This essay should be clear and concise and about 1000 words.

It must include a cover letter and an annotated bibliography

I was thinking about something like poverty or parenting. The instructor says: First, you will choose a topic of interest that has two opposing sides. Then, you need to research that topic in order to specify the topic’s scope, so it can be easily discussed in a shorter, 1000 word essay.

The following overused topics may not be used in your essay:

·  abortion

·  capital punishment

·  gay marriage

·  gays in the military

·  mandatory drug testing

·  euthanasia

·  childhood obesity

·  women in the military

·  Underage drinking

·  Legalization of marijuana

This essay must include a minimum of five sources.  Three should peer-reviewed sources preferably from the APUS databases.  You may use eBooks; however, as discussed earlier this semester, books generally are not as current as peer-reviewed articles.  You may also use primary sources (interviews, statistics, etc); however, these primary sources should be obtained from experts within that field.  If you cannot find strong sources for your chosen topic, then change your topic. If you have a question about the validity of a source, please email me, or post your question to the open forum.

Make sure to include the following sections in your essay: 

·  Introduction and claim.

·  Background.

·  Body.

·  Conclusion.

.Within the body of your Rogerian essay, make sure to include the following in any order:

·  The background for your chosen topic.

·  The opposition – use an academic tone, and do not show bias. 

·  The strengths and weaknesses of your opponents claim.

·  Strong, scholarly research

·  Your claim – use an academic tone, and do not show bias. 

·  Discuss the warrants for your claim and the opposition in order to find the common ground.

·  Show the common ground between your opponents claim and your claim.

After you have written your essay, please make sure to revise the content of your essay. Lastly, be sure to edit your essay by checking grammar, format, and smaller technical details. Please make sure your essay is written in third person. 

The Cover Letter

Each essay due in this course needs to have a cover letter (not a cover page). In letter for the Rogerian essay, I would like for you to answer the following questions. Each response should be one paragraph (at least three sentences), with the exception of question six. You may use first person in your cover letter.

The questions are below:

1) What was the purpose of the essay? In your response, explore the deeper meaning of this question. The goal is not just to complete the assignment but instead to convey a message. What do you plan to accomplish with this essay? What do you hope the reader takes away from this argument?

2) What did you learn from completing this assignment? Did you experience a new understanding of the topic? Did you change your perspective after completing the research?

3) What difficulties did you encounter during the research, writing, or editing phases of the assignment?

4) What did you enjoy about this assignment?

5) What made you decide to write about this particular topic? Is this a topic that you are discussing in another course? Is this a topic that concerns you in particular?

6) Is there anything else you would like for me to know before reading your essay?

The Annotated Bibliography

 
An annotated Bibliography (AB) is due with your Rogerian essay. Using the MLA guide, list each source as it will appear on the Works Cited page of your essay. In two to three sentences summarize the text. I will be checking for grammar as well. This is what makes it an “annotated” bibliography. A sample is shown below.

Annotated Bibliography

Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1998. Print.

 
Clark's textbook identifies the major steps to developing a well-researched and well-written argumentative essay. Professional essays are included in the text as models.

Ward, Russ. Logical Argument in the Research Paper. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1997. Print.

Augmenting the steps to writing an argumentative research paper is information about proper documentation. The Toulmin System, an important aspect of a well-planned paper, should be studied carefully.

Please view the uploaded rubric for more detail about how this essay will be graded.

Supporting Materials Below

ENGL 102 Research Essay Rubric.doc