Page 1 of 4 Controversial Issues in American Culture Research Paper Assignment: Living in a diverse society, we are often trying to balance our personal experience and opinions agai nst a backdrop of the large communal experience. What we think, feel, and believe can be in sharp contrast with the people and the society around us. Thus, students need to learn how to research, structure, and advance their opinions by providing evidence to support them. This assignment will help students formulate their opinions on a controversial topic in an argumentative essay using evidence from primary and secondary sources. Though nearly any topic will suffice for the purpose of this paper, all topics must be open to dispute. Students will need to formulate their opinions on the topic but also concede and refute the oppositional opinions through counte rarguments. We will use class time to discuss research methods but the rest of your research will be your responsibility. Decide On a Topic: Deciding on a topic that is not too broad, nor too narrow will take some effort . In order to present a convincing argument, consider the following: 1. Draw on the student’s personal experience. It is important to spend time and energy on a topic that means something to you. Think about topics they may come up in your chosen career field, in everyday life, or things that you think should be changed in society , but that there is no easy answer or resolution. 2. Be sure to “resist binary thinking” (Greene and Lidinsky 88). Make sure that the topic chosen can support several, if not many, different viewpoints. 3. Synthesize others’ views and find new ways to look at the issues. 4. When researching, read to “discover a writer’s frame” to see how his/her ideas and theories can benefit your own, or if they can be used in counterarguments. 5. Decide whether the issue an issue of fact, value, or policy? Is it a combination of two or more? Topics should present a position that has varying perspectives. General Topics include:  Addiction/Alcohol/ Drugs  Bilingual Education  Birth Control  Body Image  Censorship  Eating Disorders  Ethnic Stereotypes  Family Values  Gay Rights  Gender Discrimination  Gun Control  Health  Homosexuality/ Sexual Orientation  Immigration  Interracial Relationships  Legalized Gambling  Politics  Music/Art  Education  Religion  Role Models  Sexual Assaults  Sexual Relationships  Single Parents  Sports Industry  Stereotypes  Terrorism  Tobacco  Video Games  Violence  War **For more topics, check out the folder in the Research Project folder Students should come up with an issue-based question about their topic:  Think and try on different perspectives about the issue Page 2 of 4  Discuss why the issue is important to the student, and then why this issue may be important to other people.  Determine what is up for ...

1. Page 1 of 4
Controversial Issues in American Culture Research Paper
Assignment:
Living in a diverse society, we are often trying to balance our
personal experience and opinions agai nst a
backdrop of the large communal experience. What we think,
feel, and believe can be in sharp contrast
with the people and the society around us. Thus, students need
to learn how to research, structure, and
advance their opinions by providing evidence to support them.
This assignment will help students
formulate their opinions on a controversial topic in an
argumentative essay using evidence from primary
and secondary sources. Though nearly any topic will suffice for
the purpose of this paper, all topics must
be open to dispute. Students will need to formulate their
opinions on the topic but also concede and
refute the oppositional opinions through counte rarguments. We
will use class time to discuss research
methods but the rest of your research will be your
responsibility.
Decide On a Topic:
Deciding on a topic that is not too broad, nor too narrow will
take some effort . In order to present a
convincing argument, consider the following:
1. Draw on the student’s personal experience. It is important to

2. spend time and energy on a topic
that means something to you. Think about topics they may come
up in your chosen career field,
in everyday life, or things that you think should be changed in
society , but that there is no easy
answer or resolution.
2. Be sure to “resist binary thinking” (Greene and Lidinsky 88).
Make sure that the topic chosen can
support several, if not many, different viewpoints.
3. Synthesize others’ views and find new ways to look at the
issues.
4. When researching, read to “discover a writer’s frame” to see
how his/her ideas and theories can
benefit your own, or if they can be used in counterarguments.
5. Decide whether the issue an issue of fact, value, or policy? Is
it a combination of two or more?
Topics should present a position that has varying perspectives.
General Topics include:

3. Sexual Orientation
Relationships
al Relationships
**For more topics, check out the folder in the Research Project
folder
Students should come up with an issue-based question about
their topic:

4. Page 2 of 4
why this issue may be important to
other people.
o Think about why a student is interested in the topic, what
he/she wants to learn from it,
and what are some of the causes/effects that stem from this
issue.
*Students should discuss paper topics with me before starting
the research.
The Research Process:
The purpose of this paper is for students to research, structure,
and formulat e an argumentative paper
on a controversial issue that we are currently facing in America.
Students are encouraged to find a topic
that is meaningful for them, but that is also worthy of scholarly
research. Students need to evaluate
their sources and think critically about their topic and its effect
on American society.
Students will be turning in various elements of the project over
the rest of the semester. This will help
students stay on track with the deadlines and allow me to
provide constructive criticism throughout the
process. Please see the Schedule:. However, students may wish
to write in the deadlines below:
Schedule:

5. K 9)
Note: The research project is a significant part of the course
grade and therefore, students will be turning
in different parts of the research project at different times. The
entire project is due by 11/30. Students
will be turning in the rough draft and final draft of their papers
using Blackboard’s Turnitin application.
This application searches through the paper for plagiarism.
Students who are caught plagiarizing will
receive an “F” for this assignment.
Research Assignments:
influences American’s opinions.
o Preliminary Research Thesis - this is a preliminary activity
that will help students narrow
their topics.
– students will attend a mandatory library
instructional meeting to learn how
to research.
– This is similar to a works cited
page, but it also includes the student’s
evaluation of the source. According to the OWL at Purdue site,
o “The annotations for each source are written in paragraph
form. The lengths of the

6. annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to
a couple of pages. The
length will depend on the purpose ”
(http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/)
- please use the formal outline template in
the Research Project folder. This
includes using complete sentences, fully developed concepts,
and a works cited page.
– please use the essay template, including a
works cited page, and upload the rou gh
draft to the assignment link.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/
Page 3 of 4
– upload the final draft (including a works cited
page) to the Turnitin link on
Blackboard.
Library Workshops:
In addition to our classroom discussions, the class will attend
an instructional meeting in the libr ary. This
meeting is mandatory and cannot be made up. Students will be
given instruction on how to do research
as well as some time during the workshop to start their research.
Please use the handbook when doing research as well as the
MLA Handbook. The paper must be typed
and appear on the page exactly like the sample paper in the
MLA chapter in the handbook. The works
cited section of this paper is a significant part of the overall

7. grade, so works cited entries for all sources
must be completed exactly as the MLA style and format dictate.
Failure to record important
bibliographic information will certainly result in re -doing
research, as well as a lower grade.
****Please note that automatic works cited entry generator
websites may not include the c orrect
information in the correct order, or with the correct formatting.
If using these websites, you must check
your finished citation against the MLA entry.
Weak arguments, point of view shifts, colloquial language , and
non MLA formatting will all result in a
lower grade.
Structure for the Research Paper:
This essay will be 5-7 pages long and must include a works
cited page. The essay must include a(n):
– general topic to the specific topic.
– narrative of past events, an overview of others’
opinions on the issue, definitions
of key terms, or a review of basic facts.
– must be debatable, must take a position,
or make a proposal .
– present assertions and
the evidence to support them.
o Evidence - facts, statistics, examples, expert opinions, appeals
to readers’ beliefs or
needs (evidence can be one of these or a combination of these).

8. – acknowledge the opposing argument.
– show how opposing
arguments are weak or limited to
make your argument stronger.
– restate major arguments in support of thesis,
summarize key points, restate thesis,
remind readers of weaknesses in opposing arguments, or
underscore the logic of the position.
Forming a Thesis:
Students must pick a topic that explores an issue that is not
easily solved. To develop the thesis,
students will have to incorporate both nonliterary primary
sources (photos, magazines, movies,
television shows, advertisements, web pages, etc.) and literary
secondary sources (books, articles, etc.).
Students may choose between a position and proposal argument
forms.
her thinking or perspective on a
specific issue. The writer must make a claim about a
controversial issue, take a clear position,
use specific support or evidence, and acknowledge the opposing
views.
of action based on the argument.
This type of argument proposes a course of action in response to
a recognizable problem. The
proposal says what can be done to improve the situation or
change it altogether. The writer

9. Page 4 of 4
must define the problem, propose a solution or solutions, and
explain why the solution will work
and how it is feasible.
While developing a thesis, students should consider the “Steps
to Formulating a Working Thesis: Four
Models” (Greene and Lidinsky 111)
l: “Although many scholars have
argued about A and B, a careful
examination suggest C.”
have missed the importance of C ”
ideas of other writers, it is
important to extend/refine/limit their ideas with C”.
-testing model: “Some people explain A by
suggesting B, but a close analysis of
the problem reveals the possibility of several
competing/complementary explanations such
ad C, D, and E.”
Refutation
Good arguments acknowledge that dissenting opinions exist.
Great arguments show that how this
dissenting opinion is not convincing. If the opposition has a
good point, admit it. Then show why the

10. point is still not enough to sway the reader’s opinion. This is
also called conceding a point, and it will
strengthen the writer’s argument. To refute the opposition’s
argument, you must show that it is one of
the following
1. Outdated
2. untrue
3. illogical
4. contradictory
5. ambiguous (not clearly defined)
6. dishonest (deliberate attempt to deceive)
7. absurd
8. contains logical fallacies
Sources:
Students will need to use at least three different sources:
reference books, periodicals, online
periodicals, database search, etc. Be sure to keep accurate
research notes for the Annotated
Bibliography and the final works cited page. Please review the
rules on paraphrasing and plagiarism in
the handbook.
Note: Please note that Wikipedia.com is not considered a
scholarly website and therefore NO citations
or references for this paper should include Wikipedia. However,
students may use the articles that
Wikipedia references at the bottom of the entry for your
research paper (if they are from a credible
source).
Absolutely NO WORK may be submitted after November 30,
2016.