Instruction on actual assignment from professor:
A research paper is neither a mere summary of articles you have read on a particular issue, nor is it a strict rhetorical response to a definite essay question. A research paper is an open-ended intellectual work in which you engage in a dynamic academic conversation with other voices that you picked carefully—hence the “research” aspect. It is truly an opportunity to build an intersection between this course, yourself, and your academic interests.
The subject-matter of this course (Education & Identity) should be wide enough to be explored from an array of academic disciplines and angles, which you are free to choose from. The authors and contents of the texts we have studied should be a fertile ground for your research–your paper may be used as a continuation of the conversations they initiated. How close or how far you decide to navigate from the shores of this course is entirely up to you, but clear connections must remain.
Prompt
Write an organized paper in which you present the findings of your research on the subject of Education and Identity.
Method
Define the topic of your choice and its connection to the contents of the course
Raise a central issue that calls for research and elucidation
Have a clear & focused thesis driving your work*
Present & discuss curated academic sources
Compare & contrast these sources with the texts studied in class
Reach a conclusion about how your research has informed your topic & research question