Unit 2: Research-Based Writing

Academic Writing: Joining the Conversation

Our first unit this semester focused on college composition as a skill that you can develop. We read widely to learn about some general conversations around First Year Composition and how academic writing requires students to join larger conversations. We also learned how critical and engaged reading is essential to the writing process for college-level essays.

Our second unit is the heart of the semester. In this unit, you will be progressing through two projects:

• The Annotated Bibliography
• The Research Essay

These two projects build on one another. The research and work you do for the Annotated Bibliography will be used in your Research Essay. The research essay is the capstone requirement for EGL 1010.

Students will select their own research topics for the second unit. You’ll be responsible for doing preliminary research, building a research question, and providing evidence of and reflection on your research project over the next few weeks. As you work through the projects in this unit, consider the following questions:

• How does the research process in college differ from research you may have done before?
• How can you apply your skills with analytical and critical reading to the research process?
• How can you apply your knew knowledge about academic writing and college-level essays to the research process?

In this unit, we will cover the following topics:

• The Report vs. the Research Essay
• The Research Process
• Developing a Strong Research Question
• Database Research
• Analyzing Sources
• Annotated Bibliographies

As students work on their individual research projects, the readings required for the course will focus on media literacy in the digital age. We’ll consider issues of source bias, misinformation, and internet culture’s effect on how we understand the world around us.

In this unit, students will review the following course objectives:

• Analyzing texts for argument and rhetorical effectiveness
• Summary, Paraphrase, Quotation
• Integrating sources and evidence responsibly
• Using MLA Style and Formatting
• Creating strong thesis statements
• Organizing Arguments
• Synthesis

In this unit, students will practice the following new skills:

• Developing a Research Question Through Inquiry
• Locating Appropriate Sources in Library Databases
• Locating Appropriate Web-Based Sources
• Analyzing Sources for Authority, Relevance, and Appropriateness
• Creating Arguments