Fall 2013 English 1102

Extended Inquiry/Investigation Project (EIP)

For this four-part project, youll choose a subject for extended study. Choose something that truly interests you because youll stay with this topic for the rest of the semester. First youll consider what you know about it as well as what you want to know ( roposal!. "hen youll collect answers to your #uestions from credible sources and analy$e their %alue to your study (&esearch and 'nnotated (ibliography!. 'fter synthesi$ing your research, youll compose an essay that discusses your findings and your new understanding, and shows why this is of interest and importance to your audience ()ssay!. Finally, you will write a thoughtful reflection on your project (&eflection!.

Part 1 Pro!osal
*") +, "hoose a su#ject/to!ic to investigate. -oure looking for a contro%ersial or debatable issue that is related somehow to this courses focus on representation and misrepresentation in %arious kinds of texts (written, photography, "., film, ad%ertising, signage, songs, etc.! / the way texts ha%e been used to manipulate, to sell, to perpetuate bias, to make humor, to silence, to co%er up, to expose. -our topic needs to be as narrowly and clearly defined as possible (ex., 0media silence on homeless children in Charlotte1 %s. 0images of homelessness1!. For help choosing a topic, you may want to re%iew our 0arguable issues1 handout. 2ote, -ou may want to in%estigate a topic unrelated to our class media focus. "his is probably fine, but youll need to check with me first. "he main point is to find a topic youre really interested in, that is debatable, that youll enjoy researching and writing about.

3ssues to a%oid, *tay away from issues4topics that are unwinnable arguments (such as abortion, issues related to religion, party politics! or that are boring because they ha%e been addressed so often by others (unless you ha%e an exciting new angle!. ' few ideas, - "he way propaganda (in any media! has been used to marginali$e, sell, manipulate, perpetuate bias, co%er up a particular subject or e%ent (such as a specific war, a minority, a nationality, or religious group!, a social type4stereotype (such as cheerleaders, athletes, 2'*C'& fans, lawyers!, or issues related to economic4social class, - 5ow a particular minority has been portrayed historically in films, "., cartoons and comics, or childrens books. -ou could choose to focus on a particular contro%ersial book, like Little Black Sambo or the Uncle Remus stories, or a particular film, like Dances with Wolves. - "he slogans and images used to sell public ser%ice campaigns such as 2ancy &eagans 06ust *ay 2o,1 the egg frying in a pan and other commercials in 0"he 7ar on 8rugs91 the pink ribbons, 0&ace for the Cure,1 and other breast cancer e%ents . - 3ssues related to 0branding,1 easily recogni$ed logos, and the use of stereotypes to sell particular products 3f you are uncertain about the appropriateness of your topic, email or come see me early, before you get too far into your project. *") :, Pro!osal 2ext youll write an in#uiry topic and in%estigati%e4research proposal (;-< pages!. roposal parts, resent your issue4topic, then try to put it in #uestion form. ("his may re#uire more than one #uestion, and they should not be 0yes4no1 #uestions. 05ow1 and 07hy1 #uestions tend to lead to real insights. For example, 05ow is media co%erage of the 7ar in 'fghanistan different from that during the .ietnam 7ar= 7hy might this be= 7hat difference does it make=! 7hy did you choose this subject o%er others= 7hy is it compelling to you= 7hat do you already know about your subject= 7hat more do you need to learn= "o guide your research, write ten #uestions you want to find answers to. 5alf of these can be fact-based #uestions / the 0who, what, when, where, and why1 of your subject. "he rest should be substanti%e #uestions concerning the significance of the subject (for example, its clear impact o%er the course of years, its long-term effects, or its influence on future direction!.

7here do you think you will find answers you seek= ossibilities are articles from popular journals or web sites, scholarly research or studies, go%ernment documents, indi%iduals who might be good subjects for inter%iew. 7hat #uestions might be difficult to find answers for= 3f the results of your initial research are so numerous you need to narrow your subject, what will you narrow it to= 3f your preliminary research turns up %ery little information, how will you broaden your subject to open up more research findings= "hink about who your target audience might be. 7ho is most affected by this issue= 7hy should other people care about this issue= 7hy is your issue important=

3ts not too early to consider what genre form your essay might take. *ometimes taking this into account also helps guide your research. For example, a problem-solution essay will re#uire a 0call to action,1 so you would need to discuss both the reasons for your solution and how it would be put into use, including both the costs (financial, personal, other! and benefits of implementing your proposal. -ou would also need to discuss what (if anything! has already been done about this issue, and why those solutions ha%e been unsatisfactory. >pinion and argument essays tend to focus on examining multiple points of %iew, weighing the e%idence, deciding which 0side1 you agree with and why (or coming up with your own, new take on the issue!. 'n informati%e4in%estigati%e piece might call for inter%iewing people on site or through emails, digging up old newspaper articles or photographs, shooting your own photos or %ideos, conducting a sur%ey, or taking a road trip. -ou may want to re%iew our handouts on 0genres1 and 0types of claims and supports.1

roposal first drafts are due on ?onday, *eptember +@th. -ou will need to bring copies for each group member and the instructor. 'ttach to each copy a short (+-: paragraph! $e$o to guide your readers% revie& of your first draft, 7hat #uestions do you ha%e for your readers= 7hat parts are you most concerned about= 7hat places in your draft just dont feel right= 7hat do you think your writing does well= 7hat feels weak or dissatisfying still needs work=

Part 2 'nnotated (i#liogra!hy

*") +, )esearch 7here can you best find the information you hope to find= -ou probably will Aoogle your subject first. (ut as you know, not all sources from online are acceptable as %alid research. (e sure to accurately record each web B&C, title, author(s!, and publications date. (For later documentation purposes, it is often easiest to just print out the first page of an article or webpage.! Deep track also of sites where you find %isual images, audio, film or other media collected from web. B2CC 'dkins library is another great resource. From the library webpage, you can find multiple databases that contain a wealth of scholarly and popular journal articles, go%ernment databases, and much other information from a %ariety of sources. *hould you dare to actually enter the library, the librarians at the help desk are trained to assist you with research, and will guide you towards books sections and websites that are particularly rele%ant for your project. ersonal inter%iews might be another good source for your in#uiry project. *ome #uestions can be best answered by an indi%idual who actually experienced the e%ent youre researching, or who works in the field youre in%estigating. (e prepared for inter%iews by making a list of good, thoughtful, open-ended #uestions, but be willling to let your inter%iew subject take the reins when they want to talk. ?ake careful and accurate notes of sessions, or record them if your subject is agreeable to that. )mails and phone calls are good sources, too. *") :, 'nnotated (i#liogra!hy -ou must ha%e fi%e sources in this bibliography. "hese should probably be the fi%e best sources you%e found in your in%estigation. (2ote, Feel free to use any of the materials we read in class, but your annotated source list must include fi%e new sources.!

(egin with the source citation lines in ?C' format. -ou can use an online citation generator for help with this, http,44citationmachine.net4. (e %ery careful as you fill in the information, and know the type of source before you begin. Capitali$e as needed. ?any ?C' citation guides are a%ailable on the web. ' good one gi%ing multiple examples is http,44lgdata.s;-website-us-east+.ama$onaws.com4docs4+<E:4:;F+GH4?C'ICitationI)xamples.pdf . 'lso %ery good is urdue Bni%ersitys >7C program http,44owl.english.purdue.edu4owl4resource4JHJ4;4. &emember to alphabeti$e your entries by the first letter on the left margin (unless that word is an article such as 0a1 or 0the,1 in which case you alphabeti$e by first 0real1 word.! (e sure to double space and use the hanging indent. 7rite three paragraphs for each source. -ouKll need to study each source in depth to gather enough information for a summary and analysis. First paragraph, *ummari$e the source. 7rite an objecti%e, complete, and accurate summary of what the article4book4film4etc. is about and what its purpose is. *econd paragraph, &espond to what you ha%e read, how will you use this source= 3nclude in this paragraph information on how the source is rele%ant to the essay youKre planning to write, or how the source pro%ides background, perspecti%e, or a new point of %iew on your subject. -ou can also write about why the article is weak or not as useful as youKd like. (3ts okay to include in your bibliography a source you decide not to use, but you need to explain why.! "hird paragraph, 8iscuss how you know this is a credible source. Cook for clues on online sources, consider reputation, authorship, location, and content in explaining why this is a reputable source. ?ention any bias you may notice, and discuss whether this is problematic.

'nnotated (ibliography first drafts are due on 7ednesday, >ctober :nd. -ou will need to bring copies for each group member and the instructor. 'ttach to each copy a short (+-: paragraphs! $e$o to guide your readers% revie& of your first draft, 7hat #uestions do you ha%e for your readers= 7hat parts are you most concerned about= 7hat places in your draft just dont feel right= 7hat do you think your writing does well= 7hat feels weak or dissatisfying still needs work=

Part 3 *he Essay

7hat ha%e you learned about your subject= 7hat conclusion(s! can you draw= >nce you synthesi$e your findings, what is most important= 7hat ideas does your research support= "he genre you choose and how you shape your essay will depend on the information you%e found and the approach you%e taken. -our essay may take the shape of an argument, where you set out to take a side on an issue thats arisen. 3t may be informational in that youre pro%iding background information or other findings that shed light on your study. -ou may find yourself explaining somethingLmaking clear something thats been misunderstood or misrepresented. -ou may offer a solution to a problem, or disco%er causes for a situation. "here will probably be se%eral ways you could go with the essay. 3n that case, dont try to do a lightweight job of e%erything9 instead, choose a direction4topic and co%er it in depth. -ou may want to re%iew our handouts on 0genres1 and 0types of claims and supports.1 Formulate a working thesis idea. 3n a sentence or two, articulate clearly and succinctly what your main point4purpose is. 7hat, ultimately, are you setting out to show in your essay= 7hat do you conclude about what you%e found out, and what personal conclusions can you deri%e from it= 7hat do you want your readers to know and understand about what you%e disco%ered= -our thesis sentence(s! will help keep you centered on what your focus is, and when someone else reads your essay they should be able to sum it up with the same idea. -our essay should be H-@ pages with an additional +or,s "ited !age. 3t may be longerLbut if it goes long, be sure you are not being repetiti%e or going off the subject youre addressing. 3t may be shorterLbut if so, make sure that you ha%e made each point con%incing to readers who know nothing about your subject and that you ha%e left nothing essential unexplored.

>ther things your essay should contain, ?C' format, documentation and heading. "his includes the four line, double-spaced heading at top left of your first page, +1 margins all around, etc. -our internal citations should be correct and should match the 7orks Cited page at the end of the essay. &emember to alphabeti$e entries on your 7orks Cited page. -our essay should ha%e an evocative title *ynthesi$ed sources. "his means you dont rely on just one article or book or inter%iew, but you weigh the %ariety of information to add balance and %ariety to your essay. -ou should incorporate at least three of your sources into your essay. ?ake good use of your sources to aupport your ideas. "ry to 0wea%e1 #uotes into your own prose, and be sure to use in-text citations for all ideas4information you get from outside sources (including those you paraphrase!. Cogical, effecti%e structure. Aood transitions between each point you make. 'n interesting conclusion that points to the wider importance of your issue.

-ou can use images throughout your essay to support your points. 5owe%er, you still need H-@ pages of written text.

)3 )ssay first drafts are due on 7ednesday, >ctober ;Fth . -ou will need to bring copies for each group member and the instructor. 'ttach to each copy a short (+-: paragraphs! $e$o to guide your readers% revie& of your first draft, 7hat #uestions do you ha%e for your readers= 7hat parts are you most concerned about= 7hat places in your draft just dont feel right= 7hat do you think your writing does well= 7hat feels weak or dissatisfying still needs work=

Part - )e.lection
-our &eflection essay should be an in-depth, thoughtful response that focuses as much on the why of your process as the what and how. "he what and how you already know9 the why is worth probing further. oints to include in the &eflection essay (not necessarily in this order!, -our idea. Bsing your proposal as your starting point, your essay as your end, how did your idea about your subject change from beginning to end= 7hat changed it= 7hy did it change= 8etail your progression through the de%elopment of your idea. -our research. 8escribe the process of your search, including the type of e%idence you found, where you found it, and its %alue. 7hat surprised you in your research= 8id you find a lot of information about a certain area of your study that you didnt expect= 8id you find too little= 8id your findings encourage you to narrow your search or broaden your search or change the initial direction entirely= "he writing of your essay. 8escribe and reflect on your writing process. 8id you start with a plan or outline, or did you draft by freewriting= 8id you use notecards= >ther writing techni#ues= 7hy did you choose the genre, tone and style you chose= -our writers group. 5ow did your writers group workshop criti#ues help or hinder your whole process= -our life as a researcher. 5ow has this in#uiry project been different from 4similar to other research projects you ha%e undertaken= 7hat ha%e you done for the first time= -our life as a learner. 7hat did you learnLabout anythingLthat you didnt already know= )3 &eflection first drafts are due on ?onday, 2o%.+Gth . -ou will need to bring copies for each group member and the instructor. 'ttach to each copy a short (+-: paragraphs! $e$o to guide your readers% revie& of your first draft, 7hat #uestions do you ha%e for your readers= 7hat parts are you most concerned about= 7hat places in your draft just dont feel right= 7hat do you think your writing does well= 7hat feels weak or dissatisfying still needs work=