IRP Overview

ESL 112, Units 2-4 Individual Research Paper (IRP)

Student Overview

The remainder of the semester (Units 2-4) will be focused on writing your own formal, source-based research paper. Over the course of the three units you will pass through every step of the research process from beginning (choosing a topic) to end (final draft). You will be guided in class through each step and then be asked to apply your knowledge to your own paper. Your instructor will provide feedback at each step to ensure your steady progress. Each unit features its own formally graded assignment and is evaluated based on your application of the research skills to your individual work. While you must work on your paper independently, there will be dedicated days when you can shared your progress with other students and receive feedback from them. Since each unit builds upon the work completed from the previous unit it is crucial to stay current with all assignments and ask as many questions as needed.

You will receive further details and deadlines for each formally graded assignment when you begin each unit. A summary of each formally graded assignment is as follows:

·         Unit 2: Pre-Research Portfolio

Collection of background information needed for the first stage of IRP research

·         Unit 3: Annotated Bibliography

Formal documentation to explain the sources selected for your IRP

·         Unit 4: Writing the IRP

Final draft of your IRP (5-7 pages)

The IRP is a problem/solution paper demonstrating your ability to select, comprehend, and critically apply information from at least 5 academic sources. You will develop research skills (choosing a focused topic, developing a research question, using library materials for support), source-based writing skills (evaluating, synthesizing, and documenting sources), and critical thinking skills. These can all be applied toward other source-based writing assignments that you will be writing in your own field of study in the future. 

Both intentional and unintentional plagiarism at any stage of the IRP process will be dealt with harshly at the discretion of your instructor. 

Task/Prompt:  Choose an organization that is actively working towards addressing a problem in society (community, state, region or country) affecting a distinct population (women, animals, children, etc.). Write a problem/solution paper that describes and critiques three current solutions offered by the organization and recommends how to improve them.

IRP Structure

Approximately 11 paragraphs

I.  Introduction

Solution #1

II. Description

III. Critique

IV. Improvement

Solution #2

V. Description

VI. Critique

VII. Improvement

Solution #3

VIII. Description

IX. Critique

X.  Improvement

XI. Conclusion