Paper SEARCH Formula English homework help

Paper 3: SEARCH Formula

Length: Source analysis: 200-300 each (1000-1500 words); Informative essay: 750-1000 words

Document design: 12 pt. Times New Roman or Calibri font

Percent of final grade: 16%

Corresponding Chapter in WT: Chapter 7: Case Studies in the Extraordinary

Paper due on Canvas: Saturday, June 24, 2017 by 11:59 p.m., EST

Checklist: There are three parts to this assignment:

__: Gathering sources

__: Analyzing each source using the SEARCH formula

__: Informative Essay

Part One: Gathering Sources

In Chapter 7 of WT, there are several different topics (listed below) that are discussed at length. For this first part of the assignment, you are responsible for gathering five sources about one topic that you will analyze in the second part of this assignment. You should find sources that have a very specific argument or hypothesisâ€”it will make the analysis part much easier!

Topics

Homeopathy

Intercessory Prayer

UFO Abductions

Communicating with the Dead

Near-Death Experiences

Ghosts

Conspiracy Theories

Climate Change

Your sources may be gathered from the type of sources listed below. Apply your knowledge of credible sources that you have learned in previous English courses. Because weâ€™re dealing with topics that have a wide variety of opinion, you should use your best judgment about the sourceâ€™s reputation. You must use one of each type of source.

Types of Sources

News report

Academic journal article

Book (can be a chapter from a book)

Magazine

Website

Part 2: Analyzing each source using the SEARCH formula

There are four steps to the SEARCH formula:

State the claim
Examine the evidence for the claim
Consider alternative hypotheses
Rate, according to the criteria of adequacy, each hypothesis

Each step is discussed in detail in chapter 7 of WT. Make sure you refer to chapter 7 as you are analyzing each source. For each source, you must include a write-up of how you applied the SEARCH formula to it. Do not just list your answers. Instead, you should discuss the four parts of the SEARCH formula in a short paragraph. Each short paragraph should be approximately 200-300 words.

Be sure you include a full, correct MLA citation for each source.

Part 3: Informative Essay

After your summaries, you will write a 750-1000 word informative essay about the topic you selected. You must use all five sources in your informative essay. Your informative essay should be written for an audience of knowledgeable peers. Remember, your audience will not know as much as you do about this topic so you will need to write in a way that is understandable to a wide audience. Your informative essay should include a detailed description of the topic, suggestions on how to interpret this topic, what ongoing research (if any) is currently happening, and any other details that your audience would find helpful to understand the topic. Remember to include in-text citations whenever you borrow information.

An informative essay teaches readers about a topic. Your goal in an informative paper is to explain the topic thoroughly, without bias, and with credible sources. Once your reader is finished with your informative essay, the reader should have a good grasp on the topicâ€”or at least enough to have an intelligent conversation about the topic.

Grading: Grades will be based on effective use and choice of sources, application of the SEARCH formula to appropriately analyze sources, and your ability to effectively convey the information requested of this assignment.