Research Essay Assignment: 200 points
Research Essay Directions:
In the research essay assignment, students will write a 1,100 to 1,300 word research essay on the topic that was assigned in the annotated bibliography and shown below. Please read to the end of this assignment for essay format and requirements. Please read through the module instructions to note expectations.
For context on the assigned topic, students should read through the primary article. One quote from the primary article is required. See full quote requirements below.
Primary article: U.S. House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok – The New York Times (1)-1.pdfDownload U.S. House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok – The New York Times (1)-1.pdf
Topic:
Currently, the US Congress is debating whether or not to ban the social media app TikTok. Should the government have the right to ban apps now and in the future? How will a bill like this affect American rights of speech, enterprise, and informational research? Since this is a bipartisan bill, it means that members of congress both Democrat and Republican are in favor of banning TikTok, so this paper should not be slanted against one party; therefore, it should not be an essay that focuses on Democratic or Republican views. The focus of the essay is on whether or not the government should have a right to create a bill that not only bans TikTok but can also ban any future apps that they deem unfit. Choose ONE side, either for or against this bill and support with logical points while using sources to back up your views. One paragraph towards the end will consider/show opposing views, then, refute those opposing views. 
Essay Content Requirements:
MLA Format: Students will follow MLA format with paper format. 
Purdue OWL link: MLA Basic Format RulesLinks to an external site.
Thesis: Students will write a thesis statement that shows the topic and their stand. Student should view thesis statement guidelines when constructing their thesis statements. Students need to show the main idea without giving a list of several points since lists are considered to be a weak stylistic choice in a thesis statement; elevating sentence structure using a compound sentence can eliminate lists.  Most importantly, it must be the last sentence of the intro as that is the sentence that is graded as the thesis. 
Intro: The introduction should begin the very first line of the essay with a attention getter that draws the reader in.  Students should use a style shown in the intro notes: story, question, quote, or definition. A good intro does not summarize the main points of the essays. The intro should go beyond summing up points.
Support Paragraphs: Students will create balanced paragraphs throughout their essay. I suggest that you focus on one point/claim that backs up the thesis per paragraph, which will help control the organization of ideas in the essay. There is not a set number of required paragraphs since students need to write 1,100-1300 word essay, but students should note that a paragraph should not be less than four sentences or go over 10 sentences.
Refute Paragraph: Every good argument must consider than refute opposing views. The refute paragraph should be towards the end of the essay, usually, right before the conclusion paragraph. A good refute will show an opposing view, then, immediately, explain the incorrectness/weakness of that view to disprove it. See notes in the module.
Conclusion: The conclusion must start with the restated thesis. The thesis should be the only sentence that repeats in the essay. Do not sum up the main points in the conclusion. Instead, offer an interesting thought to bring the essay to a close. This can be a suggestion, story, quote, or give a prediction what could happen in the future in relation to the topic. Please note that questions should never be asked in body paragraphs nor the conclusion. Leading questions talk the the reader, which is informal tone.
Works Cited Page: Students will write a properly MLA formatted works cited page with hanging indent, double spaced, and in alphabetical order for all sources used in the essay. 
Additional Research Essay Requirements:
Quotes in Support/Body Paragraphs:
Students will write body paragraphs with proper topic sentences that show the main idea of that paragraph. Students should close body paragraphs with a concluding statements that gives a final thought. According to MLA format quote guidelines, a quote can never start or end a paragraph.
Students must use direct quotes (quote sandwiches) to back up their claims. Students should use one to two quote sandwiches per body paragraph–but NOT all paragraphs need quotes. The quote sandwich method should be used when adding quotes to writing. While paraphrasing was used for the annotated bibliography, students must use direct quotes for this research essay. Paraphrasing will result in a loss of points.
Students must use 4-5 different sources total in this research essay. 
Students should use 2 of the sources from their annotated bib assignment as sources in this research assignment.
Students should use 1 quote from the primary source >>U.S. House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok – The New York Times (1).pdfDownload U.S. House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok – The New York Times (1).pdf
Students will include a properly formatted MLA Works Cited page for all of their cited sources . No less than 4, no more than 5. The sources should be in MLA format: double spaced, hanging indent, in alphabetical order.
Plan:
1. Students will submit a prewrite to get their ideas down.
2. Students will submit a rough draft to professor and peer review group for feedback.
3. Students will complete a peer review on another student’s rough draft. I will take a quick look at rough drafts and offer a couple suggestions for revisions, but rough draft feedback is minimal in comparison to student’s responsibility in reviewing and editing their work. 
3. Students will submit a revised, polished final draft following the assignment requirements and guidelines, written in MLA format with proper quote sandwiches and MLA Works Cited page. Students will submit via Turnitin to check for plagiarism.
View Rubric
Research Essay Rubric
Research Essay Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
Introduction
10 pts
Full Marks
• Clear/coherent/well organized/does not summarize main points • Engages reader with interesting attention-getter at start • Thesis is identifiable in last sentence
7 pts
Average
• Mostly clear intro/ some summary of points • Somewhat engaging to reader • Weak attention-getter
0 pts
Poor
Absent/provides no introduction to the essay
/ 10 pts
Thesis Statement
15 pts
Full Marks
▪ Clear and specific with details ▪ Uses elevated sentence structure ▪ Directly addresses assignment by showing topic and main idea of essay • Thesis is last sentence of the intro
9 pts
Average
▪ Unspecific thesis that references the assignment ▪ Does not show both topic and main idea of essay ▪ Fails to clearly address assignment in last sentence of introduction
0 pts
No Marks
Absent / Not identifiable
/ 15 pts
Revision
20 pts
Full Marks
• Uses feedback given in rough draft to make effective and elevated changes in content/purpose of the assignment • Shows clear understanding of editing for errors in mechanics • Improvements show outstanding understanding of revision process
0 pts
Poor
• Shows little to no revision from feedback given in rough draft • Mistakes left in paper clearly show lack of proofreading • Fails to utilize elevated choices to make improvements
/ 20 pts
Conclusion
10 pts
Full Marks
▪ Strong conclusion, with thesis at start • Does not summarize points of the paper • Give interesting final thought to close paper
6 pts
Average
▪ Average conclusion * Somewhat repetitive of ideas already stated * Thesis is at start
0 pts
Poor/Absent
Absent / Unidentifiable as a conclusion
/ 10 pts
Content
70 pts
Full Marks
▪ Clear and specific essay structure, using elevated sentence structure and transitions ▪ Outstanding developed and organized paragraphs, showing clear understanding of assignment purpose/goals ▪ Writing shows outstanding college level academic writing standards. ▪ Carries out the aims by showcasing the topics and stand with specific and detailed examples of problems along with supplying detailed resolutions also while considering then refuting opposing viewpoints
52.5 pts
Average
▪ Sometimes unclear support points that may veer off topic ▪ Some points are underdeveloped and sometimes contains unorganized paragraph/essay structure ▪ Shows some elevated choice in academic research writing ▪ Fails to carry out some of the aims of the assignment or prove the thesis statement/stand throughout entire essay or leaves out key points • Only refutes one opposing view points.
26.25 pts
Poor
• Writing does not fully address topic/ goal of writing assignment and can be hard to follow at times • Errors in mechanics makes readability difficult at times • Does not show understanding of assignment goals of writing college level research paper • Fails to show understanding of assignment of writing a stand for the topic • Missing refute of opposing view points.
0 pts
Poor
• Writing does not meet college level standards in research essay format • Writing does not reflect assigned topic • Ideas are hard to follow and unsupported by claims and support from research • Writing is filled with many errors, making readability extremely difficult throughout
/ 70 pts
Style / Tone
20 pts
Full Marks
• Uses college level and elevated stylistic choices in word choice and sentence structure • Uses formal tone throughout essay • Displays outstanding understanding of academic audience awareness in style and tone
6 pts
Points Off
• Writer does not use elevated choices in style and tone throughout essay • Writer often uses informal tone • Writer does not show awareness of audience nor an understanding of college level, academic writing style nor tone
/ 20 pts
Mechanics
30 pts
Grammar / Punctuation
• Almost no errors in writing in grammar and punctuation • Writing does not contain very many errors such as fragments, run-ons, comma splice run-ons, comma errors, other punctuation errors, capitalization errors, nor spelling errors. • Writer shows attention to mechanics through extensive proofreading and editing.
7.5 pts
Points Off
• Writing contains various errors in grammar and punctuation which makes readability difficult at times• Writing contains errors such as fragments, run-ons, comma splice run-ons, comma errors, other punctuation errors, capitalization errors, nor spelling errors. • Writer does not show attention to mechanics through extensive proofreading and editing.
/ 30 pts
Quote Integration
25 pts
Full Marks
• Writing integrates sources responsibly in MLA format as support to writer’s claims/ideas, using quote sandwich method of a quote introduction, direct quote, and quote analysis/connection to claim/idea. • Sources are used to enhance the writer’s ideas/claims as support that does not overwhelm the writer’s voice. • Student provides a properly formatted works cited page
15 pts
Below Passing
• Writing sometimes integrates sources responsibly as support to writer’s claims/ideas, using MLA format /quote sandwich method of a quote introduction, direct quote, and quote analysis/connection to claim • Sources are used to enhance the writer’s ideas/claims as support but at points can overwhelm the writer’s voice. • Writer sometimes uses paraphrasing that does not show where the writer nor the source’s ideas begin and end. • Student provides a mostly properly formatted works cited page
0 pts
No Credit
• Writing is a series of patched together quotes, which does not show the student’s own ideas/thoughts/claims • Writer uses paraphrasing that does not show where the writer nor the source’s ideas begin and end throughout essay. • Does not include any outside sources/research nor properly integrate sources according to the assignment directions • Student does not provide a properly formatted works cited page
/ 25 pts
Total Points: 0