American Iconic Obsession Research Paper

What is your research question or topic?

How does an obsession with a person, place, issue, object, or activityexpress or demonstrate a particularly American ideal or belief?

What should you include in your paper?

  • Historical information: How did this icon originate? What’s its story? Is the story of how your choice became iconic part of what makes it stand out?
  • Geographic: Where did it come from? Where do you most see it? How is it connected to the place in which it’s popular?
  • Technological: What is it made of? How is it made? How does it work? How might these things make your icon stand out?
  • Artistic: What are the aesthetic characteristics of this icon? How does it look? Why does it look this way? How does the look or feel or taste of your icon distinguish it?
  • Biographic: What individuals invented, popularized, or are influenced by this icon?
  • Societal: What is the significance of this icon to American society? What doessymbolize?

Where should you find information?

  • Journalistic: Find published material about this icon. You can look online and in print for newspapers, magazines, books, professional journals, and encyclopedia articles. You can also use credible websites.
  • Site/location visit: Go to a location where this icon is made, used, sold or displayed and talk to the people there or gather brochures or take notes from displays.
  • Interview: Have a conversation with an expert.
  • Video: Find a credible video, movie, documentary on your icon. Watch it and gather notes and information.
  • Audio: Find a recorded interview or radio show or podcast about your icon.

What do I look for in your writing?

  • A strong, introduction that sets the tone and provides an interesting overview of your problem
  • A strong thesis statement that contains a supportable argument
  • Paragraphs that are led by topic sentences that contain strong supporting ideas and topics
  • Paragraphs that are grounded in your own ideas and writing but that are supported by research
  • Use of strong source material that is purposefully chosen and cited correctly
  • Use of 5 sources that represent a variety of mediums
  • Quotes and paraphrases that are cited clearly, formatted correctly, and used appropriately
  • Paragraphs that are drawn to a conclusion and clearly support thesis
  • Developed content
  • A scholarly toneand an original voice
  • A conclusion that draws your paper together

What else do you need to do?

  • Include an MLA Works Cited page with at least 5 reliable sources.
  • Make sure that your sources are from at least three different genres. This means you can’t just use websites. You can use magazine articles, books, podcasts, and documentaries from YouTube though, so be creative!
  • Include parenthetical citations every single time you use a source. It is not enough to attach a Works Cited page. It is not enough to cite something one time if you use it more than once. You need to have a citation each time you use a source. ALL outside information must be cited or you will receive a “0” and a referral for plagiarism.
  • Avoid using first or second person. This means no “I” and no “you.”
  • Write about 5 – 6 pages.
  • Submit your paper to turnitin.com. If you do not submit your paper, you will not receive credit.
  • Turn in your paper on time.PAPERS ARE DUE EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN CLASS ON THE DAY OF THE DEADLINE. For each day late, you will receive one letter grade off. This includes weekend days. If you know you can’t get your paper to me, you should submit it to turnitin.com by the deadline and send it to me via email. If your computer explodes, use someone else’s. In an age of instantaneously electronic communication, THERE IS NO GOOD OR LEGITIMATE REASON FOR A LATE PAPER.

How will you be assessed?

  • You will receive a copy of the rubric I use. You may even receive it today. Use it as a checklist.
  • You will also receive an MLA checksheet that you can use to check your formatting before turning your paper in. Don’t give away these points. All you have to do is follow directions and use a check sheet.
  • I will also give you a parenthetical citations handout to help you figure out citing sources. Citing is far easier than most of you think. Please don’t make guesses when citing. Use logic and the tools I give you to get this right.
  • Additional information can be found on my website under the MLA Information link.
  • You will be docked 10 points for even one MLA error. You will be docked 10 points for even one error in formatting parenthetical citations. It is easy to avoid being docked. Please seek out help in the Write Place/Academic Lab if you’re still worried about your formatting after we’ve gone over it.
  • Note taking is an incredibly important skill. Information for your paper should be gathered BEFORE you sit down to write. It should be selected purposefully. It should meaningfully support your thesis. While some of you think it’s easier to do everything at the last minute, you actually make the act of writing much slower when you’re trying to read through source material and switch back and forth through tabs when you’re supposed to be writing a paper. Your notes will be due BEFORE your paper. Because these notes are so important, you will receive a significant grade on them. 50 resource notes = 50 points
  • All information must be cited. Your MLA Works Cited page will be attached to your paper, but I will grade it ahead of time. MLA Works Cited page with 5 – 7 reliable sources = 25 points
  • Your formal paper = 175 points

TOTAL=250 pointsfor entire project