1. Getting Started

First Things First - Assignment Requirements

Before you begin work on any research paper, examine the assignment closely to familiarize yourself with the requirements. Make note of any and all requirements on the assignment sheet, and ask your instructor for clarification on any parts you're not sure about. Some things to think about are:

How long is the paper?

800-1200 words

How many sources?

Between 4 and 10 sources

What kind of sources?

At least three sources need to be from reputable, academic sources. You can find more information to supplement what you already know.

How do you cite sources?

You will use MLA format for your citations. You may want to remind yourself what information you need to create the MLA Works Cited page and in-text citations.

What is due?

You will need to complete a rough draft and a final draft that include a Works Cited page.

When is it due?

Check the Course Calendar in D2L for the due date for the full rough draft and final draft.

Selecting a Topic

The first thing you need to do before you begin a research paper is to select a topic that you're going to write about. Consider the following:

Q. Do you have a choice?

For this assignment, you have three choices for topics:

Investigate a well-known trial from American history (several preselected trials are available, but you may choose another one with approval from the instructor). Explain the trial and its outcome, then develop an argument about whether the defendants(s) received a just trial. You do not need to prove guilt or innocence. Use this case to reflect on how justice operates in the American legal system.
Investigate a prominent “cancellation” event from recent years (several preselected events are available, but you may choose another one with approval from the instructor). Explain what happened in the event, then develop an argument about whether cancellation in this instance was just or unjust. Use this event to reflect on justice functions in the digital age.
Investigate a current issue or system that raises questions about justice in today’s society. Choose and explain one specific example, and then develop an argument about whether this issue or system promotes or undermines justice. Use your example to consider what this case suggests about justice in modern society. Your instructor must approve the topic and the specific case.

Q. Do you have an interest?

Consider which topic you find the most interesting. When dealing with controversial issues, think about which topics you care about or have an interest in. Which topic do you think would be the easiest to write about? Which topic would you have the most to say about?

Q. Are there sources?

Before you totally commit to a topic, you'll want to make sure that there is an appropriate amount of information available on that topic. Some topics that are brand new or lesser known may not have enough articles written about them for you to do the research you need for the assignment. Do some searching in the library's databases to make sure there are sources, and Ask-A-Librarian to double-check if you're not sure there are enough sources for a topic you're really interested in.

On the other hand, some topics are very popular and may have so many articles written about them that you get an overwhelming number of results when you search. For example, there are over 1,000 results for "cancel culture" in the Opposing Viewpoints database. To avoid that, you should narrow your search to a more specific topic, focusing on just one aspect of that issue. Continue reading on the next page for more on narrowing your topic.