Research Paper on COVID-19

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ENGLISH 1302 Spring 2020 – COMPOSITION II
Instructor: Jack Ucciardino
Major Essay #3
Researched Narrative Essay on COVID-19
DEADLINES (MANDATORY)
 Sharing Sources – On the Discussion Boards – Through May 8
 Moderated Discussions on Topics, Introductions, Use of Sources –April 23 through
May 3 on Canvas
 Full 3-5 Page Draft due on Canvas for Instructor Comments on Tuesday, May 5th
 FINAL 3-5 Page Version due on Canvas Tuesday, May 12th
ASSIGNMENT:
LENGTH: 3-5 pages (with separate Works Cited page at the end which does not count towards
overall paper count).
PROMPT: The last major essay assignment of the semester of the year asks you to write a
researched narrative essay based on your experiences with the current COVID-19 outbreak and
quarantine. This should be a personal memoir (so yes, you may use “I”) but also using outside
sources woven throughout to give your hypothetical reader context and factual data that
elaborates on your experiences.
CONTEXT: Narrative essays are not easy to grade. After all, who is to say your personal
experiences are wrong? So, this essay will be judged on how coherent your paper, how well it
flows smoothly from one paragraph to another, how well you stay on topic, how well you use
(and cite) your outside sources in the narrative you are trying to tell. This is an essay, it should
look and read like one, even if it something you are living through in the current moment.
Each essay must have an overriding and clear thesis. This is true even in personal narrative
essays. This saves the paper from being just a collection of anecdotal notes. The thesis can be
extremely personal or simple such as “COVID-19 changed my life in X, Y, Z, ways” to the more
remote (but still based on personal experience) such as “Schooling/the economy/the nation will
never be the same because of COVID-19”. You can use outside sources to provide factual data
or statistics to your reader, or even use the experiences of others (in Houston and the larger
world) during this pandemic to compare with yours (whether it be similar or different). There are
many ways to approach this but there must still be a POINT you are trying to make with the
essay and whether you make that point and stick to it will determine if the essay succeeds or
fails.
Towards that goal, instead of peer review we will be using the Canvas discussion boards to talk
amongst ourselves about the paper. You can post a source you are thinking of using, or ask your
peers what they think of a certain point you want to make. You will be expected to comment on
other people’s discussion posts AND to post yourself how you are doing and even if you are
running into difficulty coming up with something to write. All of this is part of the writing
process, and thus, necessary for this paper.
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USING (SHARED) SOURCES:
For this assignment you must use at least THREE (3) CREDIBLE OUTSIDE SOURCES. Use
the HCC Library Databases (such as Nexus Uni or Gale’s Opposing Views), Google News, other
news magazines, journals, newspapers (national or local) or any source created or produced by
an expert in the field you are citing. If you wish to more than three you may and if you have
doubts about a source, just ask the instructor.
For this assignment you were asked to post annotated sources you have found on COVID-19 on
the Canvas discussion boards. Anyone in the class may use the sources for their own paper if
they find it useful. The paper will be judged on how well you use those sources (and if you cite
them correctly in the paper MLA style) in your narrative.
All papers must have an original title at the beginning, and a Works Cited page (MLA style) at
the end of the paper.
PLAGARISM WARNING: DO NOT PLAGARIZE. When you use someone else’s words or
ideas, CITE them.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
 The perfect is the enemy of the good. There is always something that can be
improved. Look for places in your paper where changes could be made – whether
it is additions, subtractions, or edits.
 PROOFREAD your paper! Or have someone do it for you. Remember to re-read
the paper as a reader and not just a writer. One of the reasons we go through
revisions is so you have the time to go over it and see the flaws that a single readthrough at the last minute wouldn’t catch.
 NO paragraphs are less than three sentences and NO paragraphs should be longer
than half a page (not even that).
 Be Specific! Use Examples! Avoid generalities that say nothing and get
repetitive! Did I mention to Be Specific? BE SPECIFIC!
 Remember when summarizing something – present tense! Always PRESENT
TENSE! Also, be consistent in your tenses – don’t go from “was” in one sentence,
to “is” in the next. That just doesn’t sound good.
BASIC GRADING RUBRIC: The paper will be graded on an A to F letter basis. On the whole
an “A” paper will have all of the following:
 Proper one-paragraph introduction and conclusion.
 Clear thesis statement – located in the introduction of the paper.
 Each paragraph should be the start of a new idea or thought.
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 Stay on topic throughout.
 Grammar and Spelling must be correct. Proofread carefully and/or use grammar software
to help you out.
 3 Outside Sources – woven throughout the paper and properly cited MLA style in the
paper and Works Cited page.
 Proper Formatting – as always use MLA formatting (check the OWL Purdue website at
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01) which means 1-inch margins all
around, double-spaced, with 12 pt. font. Each page should be numbered and have your
name at the top. Each paragraph should be indented. Your name, the instructor’s name,
the class (English 1302) and the date should appear at the time of page one (on the top
left). Papers not formatted correctly will be docked points.