English 100 - Professor Mata - Spring 2021: Your Assignment

Understanding Your Assignment

Before you begin looking for information you should make sure you understand your assignment. Some good questions are:

• How many pages?
• How many sources?
• What kinds of sources?
  
  • Books
  • Articles
  • Websites
    
• What format?

Your professor is your best resource to answer these questions.

Google?

Wikipedia?

Google Scholar?

Google Advanced?

The Library Home Page?

This video was created for Professor Mata's Summer 2020 class but the information it contains remains the same for the current semester.

Your Assignment

Argumentation Term Paper

• Choice of writing prompts:
  
  
  • Banned books
  • Prayer in public schools
  • Fast food in schools
     
•     An argument essay is based on sound logic.  You will analyze a topic and present a reasonable, logical, and verifiable argument about that topic.  An argument makes a case for or against some aspect of a subject and then clearly demonstrates the reasons why.

Requirements

• MLA
• At least eight to ten pages plus a Works Cited page
  • A good rule of thumb is 250 words for one double spaced page
• Use at least six sources to support your assertions and to validate your point of view.
  • books
  • newspapers
  • magazines
  • journals
  • documentaries
  • credible websites

Now What?

Click on the tabs above to use one of the Library Research Guides to start your search for sources. These guides will direct you to resources such as databases, books, ebooks, and articles for your paper.

Think about possible keywords to use in your searches.

Breaking Down The Research Process  

The following outline gives a simple and effective strategy for finding information for a research paper and documenting the sources you find. Depending on your topic and your familiarity with the library, you may need to rearrange or recycle these steps. Adapt this outline to your needs. We are ready to help you at every step in your research.

1. Choose a topic - or have one assigned
2. Understand your topic
   • Background reading
     
   • Consider a main focus
   • Refine your topic
   • Make a list of your keywords and concepts
     
3. Search Sources
   • Find Books
   • Find Articles
   • Find Websites
4. Write your paper - Informative, Analytical, Argumentative, Critical
5. Cite your sources

Need Help 

The Cerritos College Librarians can help you with your research in a variety of ways:

• In person
• By email
• By phone
• Chat

Librarians are available during library hours to answer your questions by phone or chat.
(562) 860-2451 x2425