English 1301 (Flex classes) - Koehler, Debra: Inquiry Research Essay

English 1301 Flex Classes

Inquiry Research Essay

Objective: To connect our reading with authentic research applications using the steps below. [Note: a research paper is different from a book report] This project will lead to a processed writing that ultimately answers your research question.

For this essay, you will pick some topic generated from your reading of the book that you found interesting and want to know more about. The more you have a personal “felt need” to know regarding this inquiry project the better. You may already know a little bit about the topic you choose to investigate, but you will want to know more.

As you read through the book, you will take note of the different ideas the author introduces throughout the work. Pick salient quotes that reflect those topics and add them to the chart. This chart will help you narrow down the topics and help you formulate research questions.

Your goal is to create your own research topic from your reading. You will narrow your inquiry to one research question. Then you will research it through library and web sources, and perhaps from field research where you talk to people or experts. The goal is to find answers to whatever you set for your research question and then to convince your readers about your answers.

Parameters: 5 to 8-page paper that uses at least four research sources, including the book. Your final project will be accompanied by an Appendix (for your annotated bibliography) in which you evaluate the sources you used and why you selected them (See example annotated bibliography),  If you use any AI support, you must also include another appendix with the full conversations.  You must also remember to use in-text citations for AI support used in your writing as well as provide a source citation on the Works Cited page.

Success Criteria and Dates:

Our Final Paper Will Have These Parts

1. Introduction: Set up your topic, research question, and a one-sentence summary of findings (serves as thesis)
2. The Story of your Research Process: Describe what you did to research so we can gauge your research results and appreciate them
3. The Results of your Research: Here you will detail what you found out, the answer(s) you found for your question.
4. My Thoughts on My Research Process and My Research Results: What have you learned from this project about researching and about your topic of interest.
5. Conclusion
6. Appendix A [Your final annotated bibliography]
7. If needed, Appendix B [AI conversations]
8. Works Cited Page [ a minimum of 4 sources—one source is the Douglas book.]

Essay Requirements:

• 1000 – 1500 words
• Incorporate information from three research sources besides the book.
• Use information from the book itself (so you will have a minimum total of FOUR sources)
• You must use one peer-reviewed academic article in your mix of sources.
• Final draft typed in MLA Documentation format with a Works Cited page AND an Appendix (your annotated bibliography).

1. Research Log/Topic and Quote Chart 

Copy/Paste to a Word Document to fill in as you read Douglass’s Narrative

Directions: As you read Frederick Douglass’s Autobiography, make ten (10) analytical observations. What is the topic? What do you notice about what is being said about that topic? And where in the book do you find this? Write all of this as well as a quote and the page you found this on in the chart below. Copy this chart to another Word document to fill out and turn in. See my example in red. Your entries should span the length of the book!