Posted: January 20th, 2023
Choose a current event that is making national or international headlines; your instructor can help you decide. It might be a story about an election, a natural disaster, the global economy, a highly publicized criminal trial, or an event in the entertainment industry.
Then, analyze how race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and gender intersect and impact the event itself, the coverage of the event, and the event’s results. For example, if you decide to look at mass shootings in the United States, you will discuss who the shooters are (race, ethnicity, class, gender) and how the media portrays them (race, ethnicity, class, gender) as well as the victims (race, ethnicity, class, gender), etc. How old are the perpetrators and the victims? How quickly was the media to cover the story? Who are the reporters (race, gender)?
This is an analytical research paper where you will be following the case/event and using scholarly resources to guide your critical thinking throughout your report. That is, support statements with evidence.
The portfolio project is an 8-10-page research paper (approximately 3,500 words). Your paper must be properly cited and formatted.
Rubric for Research Paper
Outstanding – 20pts
Good – 15pts
Fair – 10pts
Unacceptable – 5pts
Outline
Excellent section headings, indicative of a steady “flow” to the overall paper. Topics and subtopics clearly indicated.
Professional looking.
Good section headings, indicative to a steady “flow” to the overall paper. Topics clearly indicated, could use more subtopics.
Fair section headings, indicative that the paper has “flow”. Topics and subtopics not clearly indicated. Unclear organization of thoughts.
Disorganized appearance.
Relevant topics missing or incorrect, paper has no indicative “flow”.
Not professional.
Abstract
Highly informative, complete and easy to understand. Appropriate vocabulary is used.
Abstract makes you want to read the paper.
Informative, complete and understandable. Appropriate vocabulary is used.
Somewhat informative and understandable.
Not very informative or understandable.
Structure
Thesis is clear, easy to find, and appropriate to the assignment.
Thesis is supported by the rest of the paper.
Paper contains a “roadmap” for the reader.
There is a logical “flow” to the topics/arguments. Conclusion follows clearly from the arguments presented.
Thesis is clear and appropriate. Thesis fairly well supported.
Paper is fairly well organized.
Conclusion follows from the rest of the paper.
Thesis is fairly clear.
Inconsistent support for thesis. Paper weakly organized. Conclusion is acceptable.
Thesis unclear and/or inappropriate.
Thesis not supported.
Paper is not organized. Conclusion doesn’t follow from the rest of the paper.
Research
The evidence comes from a wide variety of valid sources. The bibliography is complete and reflects appropriate sources.
The evidence comes from the minimum valid sources. The bibliography is complete.
Valid sources are inconsistently used. The bibliography contains minor formatting errors.
Multiple sources cited incorrectly.
Bibliography missing.
Critical
Thinki
ng
Arguments are pertinent to the topic.
Arguments are logical, supported with evidence. The key arguments have been made – no major points have been left out.
Arguments are
pertinent to the topic. Arguments are fairly logical and reasonably supported.
Most key arguments have been made.
Arguments are not consistently pertinent, logical, or supported. Few key arguments have been made.
Arguments not pertinent. Arguments rarely, if at
all, logical and supported.
Almost no key arguments have been made.
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