Assignment: Synthesis
Due Date: Rough draft due November 5th; Final Draft due TBA
Page Requirements: 5-7 pages, double-spaced; MLA format; 12 point font, Times New Roman; Include page numbers in the right header; 1” margins.
Assignment Description: Write an informative research paper based on the tentative thesis statement you emailed to me. This paper should incorporate 6-10 sources that work to support your thesis. I have posted on D2L and the class blog a list of questions to consider when writing, reviewing, and revising your drafts. This assignment will display your ability to research a narrowed topic, interpret the information, and present that information in the form of a formal research paper. You will be required to properly cite sources within the body of the text and compose a works cited page, as well. Examples can be found in your Wadsworth handbook.
Rough Drafts: You will be required to write multiple drafts of this paper. The first draft is due on Wednesday, November 5th and must be posted to your group’s discussion page on D2L. We will conduct peer review workshops Thursday and Friday (November 6th and 7th), and the second drafts will be due the following week (I will set up a dropbox for these). The first draft does not have to be a complete draft with all of your sources; however, it would be beneficial for you to have as much written as possible. The second draft must be complete with a clear intro, body, and conclusion.
Late Papers: I have not set a due date for the final draft; I will have a better idea of when it will be due once we have completed peer reviews. I will email and post this information on the blog and D2L once a date has been chosen. Same policy as before: if you turn in your final draft late, you will receive a penalty of 10% reduced from the paper’s final grade. Whether it’s late one day or seven, your grade for this assignment will be lowered 10% if it’s not turned in on time. You will be required to turn in a final draft via the D2L dropbox marked, Synthesis—Final Draft, and you will be required to turn in a hardcopy in class on the due date. This assignment counts for 25% of your overall grade, so it would be to your benefit to turn it in on time.
Plagiarism: If you do not give credit where credit is due, if you fail to cite sources or blatantly steal someone else’s work, you will receive an automatic zero for both the assignment and the class. MSU has a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism. If you feel unsure about citing and paraphrasing from your sources, feel free to ask for some assistance.
If you have any questions regarding the assignment requirements, grading criteria (provided as a supplement to this sheet), or policies, please contact me via email, my office phone, or stop by during office hours. Please refer to your syllabus for contact information.
