MLA Style Research Essay

As you know, the MLA Style Research Essay is 30% of your grade in this course.

Thus, this essay should be your very best work and it should represent everything you have learned this semester.

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE, as all plagiarism must be reported to the MSU College of English. MSU POLICY

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From Syllabus:

All students will produce a research essay shaped by a controlling claim that integrates matter from a range of credible sources. Your claim should be based upon a controversial topic within the career, major, or minor of your choosing. All your Current Event articles should be used to help support your claim. This essay of 1250- 1500 words and/or 4-6 pages should integrate a minimum of three to five credible sources; these should be library resources located and selected with their appropriateness and authoritativeness in mind rather than readings from the course textbook. The sources should include, but not be limited to, a minimum of 3 periodical articles. The research essay must be a formal, persuasive essay that incorporates the semester’s objectives including ethos, pathos, logos, the rhetorical situation, and using research wisely and academically.

Student Sample 1

Student Sample 2

Please click on the assignment and read the rubric.

Academic Essays… OUTLINE

A. Must be in MLA format-font size 12, Times New Roman-double spaced-sources cited in text and on a Works Cited Page
B. Are made up of 6 paragraphs

Paragraph 1Introductory Paragraph with a CLAIM

Background Information about the topic.
State Claim.
State 3 supporting ideas in three complete, separate sentences.
Transition to first BODY paragraph.

What are transition words? Next, Second, First, Last, Then, However, Nevertheless, Furthermore, Finally, Moreover

-BODY 3 paragraphs
Paragraph 2… Supporting Idea 1
Support from the text “…” Cite at least two sources
Write commentary to connect your support to your claim.
Transition to the next idea

Paragraph 3… Supporting Idea 2
Topic Sentence: Next, Support from the text “…”
Cite at least two sources
Write commentary to connect your support to your claim.
Transition to the next idea

Paragraph 4… Supporting Idea 3
Topic Sentence: Finally, Support from the text “…”
Cite at least two sources
Write commentary to connect your support to your claim.
Transition to the next idea


Paragraph 5 COUNTERCLAIM Rebuke the other side of the argument.
Topic Sentence: State the opposition.
Rebuttal:Support from the text “…”
Cite at least two sources
Write commentary to connect your support to your claim.
Transition to the Conclusion

Paragraph 6 Conclusion
Restate the claim
Restate the 3 supporting ideas
Final thoughts


Last Page of Essay
Works Cited
You must cite 3- 5 credible sources in MLA format, 3 of which must be retrieved from the MSU Library Databases

The Rubric is on BB and should be used as your guide.

You can share your work with me by November 20th to get feedback. You should also share your work with a few of your peers to get feedback. These essays are scored at MSU and must be submitted on Blackboard on December 3rd at midnight to be scored by the University.