Travel

8-10 pages including a Works Cited page

The aim of composing an argumentative research paper is not only to summarize existing perspectives or simply to inform readers about a topic. You have been developing these skills throughout the course, and you should use them to support your writing process, but they are not ends in themselves; rather, they are a means to achieve more complex rhetorical objectives. Your aim for this assignment will be to construct a research-based argument that contributes something new to an ongoing scholarly conversation.

Your task:

Write an argumentative research paper that asserts and defends—with evidence, analysis, and clear reasoning—an original thesis within a scholarly conversation related to our course theme of travel. Remember that you are not writing in a vacuum; others have written on your topic before you, and you need to be aware of and respond to what has already been said. Note the different perspectives represented in the conversation you have defined and position yourself amongst them.

You should introduce your topic and define the scope of your paper, providing background information and context to explain why your issue should interest a specific academic audience. Use your sources to position yourself within a scholarly conversation and add something new to that discussion. Conclude your paper by reaffirming the significance of your issue and pointing toward additional research and/or analysis that could be done to better understand and potentially act on it.

Specific Requirements

Your paper should:

· Articulate and develop a clear and compelling thesis;

· Position your argument within a scholarly conversation related to our course theme of travel;

· Fully integrate a minimum of 8 sources into your argument, 6 of which must be peer-reviewed, scholarly sources; you may reuse sources from Exercises 1, 2, and 3 as part of your 8 minimum—indeed, I encourage you to do so;

· Use a clear, precise, and active prose style;

· Include a title that reflects the spirit and scope of your paper;

· Adhere to MLA style;

· Be 8-10 pages in length (double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman typeface).

Anchor your account of the scholarly conversation you want to enter in direct quotation of academic sources. Remember that quotes never speak for themselves; you must analyze the textual evidence that supports your thesis, making connections, interpreting ambiguities, and drawing out implications as you explain how and why your evidence and logic back up your claim.

The work of joining a scholarly conversation is neither simple nor easy. As you have learned throughout the semester, it requires that we learn about existing scholarship and find ways that we can contribute to it through our own, independent research. It is difficult work, but if done well, you can use your writing to join conversations and help to address important problems both in the academy and in the context of work and community life. Please email if you have questions about this assignment or anything else related to the course.

A few final tips and reminders:

Be sure your thesis offers a concise and clear argument

Grammar, style, and organizational coherence count

Formatting and MLA citations count

Be concise

Your intended audience is academic in nature, diverse in religious, cultural, and political affiliations