Assigment 4: draft research paper

CCDN271: Design as Inquiry Tri 1, 2011 Assignment four: draft research paper Deliverables: research paper of 2000 words [APA style] Submission format: word document or word compatible Assessment: 25% of the final grade Due: Friday 13 May 2011 Description: An essential component of this course is the development of independent critical thinking and research skills, both of which will be necessary for the production of a successful final research paper.

Assignment four asks you to build upon the skills and knowledge you have gained in assignments one, two, and three, to produce an academic research paper. For this assignment you will synthesize the research and materials you have developed thus far in the course in order to compose a well-structured and convincing research paper. Assignment four is a first draft and will be closely reviewed by tutors and the course coordinator. You may then use this feedback to refine and revise your paper for the final hand-in (assignment 5).

Hints: In this research paper, you are expected to advance and develop your argument (thesis statement) introduced in Assignment 2 (building on the knowledge gained in the reading for Assignment 1). Revise your abstract and argument from Assignment 2, in accordance with assessment feedback to formulate your introduction. Use your case study from Assignment 3 to provide evidence for your argument, include additional case studies as length allows to fully support your position and convince your reader. Don’t forget to pull it all together in your conclusion, summarising and returning to your initial argument. Check and see if you did what you promised in the introduction. Be as specific as possible whenever possible. Your research paper should convince the reader of the merit and validity of your original thesis argument.

If you are unsure how to do this, make time to meet with the Course Coordinator or your tutor to discuss strategies for building and refining a thesis argument.

Expectations: 2000 word research paper investigating an original thesis argument, with appropriate and sufficient scholarly “evidence”—case studies, images, historical or literary precident, etc— supporting and illustrating the validity of the principle assertions of the thesis argument.

An introduction and conclusion must be evident.

Use of appropriate images to illustrate or expand aspects of the thesis argument.

A bibiliography comprised of at least five scholarly sources –NOT WEBSITES! Correct use of APA Style for all citations and bibliographic references.