The Assignment

Analytical Research Paper/Can of Mystery

It’s about to get real weird in here! Canofmystery.blogspot.com

Requirements for Annotated Bibliography:

5 Sources

Proper MLA format plus annotation for each source

Do not need to be scholarly/peer reviewed sources

Requirements for Informative Article:

Title

400-800 words

At least one image or video (properly attributed and cited)

List of works cited (properly attribute all works used)

At least one hyperlink

At least 3 useful links for further research

Five tags (to help viewers look up articles)

Submit through blackboard’s SafeAssign by due date (it is your job to make sure I have it)

Requirements for Mini-Annotated bibliography:

2 SECONDARY sources

Proper MLA format plus annotation for each source

Must be scholarly/peer reviewed sources

Requirements for Analytical Paper:

3-6 pages double spaced

MLA Format– in-text citations and a works cited list

No quotes over 5 lines long

Description:

This project might seem a little strange at first, but bear with it. We have a few types of writing to do to complete the project. We will be starting with an Annotated Bibliography which will help you gather sources. You will then be writing an informative article that will be posted publicly to the CAN OF MYSTERY website. Finally, you will be writing an analytical research paper which will not only provide your audience with information on an unusual subject, but will require your analytical skills to connect your topic to a larger idea, or concept. There is a mini-annotated bibliography which will help you look for appropriate secondary sources to support your claim in the analytical research paper. 

In a sense you will be doing double duty (with the goals of information and analysis) and will need to think very specifically about the rhetorical situation of this paper because at least one of the assignments (the article) goes beyond the scope of our classroom.

Subject matter:

• I am providing you with a topic (we’re drawing them at random). 
• These topics are a bit strange, but not entirely obscure.
• You will have to find a way to provide researched information on these topics to an audience who is unfamiliar with the subject matter.
• You must also find a way to perform some sort of analysis in this paper.

This series of projects may seem difficult at first, but with some critical and creative thinking we can all find ways to connect our topic to a concept. Remember that we begin an analysis by asking questions, and finish it by providing an answer. That answer is based on our interpretation of the “text.”

Audience :

Your audience is almost assuredly unfamiliar with the topic of your paper. You will have to think carefully about how to present them detailed information, and guide them through your take (analysis) on the topic. The topic for our article is the entire world, so keep that in mind…I suppose.

Sources:

Sources are going to be vital in obtaining information on your subject, and may be important sources of controversial information.  However, you must consider the validity and the datedness of the resources, especially when dealing with web sites. We want to use the best sources available! (Use MLA format for citations, abstract and annotated bibliography).  Think outside of the box. There are videos, web pages, newspaper articles, history books, encyclopedias, related topics and the like, all of which could help you gather information on your topic.