Your task today is to select a topic for your argumentative research paper. Your topic should be worded in the form of a researchable question. You are going to be spending a LOT of time with this topic and so it's important that you pick one that interests you. I give you a TON of space to come up with something you can really delve into, so don't pick a topic that bores you.
Below are four sites with lists of topics. On a sheet of notebook paper, keep a running brainstorming list of the ones that interest you. Look thoroughly through all four sites. Once you have searched them all, take the topics on your list and scan around on the databases linked to our school library website. The link is http://chslibrarymedia.com/chslibrary/resources-2/databases/
See which topics seem to have a lot of viable information and which ones don't. Slowly start to narrow down by marking through any that don't have much information. Leave at least three topics open, then pick the one that you feel best about. IF that topic isn't in the form of a researchable question, use your time with the research to come up with a good question format.
Once you feel like you have a researchable question, write it on the index card and bring it to me to approve. It is possible that your question will evolve a little as you start to dig into the research. You may find that it is either too narrow or too broad. It is also possible that your question might change completely, but that can only happen within the first day or two of research. After that, you're stuck with it. :)
http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/?p=OVIC&u=tel_s_tsla
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/200-prompts-for-argumentative-writing/?_r=0
http://www.uwc.ucf.edu/files/handouts/research_paper_and_argument_topics.pdf
http://virginialynne.hubpages.com/hub/100-Easy-Argumentative-Essay-Topic-Ideas
Lit Terms 2
6 years ago
