Objectives:
Generate and narrow a topic
Decide on a working issue question for your essay
List information questions you plan to pursue
Determine a search strategy and keywords to use in library databases
Retrieve relevant, reliable articles from library databases
Compile a tentative list of sources on your topic.
Instructions:
Before you start, watch "Explore & Narrow Your Topic with Opposing Viewpoints" and "ENGL 102/103: Developing a Search Strategy" (both by MC Libraries). These videos will help you get basic information on your topic and determine whether the topic you want to explore is feasible for the assignments in the course.
The parts of the topic proposal that overlap with the 4.1 Discussion should reflect any revisions you've made to the issue and information questions since posting them, or, if you have decided to change topics and/or issue questions, you can submit completely new ones in this assignment.
Remember that your topic should relate to one of the three assigned themes: Violence, Privacy and technology, Free speech on college campuses, or a different one proposed to and discussed with your professor.
Example of a topic: "violent video games," "online data collection by companies," "offensive guest speakers on college campuses."
FORMAL TOPIC PROPOSAL
Theme:
Topic:
Who is impacted by the issues related to your topic:
Your personal experience with the topic and any personal context areas you think are relevant to your perspective (see Assignment 1.4 for the original Personal Context Assignment):
Your main issue question:
At least 5 information questions related to your topic:
Search terms you will use:
Your current opinion on the issue question:
Three (3) complete and correctly formatted MLA citations for sources accessed through library databases and written for a general audience on your topic. You don’t need to have read them, and you’re not required to use them, but this list will ensure that you can find source material on your topic.
Three (3) complete and correctly formatted MLA citations for three SCHOLARLY sources accessed through library databases. Again, you don’t need to have read them, and you’re not required to use these particular sources, but this list will ensure that there is source material available on your topic.
Due: Sunday, Week 4
Where do I post my work? After drafting and saving your work in Word, please open the submission window (click on "Write Submission"), then cut and paste your work from your Word document right into the submission box below in the Assignments tool. Please, do NOT submit an attachment and do NOT paste your work in the Comments window.
Please make sure all formatting remains intact.
If you are not sure how to submit your work, please review the Guidelines for Submitting Assignments video located HERE.