Paper 2 — Text-based Research
You will write a text-based research paper in which you start with a research question related to our discussions on Corporate America. This question should prompt you to investigate a specific issue related to the topic. Your research will require collecting facts, opinions, and perspectives from various texts. You will also need to organize this textual material under sub-topics. The purpose of this paper is to explore the topic and attempt to answer your research question as objectively as possible.
In addition to any articles you use from the anthology, you must synthesize a minimum of three outside sources. Two of these sources must be articles found by using the databases subscribed to by SDSU’s library. Any information retrieved from the Internet must be credible and appropriate as discussed in class. Your paper must be 6-7 pages long, including a title page and reference page, and follow APA format.
| Required Anthology readings: | Optional readings (may be relevant depending on chosen topic): |
| Bruce Horovitz – “Be Kind and They Will Come” | Michael Hitzlik – “Corporations Need a Social Conscience” |
| Tom Knudson – “Starbucks Calls its Coffee Worker Friendly…” | Eric Schlosser – “The Chain Never Stops” |
| Chrystia Freeland – “The Real Corporate Responsibility” | Charles Duhigg and David Barboza – “In China, The Human Costs are Built into an iPad” |
Textbook readings:
- Planning a Research Project, Chapter 6 (pp. 106-121)
- Acad. Research / Evaluating Sources, Chapter 7 (pp. 122-140)
- How do I Write a Research Proposal? Chapter 10 (pp. 158-162)
- Annotated Bibliography, Chapter 11 (pp. 163-166)
How to write this paper
- Discuss the project; go over the assignment.
- Think of a topic idea from the readings and videos.
- Work on strategies for narrowing the topic to get your research question.
- Learn how to use certain databases in the library to aid our research.
- Learn how to write an annotated bibliography.
- Take notes from our sources.
- Organize notes into subtopics, and create an outline for our synthesis.
- Write the paper and revise based on instructor and peer feedback.
