Essay: Inquiry-Based Research
Topic
In this paper, form a hypothesis about the causes/effects of some CONTROVERSIAL or debatable scientific subject that there is no definitive answer for; then, do research to find the strengths and weaknesses of your hypothesis to determine its validity. This paper should be written about a specific social group and be written to a specific audience.
Research
Research information to help you prove or disprove your hypothesis. Use electronic sources only, no print sources. You may use any library database, newspaper, .ORG (other than wikipedia), .GOV, or .EDU site. If you think you may need additional resources, consult with the teacher first before using them. The aim of the research is to find credible information to examine the strengths and the weaknesses of your hypothesis and then use more research to illustrate what was right and/or wrong about the hypothesis.
Format
The paper should have 8 sections: an introduction, historical overview, pros (factors arguing for your hypothesis), cons (factors arguing against your hypothesis), results (final assessment to see if the hypothesis is correct), implications (for future), references, and appendix (charts/diagrams/images used to backup each part).
Paper
• Title page
• Outline (with thesis at top & at least two sub-points per body paragraph)
• 10 page essay minimum paragraph number
--introduction (with hypothesis) 1
--historical overview of issue 2
--pro's 3
--con's 3
--results (prove or disprove hypothesis) 2
--conclusion (future implications of issue) 1
• 3 Citations per body paragraph (minimum)
• References (10 sources)
• Appendix (at least 2 charts/graphs/images minimum) that are referred to in the paper.
Notes
Your topic and hypothesis must be approved before you start writing. Each student must have a different topic. Turn in a complete draft only: title page, outline, essay, references, and appendix. There will be one revision of this paper. Grammar and syntax will count as part of the score.
Writing Steps
Forming research questions, a hypothesis, & finding sources
1. Choose a subject that generates many opinions: one that has no single or easy answer. General subject area: dieting.
2. Search wikipedia.org or other Internet sites to get a quick overview of your subject and its related issues. This will help you refine your subject to an area/location and a time period.
Refined subject: American Dieting in the 21st Century
3. Pick one specific aspect of your subject to limit your research to
Limited subject: Fad diets in America in the 21st Century
4. Form a Research Question to begin researching: Why are fad diets so popular in America?
5. Brainstorm 5-20 supporting questions about subtopics you can research to understand your topic better. These are called "Supporting Questions"
• Supporting Questions:
- -How many Americans use fad diets each year? --Do fad diets really work?
- -Are fad diets popular in other countries?
- -What effect do fad diets have on the body?
--Who uses fad diets more: men, women, or children? --Do the results of fad dieting last?
6. Choose a specific group to write about in your essay, such as women.
7. Use the above questions, group, and limited subject to form an hypothesis to guide your paper The hypothesis is what you plan to test. Make the hypothesis one sentence only. Make the hypothesis very specific.
Hypothesis:
Diet pills are popular with 30-something American professional women because they are so busy at work and at home that they do not have time to exercise enough, so they depend on pills and "miracle" diets to compensate.
8. After having a working hypothesis, you can begin finding sources that will inform your exploration of the topic.
A. Find some historic information to give you a grounding on the issue.
B. Find sources on all sides of the issue-for, against, and undecided-and sources about related issues. For example, in the hypothesis above, related issues one could search for working women's time issues, miracle/fad diets, exercise & (working) women, dieting health risks, risks of obesity on women's health, etc.
C. Gather twice the amount of sources officially needed.
D. Read and whittle the sources down to the best ones.
E. Take notes and organize the information from good sources into an outline.
F. Refine your hypothesis along the way, if needed.
G. Gather quotations you can use.
H. Draft the paper.
Your paper will be graded on the following: Each component of the paper must be in the paper.
- Title page
- Outline (with thesis at top & at least two sub-points per body paragraph)
- 10 page essay
- introduction (with hypothesis)
- historical overview of issue
- pro's
- con's
- results (prove or disprove hypothesis)
- conclusion (future implications of issue)
- 3 Citations per body paragraph (rtinimum)
- References (10 sources)
• Appendix (at least 2 charts/graphs/images minimum) that are referred to in the paper.
o Clear topic sentences with transitions that show your claim
o intext citations in APA format
o References in APA format
o Grammatical errors