashville: Broadman
and Holman Publishers, 2003.
Alison Clarke-Stewart and Cornelia Brentano Divorce: Causes
and Consequences, New Haven,
CT: Yale University Press, 2006.
Emily Doskow Nolo's Essential Guide for Divorce, Berkeley,
CA: Nolo, 2006.
Emily M. Douglas Mending Broken Families: Social Policies
for Divorced Families: How Effective
Are They? Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers,
2006.
Jay Folberg, Ann L. Milne, and Peter Salem, eds. Divorce and

Family Mediation: Models,
Techniques, and Applications, New York: Guilford Press, 2004.
Debbie Ford Spiritual Divorce: Divorce as a Catalyst for an
Extraordinary Life, New York:
HarperCollins, 2006.
Harold Fuess Divorce in Japan: Family, Gender and the State,
Stanford, CA: Stanford University
Press, 2004.
Wendy Jaffe The Divorce Lawyers' Guide to Staying Married,
Los Angeles: Volt Press, 2006.
Mark J. Kittleson The Truth About Divorce, New York: Book
Builders LLC, 2005.
Sam Margulies Man's Guide to a Civilized Divorce: How to
Divorce with Grace, a Little Class, and
a Lot of Common Sense, Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 2004.
Elizabeth Marquardt Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of
Children of Divorce, New York:
Crown, 2005.
Elizabeth Marquardt We're Still Family: What Grown Children
Have to Say About Their Parents'
Divorce, New York: HarperCollins, 2005.
Deborah Moskovitch The Smart Divorce: Proven Strategies and
Valuable Advice from 100 Top
Divorce Lawyers, Financial Advisers, Counselors, and Other
Experts, Chicago: Chicago Review
Press, 2007.

Laurie Perry Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair,
Deerfield Beach, FL: Health
Communications, 2007.
Yossef Rapoport Marriage, Money and Divorce in Medieval
Islamic Society, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Daniel Sitarz Divorce Yourself, Carbondale, IL: Nova
Publishing Company, 2005.
Katherine E. Stoner Divorce Without Court: A Guide to
Mediation and Collaborative Divorce,
Santa Cruz, CA: Nolo Press, 2005.
John Trent Breaking the Cycle of Divorce, Carol Stream, IL:
Tyndale House Publishers, 2006.
Trudi Strain Trueit Surviving Divorce: Teens Talk About What
Hurts and What Helps, New York:
Scholastic, 2007.
Stuart G. Webb and Ronald D. Ousky The Collaborative Way to
Divorce, New York: Hudson
Street Press, 2006.
Violet Woodhouse Divorce and Money: How to Make the Best
Financial Decisions During Divorce,
Santa Cruz, CA: Nolo Press, 2007.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2009 Greenhaven Press, a part of Gale,
Cengage Learning.
Source Citation
"Introduction to Divorce: Opposing Viewpoints." Divorce. Ed.

Mike Wilson. Detroit:
Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context.
Web. 28 Feb. 2015.
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· RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS” REMINDER + LIBRARY
RESEARCH GUIDE!
For Unit V, you must provide your thesis statement, AND in
your formal sentence outline, you should include quotes from
your research to support your work and “back up” your “call to
action” (your thesis).
ALSO, by now you must have at least five (5) published
authoritative research sources that meet the “Research
Requirements.” So . . . make sure your in-text quotes and
citations clearly align with your “References” page, all in
correct APA format. AGAIN, keep in mind your “References”
citation clearly should align with a quote or paraphrase of your

source in the body of your writing in your formal sentence
outline.
FOR YOUR RESEARCH, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE
“CHECKLIST” on pp. 350-351 in your assigned readings in
Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers.
RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS:
(A) you should prefer .edu or .org sites on the Internet (#1) or
(B) .gov or .mil sites (#2) BUT looking carefully at information
provided and
(C) you should AVOID .COM sites (#3).
NOTE: All research should be
(D) no older than 5-7 years old AND
(E) should be published by a recognizable expert/author, so
(F) NO “anonymous” or “author unknown” sources and
(G) NO sources with “no date” (n.d.).
ALSO review the Inverted Pyramid on p. 422 of Strategies to
rate your research!
DR. KNB’S LIBRARY RESEARCH GUIDE:
1. Click on the “My Library” tab in your course in Blackboard
2. Click on "Academic OneFile." (other search engines are also
available)
3. Click on “Subject Guide Search” (or “Basic Search” or
“Advanced Search,” etc.)
4. Type in search words, i.e., "Climate+ Change” or “sex+
education” or “greenhouse+gases.”
5. You may also click on “subject” or “keyword” or “entire
document.”
6. In the "Limit Results" area, click on (A) "Documents with
Full Text" AND (B) Peer-Reviewed.”
7. Limit “Publication Dates” to “after” “1 JAN 2008” to ensure
sources are no older than 5-7 years
8. Finally, hit the "Search" symbol (looks like a magnifying
glass). For instance, I found over 2126 full text articles on
"Climate Change" from Peer-Reviewed (authoritative) articles,
all published after 1 JAN 2006.

QUESTIONS? Click on “My Library” and look under “Research
Support” or “Contact Information” and click on “Ask a CSU
Librarian” or email or call the librarians at the emails or
telephone numbers provided and allow 24-48 hours for a
response.
MORE ADVICE!
Your research essay is only as strong as (A) your
argument/thesis (which MUST be a clear call to action) and (B)
your research to “back up” your argument/thesis.
For your argumentative thesis, you must answer two (2)
questions:
1. Who is your specific target audience (also called your
opposition), and why would the oppose you?
2. What, exactly, do you wish to persuade that audience to think
or do, and why should they listen to you?
NOTE: Again, all of your research should be no older than 5-7
years old AND should be published by an expert/author, so no
“anonymous” or “author unknown” sources allowed, and no
sources with “no date” (n.d.).
· The purpose of the Formal Sentence Outline is to help you
organize, design, and outline your final Research Paper for this
course. Now that you have researched your topic and composed
a review of literature that demonstrates your understanding of
the conversation surrounding your topic, you are ready to begin
fleshing out your paper—one section at a time. In the last three
units of the course, you will write the remaining sections of
your paper (introduction, body, conclusion, and abstract), and
this outline will guide you through that process.
Description:
In this 300-500-word “Formal Sentence Outline,” you will
organize and outline the project that you intend to write about
for your final Research Paper. If your Formal Sentence Outline
is less than the word count, it is likely you have not fully

developed your outline or adhered to the assignment
appropriately, and this lack of development can severely impact
your grade for this assignment. Your outline will include the
elements listed below.
Your Formal Sentence Outline must include a list of references
in APA style and should adhere to APA convention throughout
for in-text citation and style, clearly aligning your in-text
citations with your “References” page.
Elements:
Your grade is largely based on your inclusion of the following
elements, as well as your development of the project. For a
model, you might want to refer back to pp. 465-467 of
Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers. Your outline
must contain the following elements.
1. Cover page and APA formatting:
You should include an APA-style cover page for your Formal
Sentence Outline. See the example on page 20 of your CSU
Citation Guide, 6th edition. Your cover page should include the
following: the title, your name, and the name of the
university. The running head should include up to 50 characters
from the title of the paper, along with a sequential page number
in the upper right-hand corner.
The entire outline should be double-spaced throughout, without
additional spaces between sections.
2. Thesis:
The thesis statement must be provided at the beginning of the
outline, and it should be labeled “Thesis,”followed by a
colon: The thesis statement should be an argumentative
statement that embodies the argument of your paper. Please see
the directions for double-checking the argumentativeness of
your thesis statement in the lecture for Unit V.
When writing your outline, make certain that every topic and
subtopic is written as a complete sentence. Additionally, it is
required to include in-text citations within your outline. For
instance, one of your subtopics may be a direct quote; therefore,
you would place an in-text citation at the closing of the

sentence just as you would do if it were written in essay form.
SEE BELOW EXAMPLE.
I. Hybrid vehicles are far inferior to our country’s available
technology.
A. Electric cars are more energy efficient and do not have
tailpipe pollutants.
1. Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn (2008), states, “I want a pure
electric car. I don't want
a range extender that still uses oil. That is unsustainable” (para.
2).
3. Headings and subheadings:
You must include at least four headings in your outline,
indicated by Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV). Each of these
headings must have at least two subheadings, indicated by
capital letters (A, B, C). The best outlines will break down
these subheadings into topics, indicated with numerals (1, 2, 3).
A framework for an outline might look like the following:
Thesis: Hydrogen cars might be the future‘s best hope for an
environment-friendly family vehicle, but the unstable nature of
the hydrogen that powers them is not worth the risk of personal
injury.
EH 1020, English Composition II 1
Course Description
Advanced introduction to the basic concepts and requirements
of college-level writing. Presents additional skills, methods,

and techniques to improve and polish the student’s completed
written documents.
Prerequisites
EH 1010: English Composition I or equivalent
Course Textbook
Aaron, J. E. (2010). The Little, Brown compact handbook with
exercises (2nd custom ed.). New York, NY: Longman.
Lester, J. D., Lester, J. D., Reinking, J. A., & von der Osten, R.
(2010/2011). Strategies for writing successful
research papers (2nd custom ed.). New York, NY: Pearson
Learning
Solution
s.
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Apply and describe research strategies and methods for
finding information.
2. Apply the steps of the writing process and appropriate
research and citation methods to write a literature
review, annotated bibliography, and research paper.
3. Critique writing samples in terms of style, substance, and
appropriate research and citation methods.
4. Apply APA style guidelines within a literature review,
annotated bibliography, and research paper.
5. Summarize academic sources for use in an annotated
bibliography and literature review.
6. Differentiate between the writing styles and citation methods
across different disciplines.
Credits
Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3)
hours of college credit.

Course Structure
1. Unit Learning Outcomes: Each unit contains Learning
Outcomes that specify the measurable skills
and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the
unit.
2. Unit Lesson: Each unit contains a Unit Lesson, which
discusses unit material.
3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains Reading
Assignments from one or more chapters from
the textbooks. Units II, III, and V also contain Supplemental
Readings.
4. Key Terms: Key Terms are intended to guide students in their
course of study. Students should
pay particular attention to Key Terms as they represent
important concepts within the unit
material and reading.
5. Learning Activities (Non-Graded): These Non-Graded
Learning Activities are provided to aid
students in their course of study.

6. Discussion Boards: Discussion Boards are a part of all CSU
term courses. Information and
specifications regarding these assignments are provided in the
Academic Policies listed in the
Course Menu bar.
EH 1020, English Composition II
Course Syllabus
7. Unit Assessments: This course does NOT have assessments.
8. Assignments: This course has eight assignments, one to be
submitted for each unit. With each
assignment, students will work toward completing the final
draft of the Research Paper (due in Unit
VIII). Specific information and instructions regarding these
assignments are provided below in this
syllabus. Following is a list of each assignment and the unit in
which it is due. Grading rubrics are
included with all assignments. Specific information about

accessing these rubrics is provided below.
a. Unit I Assignment – due in Unit I
b. Research Proposal – due in Unit II
c. Annotated Bibliography – due in Unit III (Students will need
access to Microsoft Word to access
the Annotated Bibliography Template provided in the
assignment instructions.)
d. Research Paper Draft 1 – due in Unit IV
e. Formal Sentence Outline – due in Unit V
f. Research Paper Draft 2 – due in Unit VI
g. Research Paper Draft 3 – due in Unit VII
h. Research Paper Final Draft – due in Unit VIII
9. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you
with an opportunity to ask your
professor general or course content related questions.
10. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for
casual conversation with your classmates.
CSU Online Library

There is a virtual library with resources, including both journals
and ebooks, to support your program and your course at
Columbia Southern University. eResources are accessible 24
hours a day/7 days a week from the CSU Online Library
gateway page. To access the library, log into myCSU, and then
click on CSU Online Library. Resources are organized in
the library by title, but if you click on Research Guides, you
will find eResources arranged by subject.
The Library Reference service is available 7 days a week; you
can reach CSU’s virtual librarians by e-mailing
[email protected] These professional librarians will be glad to
help you develop your research
plan or to assist you in any way in finding relevant, appropriate,
and timely information.
Librarian responses may occur within minutes or hours, but it
will never take more than 24 hours for a librarian to send a
response to the e-mail address you have provided. Replies to
reference requests may include customized keyword
search strategies, links to videos, research guides, screen
captures, attachments, a phone call, live screen sharing,
meeting room appointments, and other forms of instruction.

Unit I Assignment
This assignment has three parts total: Topics Inventory,
Controlling Idea Statement, and Short Proposal. Submit all
three
parts in one document. If you have questions, please email your
professor for assistance. As always, you may also seek
out the guidance of the Success Center; the tutors are always
there to assist you with your writing and comprehension. You
may submit writing assignments to the Success Center by using
a “Writing Center Request form” located on the myCSU
Student Portal. To submit a “Writing Center Request form,” log
into the myCSU Student Portal, click on “Success Center,”
and then click on “Tutoring.” If you have questions concerning
APA or your writing assignment, you can contact the
Success Center at [email protected] or by phone at ext. 6538.
The following webinar created by the Success Center may be
beneficial to your success in this course. It provides a
general overview for the course. Click here to view the webinar.
In addition, the following sample paper here may be helpful for
you to have an idea of what is expected for your final product:

Sample Student Paper.
Part I: Topics Inventory
For the Topics Inventory, you will construct a list of topics
from which you may choose one to develop into a Research
Paper for this course. This exercise is based on the models on p.
318 of Strategies for Writing Successful Research
Papers, so you will want to refer back to this page for examples.
(NOTE: The book does not always provide three possible
topics per category, but you will be required to do so. Please
see the Unit I Example.
mailto:[email protected]
http://columbiasouthern.adobeconnect.com/csueh1020/
http://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/courses/Gener
al_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/UnitVIII_ExampleWithBubbles.pdf
http://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/Courses/Gene
ral_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/Sample_APA_Paper.pdf

Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to help you formulate an
inventory of topics that you are interested in so that you may
choose one to research in Unit II and develop into a Research
Proposal. Be sure to choose a topic that you are invested in,
as you are more likely to be motivated and excited about a
subject that interests you. You will want to choose a topic that
is
academically viable, for as Lester et al (2011) state, “You can’t
write a personal essay and call it a research paper, yet you
can choose topics close to your life” (p. 318).
Description:
You will supply three (3) possible topics in each of the
following four (4) categories:
1. Academic subject
2. Social issue
3. Scientific subject
4. Cultural background

Within each of these four (4) categories, you will supply three
(3) possible academic topics. Use the following format to
organize your topics inventory:
1. Personal interest
2. The category (repeated from above: academic study, social
issue, scientific subject, and cultural background)
3. Three possible academic topics (each should be distinctive,
developed, and as specific as possible)
After you complete Part I, you will have twelve (12) possible
topics that you could choose from and develop into a research
project. You will choose one of these and work with the same
one for Part II and Part III.
Example: Academic study
1. Personal interest: Cars
2. Academic subject: Eco-engineering
3. Possible academic topic:

• “The Fate of Hybrid Vehicles: The Cost Is Not Worth the
Environmental Toll”
• “Hydrogen Cars: Are They a Safe Alternative?”
• “Electric Cars Are Not ‘Saving’ Environmental Resources,
Only Saving
• Money at the Gas Pump” The Topics Inventory is worth 40
points of this assignment.
Part II: Controlling Idea Statement
Understanding your controlling idea will aid you in your
research endeavor in Unit II as you launch into researching
materials to help you better develop your research paper.
Purpose:
The purpose of this exercise is to help you bridge between your
Topics Inventory and your Short Proposal by helping you
to formulate a controlling idea statement.
Description:
You will formulate a controlling idea statement through one of

the following: a thesis, an enthymeme, or a hypothesis. For
this assignment, you are required to only produce one
Controlling Idea Statement. It should be a statement, not a
question.
Further, your final Research Paper will be an argumentative,
research-based, academic-style Research Paper; therefore,
your Controlling Idea Statement must propose an argument. In
other words, your Controlling Idea Statement must be a
contestable statement that invites argumentation—something
that you must prove or support with research.
Process:
Refer back to your Topics Inventory and Chapter 14, Section
14f, of Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers,
“Developing a Thesis Statement, Enthymeme, or Hypothesis”
(pp. 328-331). The Success Center has created a webinar
that will assist you when you are constructing your
argumentative thesis statement. Click here to view this webinar.
http://connect16994608.adobeconnect.com/p1bjcacs011

Follow these steps, and draft a Controlling Idea Statement:
1. Choose one topic from the list of twelve possible topics that
you created when you wrote your Topics Inventory.
Consider these questions when choosing your topic: Which of
these topics is most appealing to you? Which one
seems as though it has the most possibility for ease of
researching and for developing a research paper?
2. Choose one type of Controlling Idea Statement you would
like to write:
• a thesis statement “advances a conclusion the writer will
defend”;
• an enthymeme “uses a because clause to make a claim the
writer will defend”;
• a hypothesis “is a theory that must be tested…to prove its
validity” (Lester & Lester, 2010, p. 328).
3. Draft your statement; use the examples in Section 14f as
examples to assist you.
4. Save a copy of this statement for yourself, and submit your
Controlling Idea Statement with the Unit I Assignment.

The Controlling Idea Statement is worth 10 points of this
assignment.
Part III: Short Proposal
For the Short Proposal, you will write a research proposal
developed from the Topic Inventory you constructed and the
Controlling Idea Assignment (a thesis, an enthymeme, or
hypothesis).
Your Short Proposal must be between 150-200 words and
written in one cohesive paragraph. All source material used in
the Short Proposal must be cited correctly according to APA
convention and style. If material is quoted, then quotation
marks must be used, along with a parenthetical citation. If
material is paraphrased, then a parenthetical citation giving
attribution to the author must be used. A list of references must
be included as well. Textbooks should not be included on a
references list.
Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to help you prepare for the
next stages of the Research Paper writing process that you

will participate in for Unit II, which will give you the
foundations of research methods. In Unit II, you will be writing
a full-
fledged Research Proposal as well, so you will want to seriously
consider what you write for this Short Proposal as a
precursor to that assignment.
Description:
This assignment is based on the models in Chapter 14, Section
14f, of Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers
(p. 331), so you will want to refer back to this page for an
example. Your Short Proposal should include the following five
elements:
1. The specific topic.
2. The purpose of the paper: Your paper must be an
argumentative paper, so you will want to cast your purpose
statement towards this argumentative end.
3. The intended audience: If you are unsure about whom your
audience might be, consult Chapter 1, Section 1d, of
The Little, Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises (p. 7-8).

4. Your voice as a writer (informer, advocate, concerned
citizen, etc.).
5. The preliminary thesis statement or opening hypothesis.
The Short Proposal is worth 50 points of this assignment.
Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for
this assignment is provided below.
Unit II Research Proposal
Follow the directions below for the completion of the Research
Proposal assignment for Unit II. If you have questions,
please email your professor for assistance. As always, you may
also seek out the guidance of the Success Center; the
tutors are always there to assist you with your writing and
comprehension. You may submit writing assignments to the
Success Center by using a “Writing Center Request form”
located on the myCSU Student Portal. To submit a “Writing
Center Request form,” log into the myCSU Student Portal, click
on “Success Center,” and then click on “Tutoring.” If you
have questions concerning APA or your writing assignment, you

can contact the Success Center at
[email protected] or by phone at ext. 6538.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Research Proposal is to mold the preliminary
ideas you have about your topic and to develop them in
an academic manner. This development occurs as a direct result
of your research on the subject. Therefore, this is your
first formal articulation of your project. The Research Proposal
is the next step towards writing assignments that will help
you construct your Research Paper.
Description:
In this 500-600-word, essay-style Research Proposal, you will
develop the project that you intend to write about for your
final Research Paper for this course. If your Research Proposal
is less than this word count, then it is likely you have not

fully developed your proposal or adhered to the assignment
appropriately, which can severely impact your grade for this
assignment. Your Research Proposal will include the elements
listed below.
Your Research Proposal should also include a list of references
in APA style and should adhere to APA convention
throughout for in-text citation and style. When you write for
academic or public audiences, it is imperative that you are
supported by voices other than your own. In other words, even
if you are an expert, you still must support your assertions.
In a Research Proposal, the same is true. For this assignment,
you will include at least one source in your description of
your tentative argument. The source cannot be yourself, an
interview, or your text book. You must research your topic in
order to gain a valid academic source that speaks to your topic
in some way.
Elements:
Your Research Proposal grade will be largely based on your
inclusion of the elements listed below, as well as your
development of the project. For assistance, you might want to
refer to Chapter 1, Section 1a, of The Little, Brown Compact

Handbook with Exercises (pp. 3-4). Your Research Proposal
must contain the following elements:
You will include an APA-style cover page for your Research
Proposal. See the example on page 16 of The CSU
APA Guide (6th edition). Your cover page should include the
following: the title of your future Research Paper (this
may be changed as your project develops), your name, and the
name of your university (Columbia Southern
University). The cover page must also include a running head
which should include up to 50 characters from the
title of the paper, along with a sequential page number in the
upper right-hand corner. You can find instructions for
formatting the running head on pp. 9-11 of The CSU APA
Guide.
2. Purpose:
Review the purpose statement on p. 333 of Strategies for
Writing Successful Research Papers. You may also want

to refer to Chapter 1, Section 1c of The Little, Brown Compact
Handbook with Exercises (pp. 6-7). The following
questions should be addressed in the first paragraph of your
Research Proposal, which should be dedicated to
establishing your purpose for doing this particular project.
• What is your rationale for this project?
• What do you hope to learn from the project, or what to do you
want to see happen as a result of it?
• Who is your audience for this project? Chapter 1, Section 1d,
of The Little, Brown Compact
Handbook with Exercises (pp. 7-8)
• What role will you play in this project: investigator or
advocate?
3. Statement of qualification:
Address the following questions as they are applicable to your
project.

• What is your investment in the topic?
• What personal experience do you bring to the topic?
• What special qualities do you bring to the project?
• How might your investment, experience, and special qualities
make you particularly apt at developing this
project?
4. Tentative argument:
Your final Research Paper for this course will be an
argumentative, research-based, academic paper. While it is
unlikely that you will have a concrete idea of what your entire
argument will be at this point in the writing process, it
is necessary for you to articulate your argument as you
understand it to be right now. Address the following
questions.
• What is the context surrounding your topic? In other words, is

there some event that was a catalyst
for bringing your topic into the public eye? (Optional)
• What is your explanation or definition of the topic?
• What is your analysis of the specific issue surrounding your
topic?
• What is your tentative thesis statement or hypothesis?
5. References:
Include a references list as the last page of your Research
Proposal. See the example on pages 6, 7, and 21 of
The CSU APA Guide (6th edition). All entries are those that
have been cited in the text. No others are to be
included. No textbooks should be included on the references
list.
This long proposal example pulls together everything you have
learned in this unit, following the elements listed above.
Click here to access the long proposal example.

Unit III Annotated Bibliography
Follow the directions below for the completion of the Annotated
Bibliography assignment for Unit III. If you have
questions, please email your professor for assistance. As
always, you may also seek out the guidance of the Success
Center; the tutors are always there to assist you with your
writing and comprehension. You may submit writing
assignments to the Success Center by using a “Writing Center
Request form” located on the myCSU Student Portal. To
submit a “Writing Center Request form,” log into the myCSU
Student Portal, click on “Success Center,” and then click on
“Tutoring.” If you have questions concerning APA or your
writing assignment, you can contact the Success Center at
Purpose:
The purpose of the Annotated Bibliography is to summarize the
sources that you have gathered to support your Research
Proposal project. These summaries help you to think about the

complex arguments presented in your sources and the
massive information therein in terms of short, digestible
articulations. In addition, these summaries will likely form the
basis
for Draft 1 of your Research Paper (the review of literature) that
you will complete in Unit IV, which is largely comprised of
summaries that are transitioned together and that form a
conversation about the issue.
Description:
In this assignment, you will create an Annotated Bibliography
consisting of five sources. Each entry will consist of a
reference list citation that precedes a 100-150 word summary of
the source. If each of the five entries is less than the word
count, it is likely you have not fully developed your summary,
and this lack of development can severely impact your grade
for this assignment. Your Annotated Bibliography will include
the elements listed below.
Elements:
Your Annotated Bibliography must contain specific elements.
Your grade is largely based on your inclusion of these
elements, as well as your ability to summarize your sources. For

assistance, you may want to refer to the example in
Chapter 20, Section 20f, of Strategies for Writing Successful
Research Papers (pp. 436-438). The elements include the
following.
al_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/UnitII_ExamplePaper.pdf
You will include an APA-style cover page for your Annotated
Bibliography. See the example in The CSU APA
Guide (6th edition) on page 16. Your cover page should include
the following: the title, your name, and the name
of your university (Columbia Southern University). Your title
will appear in the running head which should include
up to 50 characters from the title of the paper, along with a
sequential page number in the upper right-hand corner.

The following conventions should be followed as well. See the
Annotated Bibliography example (linked below) for
guidance:
• The entries should be ordered in alphabetical order according
to the first substantive word in the reference list citation.
• The entire Annotated Bibliography should be double-spaced,
with no additional spaces between entries.
• No reference list should be included with the Annotated
Bibliography, as the entries themselves will contain the
reference list citation information.
• The first line of each reference list citation should be flush
left with the left-hand margin (no indentation), and the
second and proceeding lines should be indented ½” from the
left-hand margin (hanging indent of one-half inch).
• The summary paragraph begins on the line following the end
of the reference. It lines up with the indented portion of
the reference, with the exception that the first line is indented
an additional one-half inch. (Look at the example to
see how this formats.)

2. Entries:
Each of the five entries should begin with a reference list
citation in APA format and be followed by a 100-150 word
summary of the source’s information. An Annotated
Bibliography summary should include the most important
information from the text. Sometimes, this means that you will
broadly summarize larger portions of text (as in main
ideas of a whole essay); other times, this means that you will
focus on summarizing one paragraph out of an entire
source. Whenever you quote information, use APA in-text
citations.
Annotated Bibliography Example:
The purpose of the Annotated Bibliography example is to help
you with the formatting of the Annotated Bibliography, which
can be confusing. Use the document formatting as a guide. If
assistance is required with the APA formatting, see page 13
of The CSU APA Guide (6th edition), and follow the
instructions for formatting hanging indents. If further assistance
is needed,

contact the Success Center or your professor. Click here to
access the Annotated Bibliography example.
Unit IV Research Paper Draft 1
Follow the directions below for the completion of your
Research Paper Draft 1 (the review of literature) for Unit IV. If
you
have questions, please email your professor for assistance. As
always, you may also seek out the guidance of the Success
Center; the tutors are always there to assist you with your
writing and comprehension. You may submit writing
assignments
to the Success Center by using a “Writing Center Request form”
located on the myCSU Student Portal. To submit a
“Writing Center Request form,” log into the myCSU Student
Portal, click on “Success Center,” and then click on “Tutoring.”
If you have questions concerning APA or your writing
assignment, you can contact the Success Center at

Purpose:
The purpose of Draft 1 is to build upon the Annotated
Bibliography and to move forward in drafting your final
Research
Paper.
Description:
In this assignment, you will build upon the summaries that you
did for the Annotated Bibliography for Unit III. Unlike the
Annotated Bibliography, however, the Draft 1 of your Research
Paper is more than just a summary of sources. Instead, it is
a conversation between sources wherein the student author
places his or her sources into a conversation about topics
surrounding the issue. You will need to review at least five
academic sources for this assignment. You are not restricted to
the sources used in the Annotated Bibliography, but that would
be a good place to start. The length of the draft should be
between 3-5 pages, not including the cover page or references
page.

al_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/UnitIII_AnnotatedBibliographyTem
plate.pdf
Elements:
Your Draft 1 grade is largely based on your inclusion of several
elements and the overall quality of your writing. For
assistance, you might want to refer to the examples in Chapter
20, Section 20g, of Strategies for Writing Successful
Research Papers (pp. 438-444). Your Draft 1 must contain the
following elements.
NOTE: the following resources will provide you with guidance
and examples that will help you as you write your review of
literature (underlined words link to .pdf documents):
• Click here to access a review of the literature example.
• Click here for a webinar on paraphrasing and summarizing.

You should include an APA-style cover page for your Draft 1.
See the example on page 16 of The CSU APA Guide
(6th edition). Your cover page should include the following: the
title of your paper, your name, and the name of your
university (Columbia Southern University). The running head
should include up to 50 characters from the title of the
paper, along with a sequential page number in the upper right-
hand corner.
2. Review of literature:
Below are techniques for writing a review of literature.
• Consider the topics that your sources cover. Then make a list
of those topics. Cluster the topics together, and decide
which sources speak to the same concerns.
• Decide which sources speak to the same issues, and decide
which material from those sources that you will include.
• When sources discuss the same topic but do not agree, you

should still include them in the same paragraph if you
would like. There is nothing that says that two sources that
disagree cannot be presented in the same paragraph.
• Remember to transition between ideas, sources, and
paragraphs. Check out the list of transitional expressions on pp.
44-45 of The Little, Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises.
• Remember to include concise summaries of the material.
Avoid the following in a review of literature.
• Do not comment on the sources. Your job here is to present
the material only, not to give your take on what is has to
say.
• Do not include your argument. You do not want to argue in the
review of literature because you are reviewing the
literature, not asserting your argument. You will be able to
argue for your position later in the paper.
• Do not just insert the summary paragraphs from your
Annotated Bibliography. The review of literature is far more

than
just a list of paragraphs summarizing sources.
• Do not forget to cite your sources in text and to include a
references page.
NOTE: “Integrating Literary Resources,” a webinar created by
the Success Center, may help you with your review
of literature. Click here to view the webinar.
3. References:
Include a references list as the last page of the paper. See the
example on pages 6, 7, and 21 of The CSU APA
Guide (6th edition). All entries are those that have been cited in
the text. No others are to be included. No
textbooks should be included on the references list.

Unit V Assignment
Formal Sentence Outline
Follow the directions below for the completion of the Formal
Sentence Outline assignment for Unit V. If you have questions,
al_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/UnitIV_ExamplePaper.pdf
http://columbiasouthern.adobeconnect.com/paraphrasing2014/
http://columbiasouthern.adobeconnect.com/integratingliteraryso
urces/

Purpose:
The purpose of the Formal Sentence Outline is to help you
organize, design, and outline your final Research Paper for this
course. Now that you have researched your topic and composed
a review of literature that demonstrates your
understanding of the conversation surrounding your topic, you
are ready to begin fleshing out your paper—one section at a
time. In the last three units of the course, you will write the
remaining sections of your paper (introduction, body,
conclusion, and abstract), and this outline will guide you
through that process.
Description:
In this 300-500-word, Formal Sentence Online, you will
organize and outline the project that you intend to write about
for
your final Research Paper. If your Formal Sentence Outline is
less than the word count, it is likely you have not fully

developed your outline or adhered to the assignment
appropriately, and this lack of development can severely impact
your
grade for this assignment. Your outline will include the
Your Formal Sentence Outline should also include a list of
references in APA style and should adhere to APA convention
throughout for in-text citation and style.
Elements:
Your grade is largely based on your inclusion of the following
elements, as well as your development of the project. For a
model, you might want to refer back to pp. 465-467 of
Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers. Your outline
must contain the following elements.
You should include an APA-style cover page for your Formal
Sentence Outline. See the example on page 16 of
The CSU APA Guide (6th edition). Your cover page should
include the following: the title, your name, and the

name of your university (Columbia Southern University). The
running head should include up to 50 characters from
the title of the paper, along with a sequential page number in
the upper right-hand corner.
The entire outline should be double-spaced throughout, without
additional spaces between sections.
2. Thesis:
The thesis statement should be provided at the beginning of the
outline, and it should be labeled “Thesis,” followed
by a colon. The thesis statement should be an argumentative
statement that embodies the argument of your paper.
Please see the directions for double-checking the
argumentativeness of your thesis statement in the lecture for
Unit V.
When writing your outline, make certain that every topic and
subtopic is written as a complete
sentence. Additionally, it is required to include in-text citations

within your outline. For instance, one of your
subtopics may be a direct quote; therefore, you would place an
in-text citation at the closing of the sentence just
as you would do if it were written in essay form. For example:
I. Hybrid vehicles are far inferior to our country’s available
technology.
A. Electric cars are more energy efficient and do not have
tailpipe pollutants.
1. Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn (2008), states, “I want a pure
electric car. I don't want
a range extender that still uses oil. That is unsustainable” (para.
2).
Furthermore, any in-text citation will also have a correlating
reference entry listed on the reference page. For the
purpose of this outline, you will only reference the sources,
which have in-text citations to match (in the
outline). In later drafts, you will include every source that you
used in your essay on your reference
page. However, the outline only requires that you reference

sources that were used solely in the outline.
3. Headings and subheadings:
You must include at least four headings in your outline,
indicated by Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV). Each of these
headings must have at least two subheadings, indicated by
capital letters (A, B, C). The best outlines will break
down these subheadings into topics, indicated with numerals (1,
2, 3). A framework for an outline might look like
the following.
Thesis: Hydrogen cars might be the future’s best hope for an
environment-friendly family vehicle, but the
unstable nature of the hydrogen that powers them is not worth
the risk of personal injury.

I. There have been a number of alternative cars designed in the
last decade, but none that are as
efficient as the hydrogen models. (Heading)
A. Efficiency for alternative car models means production costs
do not exceed the financial strain
of consumers. (Subheading)
1. Hybrid cars are not as efficient as electric cars. (Topic)
2. Electric cars place undue energy demands on society. (Topic)
B. Subheading 1.2
1. Topic
2. Topic
II. Heading II
A. Subheading 2.1
1. Topic
2. Topic

B. Subheading 2.2
1. Topic
2. Topic
C. Subheading 2.3
1. Topic
2. Topic
III. Heading III
A. Subheading 3.1
1. Topic
2. Topic
3. Topic
B. Subheading 3.2
1. Topic
2. Topic
IV. Heading IV
A. Subheading 4.1

1. Topic
2. Topic
B. Subheading 4.2
1. Topic
2. Topic
3. Topic
4. References:
Guide (6th edition). Be sure that all in-text citations have a
corresponding reference citation.

Unit VI Research Paper Draft 2
Research Paper Draft 2 (introduction and review of literature)
for Unit
VI. If you have questions, please email your professor for
assistance. As always, you may also seek out the guidance of
the Success Center; the tutors are always there to assist you
with your writing and comprehension. You may submit writing
assignments to the Success Center by using a “Writing Center
Request form” located on the myCSU Student Portal. To
submit a “Writing Center Request form,” log into the myCSU
Student Portal, click on “Success Center,” and then click on
“Tutoring.” If you have questions concerning APA or your
writing assignment, you can contact the Success Center at
Purpose:
The purpose of the second draft is to build upon the first draft
that you have already written and to move your drafting
process forward so that you can add a body, conclusion, and

abstract to the paper, making it a cohesive and whole
academic paper.
Description:
In this assignment, you will take Draft 1 (review of literature),
written in Unit IV, and write an introduction to your final
Research Paper that sets the context for your project,
establishes your argument, asserts your thesis, and allows for an
easy transition from your review of literature. Your introduction
alone should be between 250-350 words. If the introduction
alone is less than this word count, it is likely you have not fully
developed your introduction, and this lack of development
can severely impact your grade for this assignment. Your Draft
2 should include the elements listed below.
Elements:
The grade of your second draft is largely based on your
inclusion of these elements and the overall quality of your
writing.
For assistance, you may want to refer to the examples in
Chapter 23, Section 23a, of Strategies for Writing Successful
Research Papers (pp. 507-509). Your Draft 2 must contain the
following elements.

You should include an APA-style cover page for your Research
Paper Draft 2. See the example on page 16 of The
CSU APA Guide (6th edition). Your cover page should include
the following: the title of your paper, your name, and
the name of your university (Columbia Southern University).
The running head should include up to 50 characters
from the title of the paper, along with a sequential page number
in the upper right-hand corner.
2. Introduction:
Draft and revise an introduction between 250-350 words to
come before your revised review of literature. There are
some pitfalls to writing an introductory paragraph, and you can
avoid some of them by reading through the
Checklist: “Avoid Certain Mistakes in the Introduction” on p.
495 of Strategies for Writing Successful Research
Papers.

Using the comments that you received on your Draft 1, revise
your review of literature, and include it with Draft 2.
4. References:
Guide (6th edition). All entries are those that have been cited in
the text. No others are to be included. No
textbooks should be included on the references list.
Unit VII Research Paper Draft 3

Research Paper Draft 3 (introduction, review of literature, and
body)
for Unit VII. If you have questions, please email your professor
for assistance. As always, you may also seek out the
guidance of the Success Center; the tutors are always there to
assist you with your writing and comprehension. You may
submit writing assignments to the Success Center by using a
“Writing Center Request form” located on the myCSU
Student Portal. To submit a “Writing Center Request form,” log
into the myCSU Student Portal, click on “Success Center,”
and then click on “Tutoring.” If you have questions concerning
APA or your writing assignment, you can contact the
Success Center at [email protected] or by phone at ext. 6538.
Purpose:
The purpose of Draft 3 is to build upon Draft 2 and to move
your drafting process forward so that you can add a body,
conclusion, and abstract to your paper, making it a cohesive,

whole academic paper.
Description:
In this assignment, you will take Draft 2 (introduction and
review of literature), written in Unit VI, and add the body of
your
paper. Your body paragraphs should contain the six elements
indicated below and be developed in an appropriate manner.
If the body does not contain these elements, it is likely you
have not fully developed the body, and this lack of development
can severely impact your grade for this assignment. You will
need to write at least four body paragraphs while incorporating
five academic sources for this assignment. The paragraphs
should be thorough and cover all the listed elements. Your
Draft 3 (introduction, review of literature, and body) should
include the elements listed below. With the addition of your
Body, you should have a paper that is approximately 7-10 pages
long, without the addition of a conclusion or abstract and
without counting your cover page or references page.
Elements:
Your grade for Draft 3 is largely based on your inclusion of
various elements and the overall quality of your writing. Your

Draft 3 must contain the following elements.
You should include an APA-style cover page for your Draft 3.
See the example on page 16 of The CSU APA Guide
(6th edition). Your cover page should include the following: the
title of your paper, your name, and the name of your
university (Columbia Southern University). The running head
should include up to 50 characters from the title of the
paper, along with a sequential page number in the upper right-
hand corner.
2. Introduction:
your introduction. There are some pitfalls to writing
an introductory paragraph, and you can avoid some of them by
reading through the Checklist: “Avoid Certain
Mistakes in the Introduction” on p. 495 of Strategies for
Writing Successful Research Papers.

your review of literature, and include it with this
newest draft.
4. Body paragraphs:
Each paragraph of the body of your Research Paper should be a
cohesive unit. It should be tight, but developed. It
should serve a function, and its purpose should always be to
bolster the thesis. Therefore, you should use the
following order for each paragraph in the body.
a. Topic sentence: This sentence summarizes the entire
paragraph in one strong, well-written sentence, and it
directly supports the thesis statement.
b. Explanation of topic sentence (1-2 sentences): Often times
there is more to be said about the topic sentence,
more explanation that is necessary in order for it to be a clear
idea, so there are usually a few sentences that follow

the topic sentence that explicate the idea more for the reader.
These sentences not only “unpack” the topic
sentence, but they also anticipate the evidence that will be used
to support the topic sentence, usually indirectly.
c. Introduction to evidence (1-2 sentences): No piece of
evidence (quotation, example, paraphrase, etc.) should
be dropped into a paragraph without first introducing it. An
introduction might include the title of the source, the
author, and/or a short description of the source/author’s
credentials. In this way, no evidence is presented without a
context because it is this context that makes the evidence
meaningful.
d. Evidence: The evidence that you present backs up your topic
sentence and, by extension, supports your thesis
statement. The evidence that you supply can be a number of
things: a quotation from a source; a reasonable,
illustrative example; a statistic; commentary from an interview;
etc.

e. Explanation of evidence: No piece of evidence stands on its
own or is convincing on its own. Although it may
seem to draw a direct line to your topic sentence to support it,
often the reader needs you to make the connection
between the two. Further, the general rule is that for each
sentence of quoted material, your explanation should be
just as long, so if you include a block quotation, the block
quotation should be met with an equally long explanation.
f. Transition (1-2 sentences): Transitions are essential for
research papers because body paragraphs, especially,
are written as units, and it is the transitions that allow for these
units to be linked together. Take a look at the list of
transitional expressions on pp. 44-45 in The Little, Brown
Compact Handbook with Exercises.
5. References:
Include a references list as the last page of your Research
Proposal. See the example on pages 6, 7, and 21 of
The CSU APA Guide (6th edition).

Unit VIII Final Research Paper Draft
Research Paper Final Draft for Unit VIII. If you have questions,
Purpose:
The purpose of this final draft is to finish the paper you have

been working on throughout the course by adding a
conclusion and an abstract.
Description:
In this assignment, you will assemble the final draft of your
Research Paper you have been working on throughout the
course. Your Research Paper Final Draft should include the
Elements:
The grade of your Research Paper Final Draft is largely based
on your inclusion of these elements and the overall quality
of your writing. Your paper must contain the following
elements.
You should include an APA-style cover page for your Research
Paper. See the example on page 16 of The CSU
APA Guide (6th edition). Your cover page should include the
following: the title of your paper, your name, and the
name of your university (Columbia Southern University). The

running head should include up to 50 characters from
the title of the paper, along with a sequential page number in
the upper right-hand corner.
2. Abstract:
The abstract is a 150-250 word summary of your Research
Paper, and it should be written only after you have
finished writing the entire paper because how your abstract is
worded largely depends on the development of your
paper. Your abstract should be accurate, self-contained, concise
and specific, non-evaluative, coherent, and
readable. Your abstract may be modeled after the theoretical
paper model or empirical study model. For
information or an example of an abstract, see p. 12 of The CSU
APA Guide (6th edition) and p. 511 of Strategies for
Writing Successful Research Papers. Note that the abstract
presented references MLA, but yours should be in
APA style. The abstract should be the second page in the paper,
after the cover page, and the abstract should be
on its own page. The text of the paper itself should begin on
page 3. Your abstract must meet the following
standards:

• Be 150-250 words
• Be located on the second page of your final draft
• Have a heading of Abstract that is centered at the top of the
page.
3. Introduction:
There are some pitfalls to writing an introductory paragraph,
and you can avoid some of them by reading through
the Checklist: “Avoid Certain Mistakes in the Introduction” on
p. 495 of Strategies for Writing Successful Research
Papers.
The review of literature should be a smooth transition from the

introduction of your paper and should present a
controlled summary of the conversation surrounding your topic.
5. Body paragraphs:
Each paragraph of the body of your Research Paper should be a
cohesive unit. It should be tight, but developed. It
should serve a function, and its purpose should always be to
bolster the thesis. Therefore, you should use the
following order for each paragraph in the body.
a. Topic sentence: This sentence summarizes the entire
paragraph in one strong, well-written sentence, and it
directly supports the thesis statement.
b. Explanation of topic sentence (1-2 sentences): Often times
there is more to be said about the topic sentence,
more explanation that is necessary in order for it to be a clear
idea, so there are usually a few sentences that follow
the topic sentence that explicate the idea more for the reader.
These sentences not only “unpack” the topic
sentence, but they also anticipate the evidence that will be used

to support the topic sentence, usually indirectly.
c. Introduction to evidence (1-2 sentences): No piece of
evidence (quotation, example, paraphrase, etc.) should be
dropped into a paragraph without first introducing it. An
introduction might include the title of the source, the author,
and/or a short description of the source/author’s credentials. In
this way, no evidence is presented without a
context because it is this context that makes the evidence
meaningful.
d. Evidence: The evidence that you present backs up your topic
sentence, and by extension, supports your thesis
statement. The evidence that you supply can be a number of
things: a quotation from a source; a reasonable,
illustrative example; a statistic; commentary from an interview;
etc.
e. Explanation of evidence: No piece of evidence stands on its
own or is convincing on its own. Although it may
seem to draw a direct line to your topic sentence to support it,
often the reader needs you to make the connection
between the two. Further, the general rule is that for each
sentence of quoted material, your explanation should be
just as long, so if you include a block quotation, the block

quotation should be met with an equally long explanation.
f. Transition (1-2 sentences): Transitions are essential for
research papers because body paragraphs, especially,
are written as units, and it is the transitions that allow for these
units to be linked together. Take a look at the list of
transitional expressions on pp. 44-45 in The Little, Brown
Compact Handbook with Exercises.
6. Conclusion:
Your conclusion should pull together your entire paper. Do not
consider the conclusion a summary of your paper;
your abstract is the summary of your paper. Instead, your
conclusion is your opportunity to suggest what might be
done with your findings. A good conclusion will restate the
thesis, place a judgment on the issue discussed,
discuss the implications of your findings, issue a directive or
call to action to the reader, and close out the paper
with a strong final thought. However, depending upon your
topic and your treatment of that topic, the conclusion
may take different forms. Your conclusion for this paper must
be at least 150 words. If the conclusion is less than

the word count, it is likely you have not fully developed your
conclusion, and this lack of development can severely
impact your grade for this assignment. For an example and
explicit instructions on how to write a conclusion, see
pp. 501-506 of Strategies for Writing Successful Research
Papers.
If you wish to take another look at the completed example paper
that you saw in Unit I, click here.
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/courses/Gene
ral_Studies/EH/EH1020/12E/UnitVIII_ExampleWithBubbles.pd
f
APA Guidelines

CSU requires that students use the APA style for papers and
projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting,
paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed.
Students can find CSU’s Citation Guide in the myCSU
Student Portal by clicking on the “Citation Resources” link in
the “Learning Resources” area of the myCSU Student Portal.
This document includes examples and sample papers and
provides information on how to contact the CSU Success
Center.
Blackboard Grading Rubrics
Assignment Rubrics
One or more assignments in this course utilizes a Blackboard
Grading Rubric. A rubric is a tool that lists evaluation criteria
and can help you organize your efforts to meet the requirements
of an assignment. Your professor will use the Blackboard
Grading Rubric to assign points and provide feedback for the
assignment.
You are encouraged to view the assignment rubric before
submitting your work. This will allow you to review the

evaluation criteria as you prepare your assignments. You may
access the rubric in “My Grades” through the “Tools” button
in your course menu. Click the “View Rubric” link to see the
evaluation criteria for the assignment. Upon receiving your
assignment grade, you may view your grade breakdown and
feedback in the rubric.
CSU Grading Rubrics for Papers/Projects, Discussion Boards,
and Assessments
The Learning Resource area of the myCSU Student Portal
provides the rubrics, and information on how to use them, for
Discussion Boards, written response questions in Unit
Assessments, and Research Papers/Projects.
The course writing assignments will be graded based on the
CSU Grading Rubric for all types of writing assignments,
unless otherwise specified within assignment instructions. In
addition, all papers will be submitted for electronic evaluation
to rule out plagiarism. Course projects will contain project
specific grading criteria defined in the project directions.
To view the rubrics, click the Academic Policies link on the

Course Menu, or access it through the CSU Grading Rubric
link found in the Learning Resources area of the myCSU
Student Portal.
Communication Forums
These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to
communicate with your professor and other students.
Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not
required. You can access these forums with the buttons in
the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to
these forums are provided below.
Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and
post to the Communication Forums.
Ask the Professor
This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to
ask your professor general or course content questions.
Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course
components, textbook or course content elaboration,
additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general

advice from other students.
Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding
assessment/assignment grades or personal
accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If
you have questions, comments, or concerns of a non-
public nature, please feel free to email your professor.
Responses to your post will be addressed or emailed by the
professor within 48 hours.
Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant
course documentation, including the syllabus,
assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other
important information.
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/common_file
s/instructions/DB/Create_New_Thread_Subscribe.pdf
Student Break Room
This communication forum allows for casual conversation with

your classmates. Communication on this forum should
always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for
your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to
share assessment answers.
Grading
Discussion Boards (8 @ 2%) = 16%
Unit I Assignment = 7%
Unit II Research Proposal = 9%
Unit III Annotated Bibliography = 9%
Unit IV Research Paper Draft 1 = 9%
Unit V Formal Sentence Outline = 9%
Unit VI Research Paper Draft 2 = 9%
Unit VII Research Paper Draft 3 = 9%
Unit VIII Research Paper Final Draft = 23%
Total = 100%
Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT)
The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to

assist you through this course. By following this schedule,
you will be assured that you will complete the course within the
time allotted.
EH 1020, English Composition II Course Schedule
By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will
complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep
this schedule for reference as you progress through your course.
Unit I Beginning Your Research Paper
Review:
Unit Study Guide
-Graded): See Study Guide
Read:

The Little, Brown Compact Handbook with Exercises
-
29k
-45c
Strategies for Writing Successful Research Papers
-13e
-14f
15a-15h
Discuss:
se: Submit your response to the
Discussion Board question by
Saturday, Midnight (Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit II Research as a Basis for the Research Paper
Review:
Unit Study Guide
Read:
-17c
-
34b
-16k
-
17c
-18e
ic, Section 14g

Discuss:
Discussion Board response by
Tuesday, Midnight (Central Time)
Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit III Writing the Annotated Bibliography
Review:
Read:
-Antecedent Agreement, Sections 31a-
31d
: Conciseness, Sections 20a-20g
-
20e

Sections 21a-21g
aluating Sources, Section 20f
-
Payer Plans,” pp. 259-265
265-270
Discuss:
d Response: Submit your response to the
aphy by Tuesday, Midnight
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit IV Writing the Literature Review
Review:
Read:
-30d
Privacy Lobby,” pp. 270-273
12: Barbara Dority, “Halt and Show Your Papers!”

pp. 273-278
The CSU Citation Guide (6th edition)
Used?, p. 4
Discuss:
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit V Outlining Your Research Paper
Review:
Read:
-3b
-27b

32a-32e
Section 21h
279-282
Black Economics,” pp. 282-288
See Study Guide
Discuss:
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit VI Writing the Introduction of Your Research Paper
Review:
Read:
-25f
-26e
Style,

Sections 22a-22f
Section 23a
288-293
pp. 293-298
Discuss:
cussion Board Response: Submit your response to the
ch Paper Draft 2 by Tuesday, Midnight
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit VII Writing the Body of Your Research Paper
Review:
de
Read:
-28b

-44e
Section 23b
Rough Draft, Sections 24a
and 24c-24d
Discuss:
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

Unit VIII Concluding Your Research Paper
Review:
-Graded): Located under Written
Lecture in Study Guide.
Read:
propriate and Exact Language, Sections 18a-
18b
-19b

Section 23c
The CSU Citation Guide (6th edition)
-17
-20
Discuss:
nt on another student’s
(Central Time)
Notes/Goals:

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