ENGL 110/110x - College Composition I: Your Essay

This guide was designed to help you find the information necessary to build toward the course’s integrated research essay. As a core part of the course, students will examine ONE TOPIC the entire semester. The topic must be contemporary (actively debated) and controversial (more than one-sided). Instructors will help guide students in topic choices.

In this guide you will find resources for:

Explaining the Conflict (Context) What information or background do readers need to understand the conflict or controversy? What are the two main sides? See Background Information on the Starting Your Research page in this guide for suggested sources.

Examining the Two Main Sides (Comparison) What are the points of agreement/disagreement between the two sides? Which side offers better evidence to support its position? See Perspectives, News and Current Events on the Starting Your Research page in this guide for suggested sources.

Assessing the Possible Effects (Consequence) What are the consequences if either side prevails? What happens if there is no resolution? See the Library Databases page in this guide for ideas. 

Proposing a Solution (Compromise) How and where can the two sides meet to move past the point of conflict? What are possible solutions? See the Library Databases page in this guide for ideas.

The video explains why you want to have a narrow focus and a question about which there is some controversy.

Explore background information sources on the next page to get topic ideas.

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