Prompt: Research Paper

Research paper – English 101

1. This research paper should present a thesis that is specific, manageable, provable, and contestable—in other words, the thesis should offer a clear position, stand, or opinion that will be proven with research.   You should analyze and prove your thesis using examples and quotes from a variety of sources. 

2. You need to research and cite from at least five sources.  You must use at least 3 different types of sources.

o   At least one source must be from a library database.

o   At least one source must be a book, anthology or textbook.

o   At least one source must be from a credible website, appropriate for academic use.

o   The paper should not over-rely on one main source for most of the information. Rather, it should use multiple sources and synthesize the information found in them.

3.  This paper will be approximately 6-8 pages in length, not including the Works Cited page, which is also required.  This means at least 6 full pages of text.  The Works Cited page does NOT count towards length requirement. 

4. You must use MLA format for the document, in-text citations, and Works Cited page.

5. You must integrate quotations and paraphrases using signal phrases and analysis or commentary. 

6. You must sustain your argument, use transitions effectively, and use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

7. Your paper must be logically organized and focused.

Research Paper Project - Civil Disobedience

Your research paper project consists of the following steps: (1) the research paper proposal, (2) drafts of each segment of the paper, and (3) the final paper.  (You will also complete a research check-in.)

You will examine, in depth and detail, an incident that could be regarded as civil disobedience. You will write a paper evaluating your incident according to the standards and principles for direct action outlined by Martin Luther King, Jr. in “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” According to King, “One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty” (743).

To meet Dr. King’s standard,

(1)  the law being broken must be unjust,

(2)  there must be “no alternative except to prepare for direct action” (739), and

(3)  the direct action taken to break the unjust law must be nonviolent and should be designed “to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (740).

Does your analysis confirm Dr. King’s standards as valid to assess the legitimacy of direct action activities? Or does it reveal inadequacies in King’s standards, either because a valid direct action incident does not meet the standards or because an incident meets the standards that should not be considered valid?

Choose one act of potential civil disobedience from the list below (or propose one of your own). 

• The occupation of Alcatraz Island by Indian protestors in 1969
• The Battle of Chavez Ravine (current site of Dodgers Stadium), in which Mexican-American residents resisted forced removal from their homes after their property had been seized under eminent domain
• Fred Korematsu’s refusal to comply with the World War II internment of Japanese-Americans
• San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom allowing his city clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite a California law defining marriage as between a man and a woman
• Muhammad Ali’s refusal to be inducted into the army during the Vietnam War
• A specific incidence of illegal information disclosure, such as actions taken by Edward Snowden.

Research Paper Proposal Due April 13 _____________________

To prepare your proposal you will need to do some preliminary research (1) to determine whether or not there is sufficient research material to cover your topic, (2) to develop an interpretation of the facts worth writing about, and (3) to identify a few prospective research sources.

Your proposal must contain

• a one-sentence working thesis statement that identifies your topic and point of view,
• a draft Works Cited page that includes a minimum of three research sources, including one library database source (The final draft of your paper must incorporate a minimum of five sources, including at least one library database source, one book, and one Web site – no Wikipedia!),

• five research questions that you expect to pursue in your research.

You must submit your proposal and get it approved or you may not proceed to creating the outline and writing the paper (i.e. your paper will not be accepted and you will not receive a grade on it).

Research Check-in – Date To Be Announced

You will submit a brief report detailing your progress locating, evaluating, and integrating sources.

Draft of Works Cited  Due ___________________________

Locate the sources you will use in your paper and cite them as a Works Cited page in MLA style.

Draft of Introduction & Direct Action Criteria Due ____________________

Bring in a draft of your introduction and a paragraph (or more) detailing King’s criteria for direct action.

Draft of Explanation of Civil Disobedience Event Due _____________________

Draft a complete explanation (2-5 paragraphs) of your civil disobedience event, including discussion of the people involved, the problem being addressed by the event, the specific actions taken, and the resulting consequences.

Draft of Explanation of Criteria Match Due _____________________

Explain in detail how your civil disobedience event meets (or fails to meet) each of King’s criteria for direct action.

Draft of Conclusion/Evaluation Due ______________________

In light of your analysis of your event, evaluate King’s direct action criteria as worthy or inadequate to assess the merits of a civil disobedience campaign, and bring your essay to a close.

Draft of Whole Paper Due _______________________

Put all of the pieces of your paper together into a complete draft.

Research Paper Final Draft Due ________________________

Your final paper should be six to eight pages long, plus a Works Cited page, and must incorporate a minimum of five sources including at least one library database source, one book, and one Web site (no Wikipedia!). Your paper must be typed, double-spaced, and in MLA (Modern Languages Association) format. For reference on MLA style, see a reliable source, such as the MLA Formatting and Style Guide of the Purdue Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Bring a printed copy of your paper to class AND submit it electronically to Turnitin.com!