The iSearch Paper             

In this class, we will be doing an iSearch paper. The major difference between a regular research paper and an iSearch paper is:

  • The iSearch assignment requires that you devote time and energy to researching the answer to a question that is specific to you. For this iSearch, you will be investigating how you get "from here to a career!"
  • This paper is written in the first person (i.e. you use "I"), and it is written in three sections.  
  • Each section must stand on its own, and each section must be at least two full (all-the-way-to-the-bottom) pages in length. The three sections are Introduction, Research, and Conclusion.
  • When you are finished, you will combine the sections into one paper. The paper will be 6-7 pages, not including the Works Cited page.

How to Do This Project

This paper should be written in the first person (use "I"), and it is written in three sections. Each section should stand on its own, and each section must be at least two full pages in length.  

When you are finished, the paper will be at least 1500 words in length, not including the Works Cited page.

Here are the three sections of the research project:

SECTION 1: INTRODUCE THE TOPIC

Before you begin, please identify a future career.  What can you see yourself doing in 5-10 years in the future? How will you get "from here to career"?

The first section of your paper is your opportunity to introduce your topic, your research question, and give reasons why you have chosen this topic to investigate.  

  • Use Show-Don't-Tell to get the reader interested in your topic.

  • Tell what you know about the topic.

  • Tell what you want to find out.

  • Discuss how you intend to find answers (your research strategy).

  • Discuss what you think you will find when you are done with your investigation (your hypothesis).

SECTION 2: RESEARCH

In the second section, discuss what you did to find out more information on your topic.  

  • Write an introduction (each section should stand alone as a paper).

  • Tell the reader where you looked, who you talked to, and what you did to research this topic.

For each piece of research information you gather:

  • Introduce the source of the information.

  • Give the information you found by quoting or paraphrasing it.

  • Cite the source using parenthetical documentation according to MLA 8th ed. guidelines.

  • Explain how that information contributes to your understanding of the topic.

Make sure you tie your research, as a whole, into your topic.  Discuss how the research illuminates, explains, or adds-to your knowledge of your future career.

SECTION 3: WRAP IT UP

The third section is your opportunity to wrap it all up.  Synthesize (condense, bring together) all the information you learned in this research.  

  • Introduce this section by giving a brief synopsis of the research you did.

  • Now that you have all the facts, what do they mean?  How do they tie back into the future of your career?

  • How accurate was your original hypothesis?

  • Now that you are finished with the investigation, has it changed your initial perception of your future career?  Now that you know what you know, what skills do you think you need to learn now to be competitive?

WORKS CITED

Please make sure you gather your sources for the Works Cited page as you investigate.  Each source must be correctly cited in MLA style WITHOUT annotations or numbers. It must be formatted correctly!!

It may seem strange to write three short papers instead of one long one, but it is a very good technique for writing research papers throughout your college career.

The next time you have a class with a research paper, start working on the paper by writing an introduction to the topic in the first week of classes.  

Meet with your professor to ask if your topic is acceptable, then spend weeks 2-10 collecting research and writing it up, little by little.  

Finally, in the last two weeks of class, when everyone else is freaking out trying to write a research paper, you can simply Wrap It Up and put together your Works Cited page.  If your paper needs to be more than 6-9 pages, simply increase the page count in the research section.

Rubric

You will be graded with the following Rubric.


 

EXCELLENT 

   GOOD                      

AVERAGE 

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

FAILURE 
ORGANIZATION  It was easy to follow this essay from the beginning to the end. It was well organized, and the organizational structure was clear.  There were a couple of places the reader was lost or confused, but it was easy to figure out what was happening.  Try going over the essay and making sure there are transitions between paragraphs.  The reader was confused in several places.  You need to improve the organization of this essay.  Try a specific organizational strategy to revise this essay.  The organization was difficult to follow. Please meet with your instructor to revise this essay. There was little or no organizational strategy. Please meet with your instructor to revise this essay.

GRAMMAR

 Grammar, spelling, and punctuation were excellent. You may have made some small errors, but the errors were minimal.  There were a few places where the grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation needed work, but it was pretty good.  Errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation were distracting.  You need to more carefully proofread your work, use a spelling and grammar checker, and have peers look over your work Grammar & spelling made it difficult to understand what you were trying to communicate. Please be more vigilant, use a spelling and grammar checker, and have peers or tutoring look over your work.  Grammar & spelling made it impossible to understand what you were trying to communicate. Please use a tutoring service to assist you in writing this essay.

FORMATTING

 The paper was correctly formatted according to MLA. The paper was double-spaced, there were no extra spaces between paragraphs, the first line of each was indented, and the font was correct. The paper was mostly formatted correctly. At least one of the following was not correct: double spacing with no extra spaces between paragraphs, indented first line of each paragraph, font. The paper was adequately formatted. At least two of the following were not correct: double spacing with no extra spaces between paragraphs, indented first line of each paragraph, font. The paper was inadequately formatted. At least three of the following were not correct: double spacing with no extra spaces between paragraphs, indented first line of each paragraph, font. No Formatting conventions were followed. Please rewrite and resubmit this assignment.

RHETORICAL SITUATION

 This paper followed the assignment. The writer understood the needs of the audience, and the paper was of adequate length. Revisions were significant with considerable change between the first and final drafts This paper mostly followed the assignment.  The writer usually understood the needs of the audience, and the paper was of adequate length. Revisions were significant, with noticeable change between the first and final draft. This paper minimally followed the assignment.  The writer may not have recognized the needs of the audience, and/or the paper wasn't of adequate length. Revisions were minor with small content changes between the first and final draft.  This paper did not adequately respond to the assignment.  The writer did not recognize the audience, and/or the paper wasn't of adequate length. Revisions were minor with only copy-editing changes between the first and final draft. The paper did not, in any way, respond to the assignment, or it was far below the needed length. Please rewrite and resubmit this assignment. No revision between first and final draft. 

DEVELOPMENT

 Writing contains abundant details and vivid language that piques audience interest. Writing provides relevant, specific and insightful evidence in support of sound logic. Writing contains numerous details and some vivid language that piques audience interest Writing provides relevant and specific evidence in support of sound logic. Writing contains details and some language that piques audience interest Writing provides relevant evidence in support of sound logic. Writing contains few details and simplistic language. Writing contains non-specific evidence in limited support of logic. Writing contains no details and inappropriate language. Writing does not provide evidence in support of logic.

CITATIONS & WORKS CITED

 Research was well documented with parenthetical citations. Each fact, quote, or paraphrase was written in a "quote sandwich." The Works Cited was on a separate page, and followed all formatting conventions. Research was mostly well documented with parenthetical citations. Most facts, quotes, or paraphrases were written in a "quote sandwich." The Works Cited was on a separate page, and followed most formatting conventions. Some of the research was  documented with parenthetical citations; some facts, quotes, or paraphrases were written in a "quote sandwich;" the Works Cited may be on a separate page; and/or the Works Cited followed only some formatting conventions. Little of the research was  documented with parenthetical citations; few facts, quotes, or paraphrases were written in a "quote sandwich;" the Works Cited wasn't on a separate page; and/or the Works Cited followed few formatting conventions. This paper did not include any parenthetical citations, quote sandwiches, or Works Cited.