Explain how racial/ethnic segregation is beneficial or detrimental to a society.

Due Friday by 11:59pm
Points 170
Submitting a text entry box or a file upload
Available after Jun 14 at 12am
Research Paper Assignment
For this research assignment, students will write an 8-10 page paper (2,800-3,500 words) that builds upon your position paper. You have already explored the affects of segregation on a society. Your research and discussion will be rooted in the larger concept of segregation as discussed in Noah’s book and in the argument you developed in your position paper. In this research paper, your job is to do the following:
Use your community to illustrate how racial/ethnic segregation is beneficial or detrimental to a society.
This assignment will ask you to incorporate all of the writing skills you have gained over the last 5 weeks: the personal story, critical response, and argument. You will have an overall argument, but you will be incorporating your personal experience and analyzes the ideas of others.
I have asked you to look at your own community and consider segregation from a more personal perspective. Your reflection #4 assignment asks you to look at segregation/integration, people, history, etc of your community and also your experience growing up there. This research will also be used in your final paper.
Now that you know what a primary source is, you can look for these kinds of sources to help you understand your community. You can talk to neighbors, community members, go to your local library, visitors center, etc. and find primary sources that will provide you information on your community. Most of you had the right idea that Trevor Noah’s book is, indeed, a primary source. It is a memoir, which is a first-hand account of someone’s life experiences. It is very similar to a diary or journal. It is, essentially, a collection of personal essays. Many of you also picked up on the informational sections between these essays. These are not primary sources. As a few of you point out, Noah was not there. He was simply relaying factual information that he was either told by someone or he read in another source.
Kinds of primary sources you might find in your community:
1. Interview an elderly neighbor about his/her experience and that changing demographics in your community. What was it like then? Now? How and why have things changed?
2. Facts (raw data) from the census from your local library or a government website with this data. This will provide demographic information that is not analyzed or interpreted, simply data.
3. Information on a pamphlet from your local visitors center with the history of your community/city.
4. Your own observations and personal experiences. This is only anecdotal, but it can be useful along with other information. It cannot stand alone. This is not a personal essay; it is a research paper!
The idea of this is to look inward and consider how this big public issue has impacted you privately or personally. The goal of literature is to take an experience that is seemingly different or separate from our own and find the connections….explore the universal truths!
Students should consult credible college-level sources that provide background, facts, studies and analysis of the issue to help support a position presented on the topic. Students are required to use at least 6 outside sources. Two of these must be primary sources. Sources can include: books, articles (newspaper/magazine/journal), government documents, audio-visual sources, lectures, speeches/talks, journals, memoirs, personal interviews, etc. Please do not use websites unless they are government sites or databases that provide data on your topic.
All papers should be formatted using MLA formatting for both in-text citations and the Works Cited page. Papers should be double-spaced using 12 pt. font and should include appropriate pagination and margins.
Research paper Structure:
Introduction- this section should provide context for your discussion topic. It should answer the Who? What? When? Where? Why? Questions. This section should also include your thesis. Here is an example of a thesis statement for this kind paper: Thousand Oaks is a clear example of the negative impact of segregation on a given society. This statement can be supported by the argument made in your position paper and the research you have done in your community and your personal experience.
Background- This section should provide the reader any necessary and relevant background information that helps the reader understand the topic. It may discuss the history of segregation/integration (in your community and the larger world) and what is happening now on this issue. This information can be found in books and news articles and from your primary sources. This section should not analyze. Simply provide information to help the reader understand the issue.
Body section: Organize into paragraphs.
1st Supporting point- Topic sentence stating a reason to support your claim. Why is Thousand Oaks a good example of the negative effects of segregation?
2nd Supporting point- Topic Sentence stating a reason to support your claim. “…………………………”
3rd Supporting point- Topic sentence stating a reason to support your claim. “……………………..”
Use as many points a needed for your argument. Incorporate points from your position paper into this section. You may copy and paste sections where appropriate. Also include information from your primary sources, personal experience and additional research into this body section as evidence to support your reasons.
4. Conclusion section: Big picture analysis! So what? What does all of this information mean to your audience? What should your readers care?
Grading Rubric:
Research Paper 200 pts.
Outline _______30 pts.
Clear focus (thesis)_____50pts.
Support (examples and evidence)_____ 50 pts.
Coherence _____ 20 pts.
Use of standard English_______20 pts.
Utilized 6 sources____15 pts.
Used MLA properly____ 15pts.
This assignment is worth 20% of your final grade.

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