Writing composition……..please read description. please use the same topic you used earlier Lying.

The research paper is a formal essay on a topic of your choice associated with the course themes (lying, forgery, and imposters). Reminder: the goal of this assignment is to OBJECTIVELY assess a topic using non-biased sources, not to make an argument for or against a particular political or social philosophy. Once again, I strongly encourage you to submit the topic to me for approval to ensure that it is appropriate. This essay will USE and CITE the three sources that you discussed in your annotated bibliography. When approaching your topic, you should not simply reiterate information from your sources. Rather, you should analyze the instance of lying, forgery, or imposture that you have chosen. An analysis involves first breaking down information into individual pieces and then examining the pieces to better understand the whole. You did this in the second formal writing assignment when you considered different aspects of the two imposters’ careers (motives, methods, relative success) and how those aspects contributed to their careers as a whole.

Audience: Your audience is composed of your professor and your fellow students. We may not be familiar with the articles/books you are using, so quotes and paraphrases will be necessary—but be sure to avoid using LONG quotes that overwhelm your own argument.

Objectives: 1. To develop your ability to find, read, analyze, and respond to sources 2. To develop your critical thinking skills 3. To develop your ability to construct a paper in a clear and effective manner

Components of assignment: 1. For this assignment, you will need to use and cite your THREE sources (articles or books) in MLA format. This will include citing the sources in the text with parenthetical citations and on a Works Cited sheet. Examples of MLA format for intext citations and the Works Cited sheet can be found online at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ 2. This assignment requires that you insert an image related to your topic within the text of your paper (not simply at the beginning or end).

Strategies for completing assignment: 1. Be careful not to allow your paper to become disjointed. Write a detailed outline to keep your information organized and make sure that it flows smoothly. 2. Make sure—way ahead of time—that you are familiar with and understand the articles/books you will be using!

Schedule for submission: Thesis and outline (posted to the discussion board): April 28

Other details: Paper length: 1000-1250 words Papers must be word-processed, double-spaced, 12 point, with one-inch margins. Please provide a separate title page with your student ID and the course and section number. Do NOT include your name or mine.

Writing and Literacy Center: You should always feel free to discuss your papers with me, but extra feedback is always helpful! If you are having difficulty with your paper or feel that you need extra assistance with your writing in general, the Writing and Literacy Center provides tutors who can assist you with your writing. http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Resources-for-Students/Tutoring-and-AcademicCoaching/Writing-Center-and-Online-Writing-Lab.aspx

Plagiarism: Any work you do for this class should be uniquely written for this class. If you are interested in applying work from other classes to this one, please speak with me. When you find yourself having difficulty writing a paper, remind yourself that writing is a difficult process, and that other writers therefore deserve to have their work respected— and credited. Plagiarism is not just about copying someone else’s words. Failing to credit IDEAS you have taken from other sources (even if you have put them in your own words) is also plagiarism. Basically, any information you get from somewhere else that is not common knowledge must be documented. I DO NOT “DISCUSS” GRADES WITH PLAGIARISTS. IF YOU PLAGIARIZE, YOU FAIL THE COURSE…PERIOD. If you are not clear about the definition of plagiarism, please speak to me.

Policy on late drafts/papers: Drafts, peer reviews, and final papers must be handed in on the due dates in order to receive credit.

Grading criteria: 1. A clear, strong thesis statement and clear, detailed arguments in support of that statement 2. Structure—does your paper follow a logical progression of information or does it jump back and forth between topics? Are you repeating yourself frequently? 3. Evidence that you have ANALYZED your chosen instance of lying, forgery, or imposture 4. Appropriateness of sources 5. Evidence that you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with the articles/books you have chosen and have used them to support—rather than to guide—your own argument 6. Grammar, sentence structure, paragraph structure 7. Proper MLA format for in-text citations and the Works Cited page