Second Draft of Your Research Paper

Draft #2  is a full draft of your research paper (of approximately 1800 words), and is due this Monday, November 20, in class. 

With Draft #2, you want to make sure that you have written a draft of your paper from start to finish that includes the following:

  • A working title for your paper
  • An introduction and a clear statement of your thesis
  • The effective use of at least two scholarly sources (as defined in class, and in the slideshow on “Engaging Sources” in Google Drive)
  • Parenthetical citations in the MLA format to cite your sources
  • A complete Works Cited list on the last page

Remember: This is a draft. Do as much as you can, and bring whatever you have. 

In class, you will review and respond to two other students’ drafts in class using the questions that guided our last peer review. We will also work on a “reverse outline” of your paper to guide the revision process.

Here’s why you should bring any stage of your draft, even if you feel like it’s not “ready” to submit:

  • If you bring a draft to class, you’ll receive feedback from your peers the same day
  • You’ll be able to complete the “reverse outline” and get a jumpstart on revising your draft
  • You will receive feedback from me within one week of the assignment’s due date, or by Monday, November 27, and will have enough time to address that feedback

As you work on your draft:

Basic info on formatting your assignment:

  • Your assignment (in Google Docs, and when printed) should include your name, our course number (ENG 103.0905) your professor’s name (Professor Kitana Ananda), and the date submitted. (You do not need to include this information in your blog post.) Use 1” margins, double-spacing, and an 11 or 12 point font. I encourage you to print on both sides.

To submit your assignment:

  1. Save your draft as a Google Doc in your writing portfolio (your Drive folder)
  2. Print and bring two copies of your paper for class
  3. Come prepared to read and do a peer review for two other students

Questions to Guide Your Peer Review

Exchange drafts with another student. Read the paper from start to finish. Jot down any initial impressions or ideas.

Now answer a couple of questions. In providing feedback, we want to start our comments with notes on what worked about the paper. Make positive comments first, then make constructive comments to help the writer develop their ideas and organization to improve their paper.

  1. What did you appreciate about this paper? Note where the writer grabbed your interest, any interesting phrases or insights, strong introductions, etc
  2. Is there anything you did not understand while reading this paper? Use lines or arrows to indicate which section, and note what you found confusing

Read the paper again to answer the following questions—and write down your responses on a separate sheet of paper. You will hand this back to your partner, so be generous in your reading, and thorough.

  1. What is the main argument of this paper?
  2.  Does the paper make any other claims?
  3.  What evidence does the paper use to support its claims?
  4.  Did you find the evidence used convincing? Why or why not?
  5.  What did you learn or take away from reading this paper?

First Draft of Your Research Paper

Draft #1 of your research paper (900-1200 words) is due this Monday, November 6, in class! Please read carefully, and if you have questions after doing so, add your questions to this document by Sunday, November 5, at 12:00 p.m. (noon).

Remember: This is a draft. Do as much as you can, and bring whatever you have. You will review and respond to two other students’ drafts in class. You will receive questions in class to guide your peer review.

Here’s why you should bring any stage of your draft, even if you feel like it’s not “ready” to submit: 

  • If you bring a draft to class, you’ll receive feedback from your peers
  • You will have an opportunity to reflect on your draft and plan for writing and editing that we will do during our lab time.
  • You will receive timely feedback from me (within one week of the assignment’s due date, or by Monday, November 13.)

As you work on your draft:

And as always, here’s some basic info on formatting your assignment:

  • Your assignment (in Google Docs, printed) should include your name, our course number (ENG 103.0905) your professor’s name (Professor Kitana Ananda), and the date submitted. (You do not need to include this information in your blog post.) Use 1” margins, double-spacing, and an 11 or 12 point font. I encourage you to print on both sides.

To submit your assignment:

  1. Save your draft as a Google Doc in your writing portfolio (your Drive folder)
  2. Post your draft to our course blog
  3. Print and bring two copies of your paper for class
  4. Come prepared to read and do a peer review for two other students

Archival Document Essay

In this class, you have already analyzed some secondary sources. This assignment asks you to use primary sources–in this case, documents from the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives–to write a short essay.

The Assignment

Write a response paper to two documents from the Archives. Your paper must be at least two double-spaced pages (500 words). You may choose ONE of the following tasks:

A. You choose the documents: Select and analyze two documents from our class folder that have a common theme or issue. (You may want to select documents related to the topic of your final paper.) If you select this option, make a copy of your documents–you will submit them with your assignment. 

OR

B. You analyze two documents that I have already selected for you. Write about two documents included in the packet on the detention of Haitian refugees:

  • The Council of the City of New York, Report of Legal Services Division, Committee on General Welfare, Res. No. 1873
  • Association of Haitian Workers, January 2nd Coalition for the Defense of Haitian Refugees statement

Whether you choose A or B, you must do the following: Write a response paper that 1) briefly describes each source, 2) analyzes these two sources in relation to one another (e.g. using comparison and contrast), and 3) discusses what you have learned about your theme/issue from your document analysis.

DUE DATE: Friday, October 27, by 12pm (noon)

General info for all assignments:

Your assignment should include your name, our course number (ENG 103.0905) your professor’s name (Professor Kitana Ananda), and the date submitted. Use 1” margins, double-spacing, and an 11 or 12 point font. I encourage you to print on both sides.

How to Submit:

  1. Post your essay to our course blog. Change the category to “Blog” (only) and use the “Document response” tag.
  2. Create a file in your Writing Portfolio in Google Drive, and make sure it’s saved to your folder by the due date. If you prefer to use Microsoft Word as your word processor, you can upload the file to your Google Drive.
  • Don’t forget: Always make sure your in-class writing and assignments are saved in your Writing Portfolio (your individual Google Drive folder).

Paper Sketch / Storyboard

Assignment Steps

This assignment can be divided into five smaller steps. Read the entire assignment before you begin.

Step One: Two Sentences: Question and Thesis

To prepare for this step, complete The Research Room tutorials on Developing a Research Question and Developing a Research Thesis.

  • Write a one-sentence question that summarizes the problem your paper addresses.
  • Based on your research question and your reading of the sources you have gathered so far: Write a one-sentence working thesis statement that summarizes your argument in response to the question.

Step Two: Introductory Paragraph

Place your thesis in context by writing a short introductory paragraph to your research paper. This paragraph is where you will explain briefly your topic and the ideas you’re responding to; it is also where you will state your thesis.

  • This paragraph is where you will “enter the conversation” of an academic debate. You may want to draw on the templates from They Say / I Say in crafting your introduction. (For those templates, see our readings and class handouts.)

Step Three: Planning Your Paper

Prepare a brief plan for your paper. You can do this by writing a sentence to describe each main point that you will make in support of your thesis. Refer to the sources you will use as evidence.

  • If you completed the blog on potential research topics, you have already started to do this. Now you will want to be more specific, and include any sources you have found or claims you have developed in your early research.

Step Four: Draft a Title

Develop a working title for your paper. (Don’t worry, you can change this at any time until you submit your final draft!)

  • A good title describes your paper topic and themes; it can include information about the specific focus of your paper (geographic, time period, academic area), use key phrases, or simply state the question your paper will address.
  • One common format for academic paper titles is a two-part title with a colon. The first part may present a question or a signal phrase, while the second part uses key words from the thesis
  • For a few examples related to our course theme, see this document on Sample Research Essay Titles; for more information and additional examples, visit Composing an Effective Title

Step Five: Reflection

The final part of your assignment should respond to the following questions:

  1. Do you think that you were able to develop an interesting and clear thesis that is well supported by the sources you have found to date? If not, what parts of your thesis need more supporting evidence? How will you find this evidence?
  2. What is your next step in the process of researching and writing your paper?

Assignment Format

Two options: Paper Sketch OR Paper Storyboard

Paper Sketch

  • Format your assignment as if it were a very rough draft of your paper.
  • Place your working title at the top (centered) (Step 4)
  • Your introductory paragraph comes next. Highlight your thesis statement. (Step 1 and 2)
  • Add your brief plan for your research paper next. (Step 3)
  • List any references you plan to use (in MLA format)
  • Provide your responses to the reflection questions (Step Five)

Paper Storyboard

  • Your storyboard will contain the same elements as the Paper Sketch
  • Choose an appropriate style to create your board. (Useful templates include a grid style, a spider map for supporting claims and evidence, or a T-chart for comparisons.)
    • You may draw your own board, or create one out of index cards and paper
    • Or use software to create one: Storyboard That!
  • Place your working title in a prominent place (e.g. at the top of the page)

Your assignment should include your name, our course number (ENG 103.0905) and the professor’s name, and the date submitted. Use 1” margins, double-spacing, and an 11 or 12 point font. I encourage you to print on both sides.

Deadline: Monday, October 16, in class

How to Submit:

  1. Create a file in your Writing Portfolio in Google Drive, and make sure it’s saved to your folder by the due date (If you drew a storyboard, you can scan it in the library, or take a photo to upload it to Drive), AND
  2. Post your paper sketch or storyboard to our course blog (using the category “Blog” and the tag “Paper Sketch.”) You must submit the assignment in each of these forms.

Don’t forget: Always make sure your in-class writing and assignments are saved in your Writing Portfolio (your individual Google Drive folder).

Evaluation

I am looking for the following as I read and respond to your assignment:

  • A clear research question and a working thesis
  • An appropriate introductory paragraph that provides readers with an understanding of what your paper will discuss and argue
  • Evidence of preliminary research and critical thinking about your sources
    • In other words, it is not enough to quote or paraphrase what others have said – what are you saying in relation to what they say?
  • Thoughtful reflections on the process so far and your next steps

Prep for the Museum of the City of New York

We’re taking a class trip to the museum, and I hope you’re excited!

The Museum of the City of New York is an amazing resource that collects, curates, and exhibits everyday materials and objects to tell the stories of New York and its people.

Where is the museum? 1220 Fifth Ave at 103rd St.

How do I get there? We’ll take the train together from LaGuardia. We will meet in our usual classroom,  and we will leave promptly at 11:45 a.m. to arrive at the museum by 12:30 p.m. We will stay at the museum until 2:30 p.m., but you are welcome to stay longer.

If you arrive late, or if you live closer to the museum than you do to LaGuardia, you can also meet us there for 12:30 p.m. Take the 6 to 103 St and walk 3 blocks west, or the 2/3 to Central Park North/110th St, and walk one block east to Fifth Ave, and a few blocks south to 104th.

What do I need to bring? I have Metrocards for you, and admission to the museum is covered by our group tour. (Thanks to the CUNY Humanities Alliance!) Bring your LaGuardia ID–a CUNY ID will allow you to get in for free if you are late! Bring something to take notes (a pen and notebook, your phone, etc)–you are likely to find useful information for your research project.

Bonus: We can show our Museum admission sticker for FREE admission to El Museo del Barrio, which is right across the street! (I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are interested in Latinx art & culture.)

  • Visit the Museum of the City of New York website and the Stories section of the website. Review the headlines and find three stories that you want to learn more about. Of these, try to find at least one that connects to your research topic in some way.
    • Read the three stories, along with any photos or videos in the post.
    • For each one, write a one or two sentences in response to the following questions: What did you find interesting about this story? What would like to learn more about?

Blogging About Potential Research Topics

You will select and write about two (potential) research topics for your final paper. Your post should be approximately 300 words in paragraph form, and will address the following questions that we discussed in class:

  • What topics have you selected?
  • What questions do you have about these topics?
  • Where could you find data to answer your questions about these topics?
  • What research methods would you use to find that data?

If you have two very different topics, you may find it easier to write a paragraph about each topic separately. On the other hand, if one topic led you to consider another topic, you use a segue to make clear the link between the two topics in your writing. (For example, you could say, “Thinking about X in Topic #1 led me to consider the intersecting roles of X and Y in Topic #2.”)

Think of this post as a “pre-“ or “draft” of a proposal. On a blog your tone can be a little more conversational than the typical academic research proposal or paper, but you still want to be somewhat formal. As you write, you may find it helpful to imagine that you are pitching your topic to an audience.

Read and revise you work—for organization; for spelling, grammar and punctuation; for clarity–before you publish your post! A good practice is to have someone else read it to find out whether they understand what you’ve written, and where you may want to revise.

Here are a few other things to do as you prepare to publish your post:

  • Title your post “My Research Topics”
  • In a blog post, you don’t have to add info you would usually add to an assignment or paper – no need to add your name, date, or my name to the body of the post
  • Under Categories, check “Blog”
  • Under Tags, add “Research topics” (Choose from most used tags)
  • Make sure the date and timestamp is correct on your post
  • Select “Public” to make your post available to all (and searchable online) or “Private” to make your post available only to our class
    • I encourage you all to at least share you writing with the class. If, however, you have a strong reason for why you do not want to do this, you can share your post only with me. To do so, select “Password protected,” create a password, and share it with me I encourage you all to comment on each others posts, to provide positive and constructive feedback or information about resources.  We did this in class today, and I saw how it helped spark new ideas among you and provided motivation for doing more research!

Writing an Educational Narrative

Our first in-class writing exercise is to draft your personal educational narrative. You will then revise and post your narrative to our course blog by Friday, September 22, at noon.

You can find a description of the exercise along with questions to prompt your writing here: Questions to Prep for Writing Your Educational Narrative

To complete this exercise:

  • First, create a new Google Doc in your folder in Drive. This is where you’ll draft your narrative of 300-500 words. Title it something like “My Educational Narrative.” Your folder can be found by going to the “Shared with me” section of Drive, and is titled “ENG 103 – (insert your name here)”
  • Second, look over your narrative and review it in order to revise. Have you communicated what is significant about your story? Is there a thread that connects the different parts? As you revise, you’ll want to consider (in order from most to least important, for the purposes of this class): 1) Organization, 2) Rhetoric and style, 3) Grammar, punctuation, spelling.
  • Third, You will log into our course website to post your narrative to the blog. For a step-by-step guide on how to post to the blog, visit the following link, How To Create a Blog Post on a Course Site. When you post, click on “Choose from the most used tags” and select “Educational Narrative.”
    • Before you post your narrative to the site, look over it once more time. Remember that blogging is a form of public writing—don’t keep anything in that you want to remain private! If you want your post to be visible only to me or members of our class, you can password protect the post, and share the password with me.

Congratulations! You’ve published your first post to our course blog. Feel free to leave positive and constructive feedback for your fellow students! Check out  How to Comment on a Post to learn how.