Research Paper: American Landscapes and Monuments

OVERVIEW of PURPOSE AND FOCUS

Why do certain places have enough value that we want to preserve them? We’ll use this question as a springboard for your research project.

First consider your research question (a starting point): What role have various places and objects in the United States played in the development of literature and culture? What is a place’s cultural, natural, or historic value? Think about interesting natural landscapes, parks, and monuments during the brainstorming/proposal phase. Think national parks, places preserved for historical reasons, historic buildings, and so on.

Narrow your interest and your approach: Research to discover five things that are going on in specific national parks at this time—research, conservation, restoration, preservation, education efforts, construction projects, community issues, and so on. The goal here is for you to narrow your focus and work toward shaping of a particular approach to your research paper project.

Outline your ideas and strategy (following the outline sample and requirements provided).

Construct a rough draft for peer or Smarthinking review and reflection.

Craft a final draft that demonstrates revision skill and attention.

The written portion of this should be between 1100 and 1400 words words total. We will have specific phases due at specific times (see timeline).

GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

PROCESS

Play with a couple of ways to break this down into focused subtopics. Consider your original research question, and also consider whether you are focusing on your place’s cultural, natural, or historic value. We will work through all stages of the writing process: planning/pre-writing, thesis construction, drafting, reviewing/revising, and final draft.

1. Draft a pre-write and thesis as indicated in the calendar.

2. Participate in peer review of thesis and planning if required by your instructor.

3. Draft your paper and submit to Smarthinking.com for revision ideas and editing assistance (see the Course’s Home Page for instructions on use of Smarthinking, the free online tutoring service SPC provides for all students).

4. Use your Smarthinking Feedback Report to revise your essay.

5. Submit your essay to the dropbox as indicated in the calendar. Submit also a copy of the Smarthinking Feedback Report.

You must include at least one visual element in your essay. You must embed images in the body of your paper, placing it meaningfully, strategically, and with correct documentation formatting.

FORMAT

1. Your paper must include an introduction (engaging opening sentence, orientation/background information about your topic, and a one-sentence thesis that states an argument or position on your topic AND includes the three main ideas you will address in the body of your paper. Want help with your thesis? Check this out: Writing a Thesis

2. You must include three body paragraphs organized in the following way (see sample Body Paragraph provided in our Module 1 Readings/Materials):

Sentence 1: Topic Sentence (TS) that states your first arm of argument toward proof of thesis.

Sentence 2: Evidence/Supporting Detail/fact beginning with an apt transitional device (this sentence is often a research citation or logical, provable statement; in a literary analysis paper, it could be research or text from the literary work)

Sentence 3: Interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 4: Further interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 5: Second piece of evidence/Supporting Detail/fact beginning with an apt transitional device (usually a research citation or logical, provable statement)

Sentence 6: Interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 7: Further interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 8: Third piece of evidence/Supporting Detail/fact beginning with an apt transitional device (usually a research citation or logical, provable statement)

Sentence 9: Interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 10: Further interpretation, examination, explanation of how the above evidence supports your TS

Sentence 11: Closing Sentence (CS) wrapping up the position presented in this Body Paragraph (BP)

3. You must incorporate at least three ACADEMIC resources (no blogs, .com, newspapers, movies, or other “popular” or “un-reviewed” sources count). When doing so, source citations should serve as your “evidence” sentences. See the sample BP, please. Also, your sources must be documented using the following strategy:

“To demonstrate, neurological psychiatrist Dr. Saundra Stock, in a recent study conducted at University of South Florida,

found that “Families of autistic children experience significantly higher levels of stress, conflict, and health risk factors than

others” (127).

NOTE: This is called “TBQS” or Transition, Background/orientation info, Quotation, Source and satisfies APA and MLA required formatting for in-text citations.

4. You must document your sources in a References page at the end of your paper.

5. You must include a conclusion paragraph of 4-5 sentences that moves from reinforcing your thesis/main argument to reaching out to the reader.

6. Use APA format (an abstract is optional for this paper).

7. You must include at least one image, integrated meaningfully and strategically, and in APA format as well.

8. Your paper must be 1100-1400 words. The word count does not include the Reference page or Heading or Abstract data). Place the word count under your heading.

9. You may NOT use personal pronouns, slang, or other informal language. This is an academic research paper and should use a more formal voice that does not assume association or familiarity with your readers.

Category: Essays