Walsh 1
Purpose:
One of the major goals of English 102 as a class is to introduce students to college-level research and the
college-level research paper. In our class, the research paper will ask you to use your skills in analysis,
synthesis, and application of multiple viewpoints by researching a
problem and possible solutions for that problem.
Prompt:
This assignment will be done in steps:
• Step 1: Choose a current problem which affects a significant number of people. This will be your
research topic. This might be a problem which has a negative impact relatively locally (i.e.
Kirkland) or it may have a negative impact on a larger scale (i.e. the greater Seattle area,
Washington, the United States, or the world). Certainly, there is no shortage of problems in the
modern world from which to choose. Some are more specific than others. If you choose a
problem which presents a very wide topic for research, you will have to add some specifics in
order to narrow it down to something more manageable. You should choose something which
interests you. You don’t need to know about it already, but you should be interested in learning
more about it.
• Step 2: Write a 1-2 page (double-spaced) Research Paper Proposal which gives an informal
explanation of your chosen topic and your focus for the paper (see page 2 for more details).
• Step 3: Research your topic. We will explore research in greater detail throughout the rest of the
quarter.
• Step 4: Write an Annotated Bibliography including six sources (at least one book, at least one
• Peer-reviewed article) concerning your topic (see page 3 for more details).
• Step 5: Put together an outline for your research paper. This outline will need to include two
sections (The Problem and Solutions), your thesis for the paper, the topics of your body
paragraphs, and notations of what evidence will go where. It will be given credit for completion
and effort.
• Step 6: Write an essay arguing/explaining what makes the problem you chose a problem and
• detailing possible solutions, using your research to support your claims (see pages 4-5 for more
details).
• Step 7: Write a short (1-2 pages single-spaced) editorial suitable for The Seattle Times where you
present and argue for the best solution to the problem you chose (see page 6 for more details).
Project Components and Requirements:
• Submit Research Paper Proposal
• Submit Annotated Bibliography
• Submit Research Paper Outline
• Submit the first draft on Canvas for mandatory anonymous peer review. The first draft should be
at least 2/3 of the final length and close enough to finished to receive useful feedback from
peers.
• Peer review responses due on Canvas
• Submit Research Paper Final on Canvas
• Submit Editorial on Canvas
Research Project Assignment Sheet and Overview — ENGL 102
Walsh 2
The Research Paper Proposal

Prompt: Write a 1-2 page (double-spaced) Research Paper Proposal which gives an informal explanation
of your chosen topic and your focus for the paper. Your task for the proposal will be for you to explain to
me in a clear, straightforward, organized fashion:
1. which problem you have chosen
2. why it interests you
3. why you consider it a problem
4. how you think you might go about arguing that it is a problem (potentially including why it is
important, to you or to others)
5. how you are going to narrow your topic, and
6. any challenges you see in approaching the problem, if any (i.e. is the topic too recent to find a
lot of good information for it or is it too complex to easily narrow).
The proposal is informal, so it does not need to be structured like an essay (intro, body paragraphs,
conclusion) and it may use informal language. However, it will still need to be organized in a fashion that
leads your reader through the progression of your thoughts; it will need to be clear, coherent, and
detailed; and it will need to answer all of the questions (please do not include the numbers of the
questions in your response, however).
Expectations:
• The Research Paper Proposal should:
O Clearly state the general research topic and at least one possible particular focus (a
narrowed main topic) for the research paper.
O Address all of the items in the prompt above.
O Have a coherent, sensible flow of ideas.
O Have a logical structure (paragraphs with different topics, for example).
O Have clear, straightforward, precise prose (the paper may be informal, but should be
edited for sentence-level errors and awkward sentences).
Requirements:
• Length: The Research Paper Proposal should be 1-2 pages double-spaced.
• Formatting: MLA format.
O Double-spaced
O 12 point Times New Roman font
O No additional spacing before or after paragraphs
O 1 inch margins on all sides
O Includes a heading on the top left of the first page including your name, the instructor’s
name, the course title, and the date
O Includes a header on the top right of every page including your last name and the page
number
O Includes a title, centered, between the heading and the beginning of the essay (no
extra spaces between heading and title or title and essay)
Research Project Assignment Sheet and Overview — ENGL 102
Walsh 3
The Annotated Bibliography
Prompt: Write an Annotated Bibliography including six sources (at least one book, at least one peerreviewed article) concerning your topic. An annotated bibliography is an extended works cited which lists
all of the sources for a research paper, citing them properly in MLA format, and includes two paragraphs
containing additional information for each source.
• The first paragraph gives a brief summary of the main argument/topic of the source in your
own words,
following the guidelines found in the Writing Summaries handout (minus the five sentences rule).
• The second paragraph describes what part of the work you are using (i.e. a chapter of a book or
a section or portion of an article) and explains how you are planning to use the source in your
research. You may wish to consider what information the source gives you, how that information
is different from or like your other sources, why that source in particular is important for your
particular topic, and how the source supports your argument or adds to the overall presentation
of your topic.
Your annotated bibliography should include at least 6 sources, including at least one book and at least
one peer-reviewed article. Depending on your individual topic, you may also want to consult periodicals,
newspaper articles, organization websites, encyclopedia entries, or other sources. Do not cite
Wikipedia, however, and if you use organization websites or other potentially biased sources, be sure to
mention the possible biases of your source in your annotated bibliography.
Expectations: The Annotated Bibliography should:
• Include six sources, with at least one book (physical or ebook) and at least one peer-reviewed
article.
• Be in correct MLA format (this will be graded much more heavily for this assignment than for
the others).
• Cite each source correctly using MLA Works Cited rules.
• Include a summary for each source that is at least 50 words long and uses the summary writing
skills outlined in the Writing Summaries handout, with correct sentences.
• Include a second paragraph for each source that clearly and specifically explains how the source
will be used in the paper.
Requirements:
• Length: no length requirement.
• Format: MLA format.
O Double-spaced
O 12 point Times New Roman font
O No additional spacing before or after paragraphs
O 1 inch margins on all sides
O Includes a heading on the top left of the first page including your name, the instructor’s
name, the course title, and the date
O Includes a header on the top right of every page including your last name and the page
number
O Includes a title, centered, between the heading and the beginning of the text (no extra
spaces
between heading and title or title and essay)
o Lists all of your sources in alphabetical order, properly cited
Research Project Assignment Sheet and Overview — ENGL 102
Walsh 4
The Research Paper
Prompt: Write an essay arguing/explaining what makes the problem you chose a problem and detailing
possible solutions, using your research to support your claims. This essay will have two labeled parts: The
Problem and Solutions.
• The first part (The Problem) will be argumentative, persuading the reader with solid evidence
that the problem is indeed a problem worth considering and/or addressing. In setting up your
thesis, you may want to think about why and/or how your topic is a problem or why your topic is
important. (Keep in mind that academic essays convince through solid evidence and clear
structure, not through emotional language.)
• The second part (Solutions) will be informative, telling the reader:
O what solutions to the problem exist
O what has been tried (Did it fail? Did it succeed? Why did it fail or why did it succeed?)
O what hasn’t been tried (Why hasn’t it been tried? What barriers are there to trying it?)
• Some students may find that they need another part: The Cause or Causes. This part usually
comes between The Problem and Solutions. It should only be included if it is necessary to the
reader’s understanding of how the problem is a problem.
For the research paper, do not choose a particular solution. That will come later. If you encounter
counterarguments or contradictions during your research, do not ignore them. Instead, address them in
your paper, refuting counterarguments (i.e. “Some people think such and such, but actually the research
shows…”) or explaining why your topic may include complexities or contradictions (i.e. “While such and
such is true, it is also true that…”).
Audience: This essay should have a formal tone for an academic audience, and your target audience is
assumed to know very little about the problem you have chosen, so you will need to give details and
context for your examples as you explain how the problem is indeed a problem. You may even need to
give some definitions.
Expectations: The Final Research Paper should:
• Have a clearly stated, specific, straightforward thesis for each section (one argumentative, one
informative) which provides structure for the direction of the section.
O Remember the thesis formula: Thesis=Narrowed Main Topic + Opinion/Statement
about the topic. You will need to tell your reader in the thesis what your main topic is for
the section and what point or points you want to make about it.
• Have an organized structure in which key points are grouped with their supporting examples.
O Each paragraph within the essay should have its own focus/subtopic. Structure the
essay based on your ideas rather than on your sources.
• Have specific, detailed, properly cited evidence from at least six different sources to support
the thesis and subtopics.
• Contain analysis, not just description.
O Once you have provided an example, you will need to explain to your reader how that
example proves your point, why it is important, how it relates to the main topic, or how it
is relevant.
• Have clear, readable, precise prose.
O Please edit your final draft to get rid of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, as
well as awkward sentences.
Research Project Assignment Sheet and Overview — ENGL 102
Walsh 5
• Be in correct MLA format, including in-text citations and Works Cited.
• Use academic English. Use personal pronouns sparingly and refrain from using contractions or
slang.
Requirements:
• Length: The Research Paper should be a minimum of eight pages, with the “Problem” section
at least four pages.
• Formatting: MLA format:
O Double-spaced
O 12 point Times New Roman font
O No additional spacing before or after paragraphs
O 1 inch margins on all sides
O Includes a heading on the top left of the first page including your name, the instructor’s
name, the course title, and the date
O Includes a header on the top right of every page including your last name and the page
number
O Includes a title, centered, between the heading and the beginning of the essay (no
extra spaces between heading and title or title and essay)
O Includes parenthetical in-text citations including the last name of the author or authors
and the page number
O Includes a Works Cited page listing all of your sources in alphabetical order, properly
cited
Research Project Assignment Sheet and Overview — ENGL 102
Walsh 6
The Editorial
Prompt: Write a short (1 – 2 page single-spaced) editorial suitable for The Seattle Times where you
present and argue for the best solution to the problem you chose. You may include pictures/graphics if
you like. Feel free to have some fun with this assignment and get creative in your presentation of your
solution, just as long as the solution and the reasons for it are still clear.
Expectations: The Editorial should:
• Clearly present the best solution to the problem and reasons that it is the best solution.
• Be persuasive.
• Have a coherent, sensible flow of ideas.
• Have a logical structure (each paragraph must have its own topic, for example).
• Have clear, readable, precise prose. (The editorial may contain humor, emotional language,
exaggeration, or informal tone, but please edit your final draft to get rid of grammar, spelling, and
punctuation errors, as well as awkward sentences.)
Requirements:
• Length: The Editorial should be 1-2 pages single-spaced.
• Formatting: The Editorial should be in editorial format:
O Single-spaced
O 12 point Times New Roman font
O 1 inch margins on all sides
O Two columns
O Landscape orientation
O Includes a title