Welcome! This research guide was created for students in Prof. Packer's English 101 Writing and Research class and is a customized resource for this assignment.
Your assignment is to write a 2-3 page persuasive essay and support it with credible sources. You may use U.S.A. Today, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, Essence, Sports Illustrated, the New Yorker, or the Atlantic.
Citing your sources is an essential component of a research assignment. Your essay should include parenthetical (in-text) citations and a Works Cited page using MLA 8 style formatting.
If you have any questions about research and citations, please feel free to contact me at rebecca.steere@sunywcc.edu.
STEP 1. Select a topic. Decide on a topic and narrow your research question or thesis statement to be specific.
STEP 2. Find background information about the issues related to your topic.
STEP 3. Build a search strategy by choosing keywords to find articles in the library databases.
STEP 4. Explore different viewpoints/sides of the issue. Find examples to support your opinion and to counter the opposing viewpoint.
STEP 5. Cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.
The resources on these pages will help you:
