1. Introduction of the Research Paper

2. Rhetorical Situation for Research Papers
Every piece of writing has a “rhetorical situation.” This is the set of circumstances under which the piece of writing is produced, and it affects the choices a writer makes. What is the “rhetorical situation” of piece of writing that is classified as “research”?
What is its purpose?
What is its audience?
What is its tone/stance?
What is its medium?

3. The Purpose of Our Research Paper
Make a CLAIM about some area of pop culture and defend that claim using reputable sources and your own analysis of the issue.
How do I discover and defend a claim?
ASK a research question that invites further discussion.
READ a variety of sources about your question.
DECIDE, based on your research, where you stand on your question, and put that stance into a thesis/claim.
DEFEND your decision (your thesis) in your paper.

4. Don’t ask a question to which you think you already know the answer.

5. Audience for our Research Paper
Assume a general audience of other college-level students and professors. Your audience is interested in your topic, and they know what pop culture is, but may not be familiar with your specific issue. You will need to provide appropriate context.

6. Tone and Medium of Research Paper
Tone: I will expect the paper to have a clear point of view on the question you choose, but I will expect the paper to be professional and respectful of those who might disagree. (If you wouldn’t say it to the face of someone you respect but disagree with, it doesn’t belong in your research paper.)
Medium: Written paper, with the option of correctly cited and captioned images throughout. Also, if you choose to do the extra credit, you may use video and internet sources in your presentation.

7. Expectations for Style:
This paper should be written in an academic style.
Some extra points to remember:
No text-speak (“u” for “you,” for example)
Precise, academically appropriate language
Limit use of “I” and “me” to well-chosen, relevant examples.

8. Formulating a Research Question
A successful research question will:
Narrow an issue related to pop culture down to a manageable question for a 6-8 page paper.  
Be specific.
Invite discussion about the answer to the question.  
Some poor research questions:
How does science fiction affect society? (Too broad… affect it HOW? And who is “society” referring to?)
What are some good science fiction movies? (“Good” is too subjective. What do you mean by “good”? And what is your purpose in ranking these movies?)

9. Research Question, cont.
Improved Research questions:
Has science fiction historically been able to comment on issues of racism and prejudice in a unique way? What has science fiction contributed to the conversation about these topics?
What are some of the most significant real world scientific discoveries that have been inspired by science fiction films?
Remember, your research proposal needs to have your research question at the top, followed by a discussion of why you chose this question and where you think you will go from here.

10. Brainstorming for the Research Paper Question
Make a list of ALL of the areas of pop culture you might like to write about. Come up with some rough questions about each of these topics. (You can refine them later.)
Be curious! What are connections you’ve always wondered about? What are things you’ve noticed that you’d like to explore in more detail?
What are readings from our book that intrigued you? What more do you want to know about those topics?

11. Rough Research Question
Turn at least one of the topics you brainstormed into a rough research question.
Now, ask yourself, so what? Who cares?
Where should I go next to find out what other people are saying about this topic?
What might I need to find out before I am ready to enter this conversation as an informed participant?
The answers to those questions are what make up the paragraphs for your research proposal.

12. Ok, I have a research question. Now what?
Have your research question(s) checked by me. Continue refining them.
What knowledge/experience do you bring to the topic?
What are issues you know you will need to explore in order to find out what your claim is going to be?

13. What Should My Research Proposal Include?
Your specific research question
The Stakeholders (People who are most affected by this issue)
An explanation of what is at stake in the discussion of this issue
What do I need to find out before forming an opinion?
Possible specific sources of information on this issue

14. What should I be doing this week and next for the research paper?
Research Proposal
Start finding possible sources. Keep track of where you find them.
Read at least five possible sources. If they are relevant, annotate/highlight/take notes. Keep track of which ideas came from which source.
Begin to notice common debates or themes in your sources. What are the big issues that show up over and over again as you research?