Humanities Homework Help

Week 1 Journal

Write a journal entry in which you:

• Reflect on your past and present writing: academic, business/ work related, and/or personal. Suggestions for inclusion:
  • description or summary of specific past and/or present writings
  • general overview of past and/or present writings
• Reflect on your present writing goals

Note: Journal entries have no required length, but be sure you have addressed the prompt, that you are specific, and that your entry says something worthwhile. Journal entries are informal writing, but as with all class writing, editing counts. Be sure to proofread your entry.

Due: No later than 11:59PM on Sunday, the end of Week

Research Topic Proposal

Before beginning this assignment, review the Informative Research Paper assignment (due in Week 5) and the Argument/Persuasive Research Paper assignment (due in Week 7). The assignments are posted in the Week Five and Week Seven folders, and also under START HERE/ Course Documents.

Definition of the Assignment: This assignment requires students to search, narrow, and submit for approval a research topic related to the theme “Education” to be used for both the Informative Paper and for the Argument/ Persuasive Research Paper. The student should submit the topic for approval by writing a topic proposal paragraph.

Students will:

• Read the assignments for the Informative Research Paper and the Argument/ Persuasive Research Paper, noting that your topic will be a narrowed, focused, controversial issue related to the theme: Education.
• Logon to the RMU library site to access the databases (see the library handout “Accessing Subscription Databases” and the library videos “Getting to RMU databases” and “Intro to Issues and Controversies database”)
• Although you can search topics by brainstorming, freewriting, and then typing topics directly into the search bar in the databases, two of the databases, Proquest and Issues and Controversies, contain particularly efficient topic searches. See the helpful library handouts and videos posted under START HERE then the Library folder
  • In Proquest: Search through subject areas
  • In Issues and Controversies: Browse the controversial issues topics and the research topics, or type “education” into the search bar to begin.
• Skim individual articles and look at related topics and links as you narrow your search.
• Once you have found a controversial issue that interests you, browse the databases to be sure that the topic has informative and argument/ persuasive potential for writing.
• Browse the databases to be sure that you can find additional academic sources on the narrowed issue.
• Send the topic as a proposal to the instructor by submitting a developed paragraph into the Assignment Box.
  • Include the narrow, focused issue that you will research.
  • Include a brief description of the process by which you found and settled on the topic.
  • Include a brief rationale of why you are interested in the topic, or why you selected it in your search.
  • Request topic approval from the instructor.
  • Proofread / edit your paragraph

Due: No later than 11:59PM on Sunday, the end of Week One

Submit: Click on the assignment link above, then click on Write Submission to open the assignment box, or browse and attach as a Word.doc(x) or compatible file.

Note: After you submit your proposal, watch for feedback. The instructor will approve your topic or begin a discussion, making suggestions, giving comments and feedback until the topic is approved.