- Technical Aspects – 50 points
- Minimum 3 pages typed text PLUS cover page and reference page (maximum 5 pages of text)
- Minimum 5 reliable/academic sources (in-text citations and reference page) APA format (if you are unfamiliar with APA formatting, do a simple google search for examples)
- 12 point font
- Times New Roman
- Double spaced
- Standard margins
- College appropriate spelling/grammar/sentence structure (proofread your paper)
- Social Issue (This is the criteria for choosing your topic)
- Something that has a significant effect on our society or the world
- Something that is at least somewhat controversial
- There must be competing viewpoints
- Resolution/solution/conclusion is unknown
- Something that interests you
Content (150 points; 50 points per section)
- Content : Part 1 (50 points)
- Introduction
- Define and justify
- What is the issue and why is it significant?
- Content: Part 2 (50 points)
- Examination of both sides of the issue
- What are the arguments and what is the evidence? Evidence should be data driven.
- This is the scientific portion of your paper and should NOT contain your opinions. A reader should not be able to discern which position you support.
- Be aware of the quality of sources that you use – Garbage in = garbage out!
- Utilize online databases that contain scholarly information (check with your library: EBSCO; google scholar)
- Content: Part 3 (50 points)
- Conclusion/critical analysis
- Strongest arguments/weakest arguments and why?
- What’s rational/logical – supported by the evidence?
- What’s emotional – not supported by evidence?
- Is there an underlying issue of importance – can you make any inferences about the issue?
- Should we try to resolve the issue or not – why? How?
- Do we have some sort of responsibility to address this issue as an individual/society?
- Give your educated opinion on the future of this issue. What happens if you do nothing vs something?
- Propose a research idea that would help us understand the issue better.