English 102Draegan

Fall 2013

Research Essay
Overview: In the first part of this unit, we will collectively explore a seed text selected by the instructor. The class will divide into working groups, each of which will be responsible for finding some additional exhibit to place into dialog with the seed text and for teaching one Group Teaching Segment (GTS) comprising a 5-to-10-minute formal presentation and a 20-to-30minute discussion. In the second part of the unit, we will write individual essays on specific projects that spin off from our discussions of the seed text and its associated exhibits. Please refer to the course schedule or the timeline below for due dates related to the various components of this project.

Part 1: Group Teaching Segment

Overview: The class will divide into four working groups, each of which will be responsible for planning and leading one Group Teaching Segment (GTS) consisting of a 5-to-10-minute formal presentation followed by a 20-to-30-minute class discussion. These group-teaching segments are an opportunity for us to work together to develop a rich, contextualized understanding of our seed text out of which interesting individual essay projects can emerge. They are also an opportunity for the class to assemble a collection of materials (exhibits) that each of you can draw on as you write your individual essays. Requirements and Procedures: Exhibit: The exhibit is the outside source your group wishes to share withor exhibit tothe class as a whole. It should be small enough for the class to examine in a meaningful way in 30 minutes and large enough to sustain a 30-minute discussion (8-15 pages). The exhibit must be a credible academic source. You should think of the exhibit as the assigned reading for the day; your Reading Responses will address these exhibits. We will have a library instruction session on Monday, October 7th where groups will have time to research together. Group conference: Each group must meet with the instructor during class Monday, October 14th to discuss its exhibit and presentation. The purpose of this meeting is to help you plan your GTS. You do not need to have thought through all the details before the conference; however, you need to have selected your exhibit and have an idea of how your discussion will go. Groups will submit their selected exhibit to the instructor on Canvas prior to group conferences. Include a cover page indicating group number, member names, and a brief explanation as to why your group wants to put this text into conversation with the seed text. Preparatory Work: Each group will also assign some modest preparatory work to the class. This will be the Reading Response homework for the day. Examples include 4-5 reading questions, requiring each student to come in with one question to ask or with a short response paragraph relating the exhibit back to the seed text. The purpose of this preparatory work is to facilitate the discussion you are planning for the class. Groups will submit the Reading Response questions for their exhibit, along with an answer key, on Canvas no later than Friday, October 18th at 11:59pm.

English 102Draegan

Fall 2013

Presentation plan: On the first day presentations, each group must submit a one-page outline of its presentation. Include each members name and the group number. Presentation: should include, though not necessarily in this order: Introduce the exhibit (title, source, author) for context Explain why your group selected this text Explain how it relates to the seed text Present text (this can vary depending on your planned discussion) o unpack text for class o introduce topic (and possibly outline text) Facilitate class discussion

Grading: The group presentation is worth 12% of each members final grade for the course. Every member will submit a confidential summary of the group teaching experience that includes an evaluation of every members participation. The individual summary is due the class the meeting after your presentation and will be uploaded in Canvas. Groups will be graded according to the quality and organization of their formal presentation as well as the success of the class discussions that follow.

Part 2: Individual Essays

Assignment: During the first part of this unit, we undertook a sustained exploration of our seed text in relation to a series of other exhibits. Your individual assignment is to write a 7-8 page research essay addressing a question or issue that emerges out of this series of discussions and advance an argument about the question or issue. You may develop some aspect of your groups GTS into a formal essay, take up an issue raised in another of our discussions, or discover something along the way that you wish to pursue further on your own. The only restriction is that your essay project must be inspired in some way by our exploration of the seed text. To complete this assignment successfully, you will have to find and incorporate at least six outside sources of your own, not including the seed text and the exhibits gathered by the class. Project Proposal: The project proposal is a short prospectus in which you lay out your approach to your individual essay. Its purpose is to help you try out an idea before you commit to writing a full draft. Your proposal must do the following: Describe your project. Explain why this project interests you.
Describe the sources (or kinds of sources) you plan to use, exhibits you might examine. Describe the arguments you might engage, and the method of analysis you might employ. Offer some speculations about what you might argue or conclude.

***Specific proposal instructions will be handed out separately.

English 102Draegan A successful paper will: Produce a useful, interesting, or significant analysis. Respond to all aspects of the selected prompt. Analyze rather than describe the issues presented. Use textual evidence to support your analysis. Utilize scholarly resources in an insightful manner. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the text. Strive to convince another reader of your position. Argue a defensible position. Demonstrate logical organization and development of ideas. Present a clear command of grammar and syntactic variety. The Fine Print:

Fall 2013

7-8 pages MLA format Must incorporate Seed Text. Minimum of 6 additional outside sources.

Timeline: September 30th: Discuss seed text. October 7th: Library visit. October 14th: Group conferences. Exhibit selections due. October 18th: RR questions due via Canvas by 11:59pm. October 21st: Group Teaching Segment. Group outlines due. Individual Summaries due. October 28th: Research Essay Proposal due. Workshops. November 4th: Library SessionIndividual Research. November 4th: In-Class Essay #2. November 11th: Research Essay draft #1 due. Conferences. November 18th: Research Essay draft #2 due. November 18th: Library sessionIndependent Research November 28th: Research Essay instructor draft due. December 11th: Research Essay Revised draft due.