Objectives

This project fulfills the following objectives.

(TCO 5) Given a range of statistical and empirical data, combine several inductive methods of reasoning (argument by analogy, argument by generalization, causal reasoning, or probabilistic reasoning), to draw specific conclusions.
(TCO 7) Given a controversial social issue, write a persuasive essay to address the controversy, using identifiable types of arguments (deductive or inductive) and the resources of language, such as denotation, connotation, and figures of speech.
(TCO 8) Given a case scenario or a problem, formulate several alternative solutions and select the optimal one to apply under specific circumstances.
(TCO 9) Given several current news or opinion articles from print, radio, or television, assess the assumptions and values stated or implied in the articles and explain how these media can influence individual or collective decision making.

Project Overview

This session, you will write a research essay, which is in APA format and includes a title page, abstract, and references list. The purpose of this paper is to hone your critical thinking skills by creating a suitable research plan, evaluating sources and arguments, and proposing solutions to a problem of current interest. The paper must focus on one of the topics below regarding current trends and future predictions.

Changes must happen in both human eating habits and food cultivation if the human race is to survive
The European Union will, or will not, last another decade
If lobbying and campaign finance in the US are not reformed, American democracy is doomed
How changes to marriage and family will change American society
How social media, web sharing, and/or similar trends in the internet will affect social and personal behaviors
What changes must happen because of the interaction between the world’s growing population and decreasing natural resources

Choose a topic from the list above. Follow your personal taste in this choice, but also search a library and a library database for suitable critical articles about the topic. For the paper, you will need to use at least five scholarly articles, authoritative sources, and/or book chapters.

The Final Research Paper must include the following.

Three to five pages of body and a References page
12 pt. Times New Roman font
Double spaced
APA-style title page and abstract
All pages should be numbered
Should contain five sources (minimum)

Guidelines

Select a topic from the list.
Research library catalog and databases for works about the topic (five articles and/or book chapters required).
Read the sources.
Propose a preliminary thesis or solution on the issue.
Write a proposal and outline for the project.
Format all documents using the APA Style.
Use feedback to shape and revise the paper.

Milestones

In Week 5 you will choose a topic for writing your project. You will create a Project Proposal and Preliminary Formal Outline for the project to submit in the Drobpox at the end of Week 5. This is worth 50 points.

The Rough Draft of the project is due at the end of Week 6 in the Dropbox. In addition, the rough draft should be posted to the Peer Review discussion thread. Each student should complete two peer reviews using the peer evaluation form and post them to the discussion thread. The draft and peer reviews are worth 50 points.

The Final Draft, incorporating revisions suggested by your instructor and your peers, is due at the end of Week 7 in the Dropbox. The draft is worth 100 points and should be three to five pages, in APA format including title page, abstract, and references list.

Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox, read thesestep-by-step instructionsor watch thisTutorialDropbox Tutorial.

See the Syllabus section Due Dates for Assignments & Exams for due date information.

Grading Rubrics

Category	Points	%	Description
Proposal	15	30	A clear account of the proposed project
Outline	15	30	A correctly formatted outline of the proposed project
Organization and Cohesiveness	5	10	Proposal uses correct paragraphing and APA style; outline uses sentences and follows a clear pattern of development.
Editing	5	10	Proposal is free of grammatical, typographic, and spelling errors.
Content	10	20	The proposal describes a college-level idea for an argumentative research paper.
Total	50	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Category	Points	%	Description
First Draft	10	50	A complete draft was submitted to both the Dropbox and the Peer Review discussion thread
Documentation and Formatting	10	50	The draft follows APA form including title page, abstract, citations, and references. The document has at least five high quality sources.
Total	20	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Category	Points	%	Description
Peer Reviews	10	33	Student has completed one review of another student’s essay using the peer review forms.
Documentation and Formatting	10	33	The peer review includes substantial commentary and suggestions regarding the essays’ grammar, usage, and punctuation.
Organization and Cohesiveness	10	33	The peer review includes substantial commentary and suggestions regarding the essays’ content.
Total	30	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Category	Points	%	Description
Final Draft	5	5	The draft was submitted on time, and meets the minimum requirements for the assignment
Documentation and Formatting	5	5	The draft follows correct APA format including a title page, abstract, citations, and references. The document has at least five high quality sources.
Organization and Cohesiveness	20	20	The essay follows a clear argumentative pattern. Paragraphs are fully developed and unified. The writer has used transitions.
Editing	10	10	The essay is free of errors in grammar, spelling, usage, and punctuation.
Content	60	60	The essay makes a coherent, relevant argument. The essay contains specific evidence, and thorough analysis of the issue. The introduction and conclusion are effective.
Total	100	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Best Practices

Select several variations on your topic and check to see if there are enough articles and/or book chapters about the topic to complete the assignment.
Read the materials and take notes.
Discuss your findings in the Proposal.
When in doubt, ask for your instructor’s opinion or approval.

Week 5

Course Project

Project Proposal and Outline

The written assignment this week is the Proposal and Outline for your Course Project.

The project is a research essay in APA format that focuses on one of the topics below regarding current trends and future predictions.

Changes must happen in both human eating habits and food cultivation if the human race is to survive.
The European Union will, or will not, last another decade.
If lobbying and campaign finance in the U.S. are not reformed, American democracy is doomed.
How changes to marriage and family will change American society.
How social media, Web sharing, and/or similar trends on the Internet will affect social and personal behaviors.

Once you have chosen your topic, you will need to do a little research on it to find information useful for your final essay. Then, you will need to create a document that includes the following parts.

Preliminary Thesis: A sentence stating the point about the topic that your essay will argue.

Issue Summary: A one-paragraph review of the issue stating something about its history and describing the major controversies.

Preliminary Essay Outline: A formal outline indicating what arguments will be used and their likely order in the paper.

References List: A list of at least three potential sources for your subject in APA form.

Anexampleof a proposal is in Doc Sharing.

Your submission should be about two to three pages, double-sp