Week 1 – Discussion 1

 

	Prepare As you prepare to write your first discussion this week, take a few moments to do the following:
	Reflect Before drafting your initial post, take time to reflect on the idea of argument in an academic setting. Think about your own natural communication style and your typical behavior in an argument. Are you typically calm and logical when making an argument? Do you tend to appeal to emotion? Do you often get frustrated when trying to prove your point? Think critically about your personal communication style and its effectiveness in an academic setting.
	Write (due Thursday, Day 3) In 200 to 300 words, describe argument in your own words. Include the roles of the four basic elements of an argument in your description. Give an example of an argument you have experienced and identify the claims, evidence, counterargument, and rebuttal used. If you cannot think of an example from your own life, you may analyze the persuasive student paper, Flag Burning, from the Ashford Writing Center instead. You must identify claims, evidence, counterarguments, and rebuttals present in the student paper. Be sure to include any questions or confusion you have regarding rhetoric, argument, and the Classic/Rogerian styles.
	Respond to Peers (due Monday, Day 7) In 125 to 200 words each, respond to at least two classmates. In each response, address your classmate’s questions and concerns with information from class and your own research or web search. Then, analyze your classmate’s description of argument and provide additional information or share examples of the basic elements of an argument.

 

 

Week 1 – Discussion 2

Argument, Keyword, and Thesis Statement Workshop

 

	Prepare As you prepare to write your second discussion for this week, be sure to complete the following:
	Reflect Before drafting your initial post, take time to reflect on the approved research topics for your final paper. Considering the information in this week’s instructor guidance and readings, choose the research topic that suits you best. Choose a topic that is interesting, has a clear argument, and allows you to remain objective. We will be using research and logic to support our arguments in this class. It may be difficult to remain objective if you feel emotionally or spiritually connected to the subject.
	Write (due Thursday, Day 3) In 200 to 300 words, share your chosen research topic for this class and write a few sentences on each of the following: Share the kind of argument you hope to make and why. Identify five to ten keywords for your library research and explain your choices. Write a single-sentence thesis statement for your research paper and compare it to the “Thesis Checklist.” Include any areas of confusion or questions you have for the class and/or your instructor.
	Respond to Peers (due Monday, Day 7) In 125 to 200 words each, respond to at least two classmates. Provide feedback on any area of confusion and answer any questions your classmate has posted. Support your responses with information from the course materials (including the textbook), instructor guidance, articles, Ashford University Library, and Ashford Writing Center. Be sure to include A detailed explanation of why you agree (or disagree) with your classmate’s chosen style of argument for the research paper topic chosen. Suggestions for additional library search keywords for your classmate’s research paper topic. An analysis of your classmate’s thesis statement according to the textbook, the Ashford Writing Center, and other course materials. Make every effort to read all posts and responses in this discussion. You are strongly encouraged to follow up with classmates who have responded to your post. As always, you may respond to more than two classmates if you choose.

 

 

 

 

ENG 122 week 1 Quiz

All correct

Question 1.                

Which of the following BEST describes the primary goal of a research project?

To prove your idea is the best

 To bring a conversation to a close

 To win a debate on an issue

 To push a conversation forward

 

 

Question 2.                

Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a thesis?

To respond to one or more researchers’ positions

 To prove a point

 To present a straightforward definition of the topic

 To cite relevant evidence to support your argument

 

                       

Question 3.                

When you contribute to a research conversation, which of the following skills is NOT strictly necessary?

Demonstrating careful thinking and attentive reading

 Presenting the only voice of original ideas and research

 Reviewing the work of others

 Drawing inferences and conclusions based on credible evidence

 

 

Question 4.                

Researchers are LEAST likely to want to know which of the following from their sources?

How other researchers have framed their questions

 What existent data proved useful in previous research

 Popular opinions on their topic

 False starts other researchers have taken

 

                       

Question 5.                

Scholarly work guarantees all of the following characteristics, EXCEPT:

Credible arguments

Accurate information not subject to debate

 Criticism of other researchers’ work

 Important methods used to interpret evidence

 

                       

Question 6.                

A keyword search in the library’s databases functions exactly like a regular Google web search.

True

 False

 

                                                                       

Question 7.                

To assess research needs, a researcher should begin with WHICH ONE of the following elements?

Develop an initial set of research questions

 Review theories relevant to the research question

 Find background, exhibit, argument, and method (BEAM) sources

  Write a draft of the thesis statement

 

                       

 

Question 8.                

To meet research deadlines, which of the following criteria is MOST useful?

Open-ended research questions

 Expertise in the field of study

 A narrow focus

 A broad view of a topic

 

 

Question 9.                

What is the best way to describe the concept of a “community of thinkers”?

Insistence of the truth of one’s own beliefs on a subject

 Exchange and contribution of ideas among critical thinkers

 Discussion within groups of like-minded individuals

 Heated debates where one side clearly wins the argument

 

                       

Question 10.              

Which of the following is NOT considered a viable criterion for evaluating sources?

Credibility

 Relevance of subject matter

 Ease with which it was found online

 Expertise of author

 

Question 11.              

When starting your search for peer reviewed scholarly sources, which of the following types of databases is your BEST choice?

A subject-specific database

 A field-specific database

 A general-purpose database

 A basic Google search

 

Question 12.              

Course textbooks are useful resources for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT:

They provide a short overview of the topic.

 They help researchers understand the specialized language of a field.

 They feature the most recent academic debates on the topic.

 They give readers a general sense of the important topics in the field.

                       

Question 13.              

Which of the following DOES NOT describe a characteristic of news, trade, and popular sources?

They may be subject to editorial review or review by industry practitioners.

 They make assertions without always providing readers with verification of evidence.

  They are written primarily to educate or entertain.

 They use a broad citation system to document sources.

 

 

Question 14.              

Which of the following is NOT a reason why student researchers often struggle to find resources?

They discover that no resources exist on their topic of interest.

 They search randomly for general information.

 They are unfamiliar with Google Scholar and other library databases.

They are unaware of differences between academic and popular sources.

                       

Question 15.              

When writing a thesis paragraph, you should AVOID

explaining the significance of your thesis.

 claiming other authors’ ideas as your own.

 establishing your own perspective in a scholarly debate.

 articulating your thesis as a response to established research.

 

                       

Question 16.              

Researchers understand that their research may provide the following element for future generations:

The final and definitive answer to a problem

 Absolute truth

 The end of the need for research on the subject

Extension, revision, or refutation of their work

 

           

Question 17.              

Which of the following is UNLIKELY to help the reader find BASIC information on a topic?

Consulting encyclopedias

 Referring to subject guides

 Reading dictionaries

 Searching academic databases

 

 

Question 18.              

Choose the best thesis statement.

People should always keep their dogs restrained because it is the law.

Although dogs require exercise for optimal health, owners should always keep their dogs restrained to protect the animal from accidental injury and the public from attack.

  Dogs are animals and not fashion accessories so they should be allowed to run free.

                       

Question 19.              

The majority of your research should be conducted

via the World Wide Web.

 via Ashford Library databases.

 via the Google search engine.

 via the Bing search engine.

 

                       

 

Question 20.              

The concept of “search construction” allows researchers to do all of the following, EXCEPT:

Find synonyms for key words

 Identify potential search terms

 Specify relationships between key terms

 Keep their searches as broad as possible

 

 

Week 1 – Assignment

 

Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography begins the preliminary research process. The document will serve as an ongoing list of sources that will support your Final Research Paper. Each of the sources should be cited in APA format (for help, click on APA Formatting Instructions for Microsoft Word) and should include a two-paragraph summary, or annotation, of the resource contents and how you intend to use the information within your paper. Be sure to utilize the information from this week’s Argument and Thesis Workshop discussion, and refer to “Research Paper Guidelines” for additional support. Before beginning, please review the Model Annotated Bibliography. 

To fulfill the research component of this assignment, you must:

• Conduct several searches using any of the databases in the Ashford University Library.
• Select at least five scholarly peer-reviewed sources from your library search that support the topics and arguments you plan to present in your Final Research Paper.

To fulfill the written component of this assignment, you must:

• Include a title page that is formatted in proper APA style.
• List APA-style references in alphabetical order along with your unique paragraph summaries.

• Annotation paragraphs must be original and cannot be copied from abstracts or other summaries. Copied-and-pasted annotations may receive a zero grade.

• Format your assignment according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Your annotated bibliography should be double-spaced with one-inch margins and use 12-point Times New Roman font.

Your annotations should contain

• A complete summary, in your own words, of the information presented in the article.
• Your analysis of the best use of this information in your paper, written in your own words.
• Identification of a possible topic sentence and/or claim the information will support.

The bibliography must be 500 to 700 words in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Submission Information: Complete the tasks above and save the document as a Microsoft Word or compatible .doc or .docx file. Submit your assignment via the Assignment Submission button. Please use a naming convention for your assignment files that includes your last name and the week number. So, your Annotated Bibliography assignment should bear a file name that looks like: smith_w2.docx.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Late Policy: Written assignments (essays, journals, presentations) are due on the specified days in the course. Written assignments will be subject to a late penalty of up to 10% per day up to three days late. If written assignments are submitted after 72 hours past the due date, instructors can give a penalty up to and including a grade of 0 for the assignment.