Research and Reflection Paper Assignment 3
Rough Draft: 2,000 words. Final day for optional submission: November 29, 2017
Final Draft: 2,500 December 8, 2017
“A reflection essay has a dual purpose: to ponder something you find interesting or
puzzling and to share your thoughts with an audience. Your topic may be anything that
interests you. You might write about someone you have never met and are curious
about, an object or occurrence that makes you think, a place where you feel comfortable
and safe. Your goal is to explore the meaning that the person, object, event, or place has
for you in a way that will interest others.” (NFG, 248-49)
For the final paper, we will be combining elements of research with those of reflection. While
reflection essays tend to explore topics of your interests, we will work towards supporting this
exploration with thorough research. As such, the assignment will consist of the following
components:
Research and Reflection Paper Assignment 3
• Research Journal (due November 20, with annotated bibliography)
• Journal pages may include free writing, lists, diagrams, excerpts from articles, mind maps,
etc., but all entries must work to evaluate a source, analyze a thesis idea, generate or
investigate a critical question, and/or present a developed/-ing idea. These journals may
take on any form, digital or hard copy, so long as they are legible and you can access and
submit them in class. This could include a notebook, blog, website, PowerPoint or Prezi,
series of Word documents, stapled packet of entries and materials, poster board, mix of
creative and academic (songs + writing; images + research reflections), etc.
• (minimum of 3 entries)
• Abstract (Due November 6)
• 250 word summary of your whole paper including main points, a description of the project,
your main points, and your results or conclusions.
• Outline
• Presentations (November 13-17)
• Annotated Bibliography (Due November 20)
• 2-3 sources (200 words each)
The paper should include in-text citations for all scholarly sources used. Please use APA formatting style.
Research and Reflection Paper Assignment 3