Research Questions, Thesis Statement, and Rhetorical Analysis
Instructions
The purpose of this assignment is to record the work you have done finding a topic, building research questions, and doing a rhetorical analysis for your paper.
Place your three (3) research questions and thesis statement at the top of the page, below the required heading (name etc.), and answer the questions shown below. You do not have to answer these questions for each research question, just the one reflected in your thesis statement. Each question should be followed by a one to two paragraph answer. Remember that your thesis statement should be a single, complete sentence that is NOT a question.
Keep it simple. Follow the format below, making your points precisely.
Write three of your research questions here (remember that, if the question can be answered by YES or NO, it is a closed-ended question that does not invite discussion and so should be revised):
Question 1.
Question 2.
Question 3.
Write your thesis statement here (one complete sentence that is not a question):
Write paragraphs that respond to the questions below, using your thesis statement as the basis for your answers:
What is my purpose in writing this paper? (A clear understanding of your purpose will help you decide what information to include in your paper and how to organize your paper.)
What do I already know about my topic?
What are my feelings toward this topic? (You may have mixed feelings about the topic at the beginning. This may change as you do more research.)
What do my readers already know? What are my readers’ feelings toward the topic? (If your topic is a controversial one, think about the best way to present it to your audience. For example, think about your tone and word choice here.)
What do my readers need to know to understand my point? (You may understand and accept underlying assumptions about your topic, but your reader may not be aware of those.)
What information do I need to research and add to my paper? (You may need to familiarize yourself more thoroughly with the topic to make a strong presentation.)