Recent Technological advances in healthcare

English 2311 Online
Assignment #3A
Research Paper Outline with Thesis Statement
Revised 6/2021

For Assignment #3, you will submit the Research Paper Outline with Thesis Statement. I have included Assignment #3 instructions in this #3A document; in addition, I have given you an example of how you will organize this document in Assignment #3B. I understand that your outline and thesis statement could change before you hand in the actual research paper. I just want to make sure that you are heading in the right direction with your research and organization.

Audience: The audience for this paper is an academic audience that knows general information about the subject but wants to understand it better.

Heading, Page Numbering, and Spacing: You will include a MLA page heading and page numbering for this document. This document must be double-spaced and word-processed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font.

I must explain about uniformly double-spacing a document. The newer versions of Word include an extra space between paragraphs as the default (Don’t ask me why they did this…believe me, I would have told them to not do that if they had consulted me!!). You must correct this spacing by performing the following step after you have completed the document: Highlight the entire document, go to line spacing icon, and click on Remove Space Before Paragraph and Remove Space After Paragraph; this procedure removes the extra spaces between paragraphs, so the entire document is evenly double-spaced.

MLA Style (8th Edition): According to MLA Handbook (8th Edition), “The in-text citation should direct the reader unambiguously to the entry in the works-cited list for the source—and, if possible, to a passage in the source—while creating the least possible interruption in your text” (54). Furthermore, “A typical in-text citation is composed of the element that comes first in the entry in the works-cited list (usually the author’s name) and a page number. The page number goes in a parenthesis, which is placed, when possible, where there is a natural pause in the text. A parenthetical citation that directly follows a quotation is placed after the closing quotation mark” (54). [Please notice that I used page numbers after the direct quotes because I took this information directly from the MLA Handbook (8th Edition)].

MLA style is not the only way to document sources. Many disciplines have their own documentation styles. MLA style is widely used in the humanities. As with other documentation styles, MLA requires in-text citation that correlates to a Works Cited list. If you learn MLA documentation style, you will be able to easily adapt to other documentation styles.

Before you copy and paste a citation from a library source, you must make sure that you have the MLA 8th Edition style and not another style.

Sources: For Assignments #3 and #4, you must find all of your sources for your research paper. You must find at least 5 sources from the TC Library; you can use TC Library ebooks or TC Library databases. You may not use general websites even though the websites seem legitimate. Then, you will complete an Outline with a Thesis Statement as well as a Works Cited Page.

Here are the Steps for completing Assignment #3:
Step 1:
You must check your Research Paper Topics dropbox for feedback. After you post your topic choices, I will go through your choices and assign a topic to you. Please do not assume that you will get a certain topic. You must check the dropbox for your assigned topic.

Please go through these directions on document 3A and review my outline example document 3B. Open my example document 3B, change the Cover Sheet information, and save the document with your name and assignment (LastName.FirstName.Assignment3).

When you want to enter your information on this outline, please backspace to delete my information before you enter your information. This will preserve the formatting/spacing of the outline. If you highlight and delete my information, you may have to make corrections to the formatting/spacing.

Please realize on the Outline, you will not have to write the Introduction and Conclusion yet. You can simply write the words Introduction and Conclusion for now. Please see document 3B.

Step 2:
After you know your assigned Research Paper topic, you must find the Thesis Statement that matches the topic that has been assigned to you. I have given you the Thesis Statements that I want you to use for this research paper, and you will need to supply the three main points. You will pick one of the Thesis Statements listed under your assigned topic, and you must list the three main points of the research paper in the Thesis Statement blanks. I understand that you may have different ideas about how to organize this research paper, but you must use one of my Thesis Statements for this research paper.

1. Technological Advances in Education (most recent advancements)
a. Thesis 1—The three most recent technological advancements in education are ___, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—Recent technological advancements in education have had these three positive effects; they have ___, ____, and ____.
2. Job Market Changes (recently)
a. Thesis 1—Three recent job market changes include ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Recent job market changes have had these positive (or negative) effects; they have____, ____, and ____.
3. Technological Advances in Health Care (most recent)
a. Thesis 1—Three recent technological advancements in healthcare include ____, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—Recent technological advancements in healthcare have positively (or negatively) impacted ____, ____ and ____.
4. Domestic (Government) Surveillance
a. Thesis 1—Domestic (government) surveillance is necessary (or unnecessary) because it ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 1—Three recent domestic (government) surveillance advancements include ____, _____, and _____.
5. Death Penalty
a. Thesis 1—The death penalty is an effective measure because it ____, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—The death penalty is not an effective measure because it ____, ____, and _____.
6. Business Ethics
a. Thesis 1—Business ethics have recently improved because of ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Business ethics have recently deteriorated because of ____, ____, and ____.
7. Legalizing Marijuana
a. Thesis 1—Marijuana should be legalized in Texas because it is ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Marijuana should not be legalized in Texas because it is ____, ____, and _____.
8. Cyberbullying
a. Thesis 1—The number of cyberbullying episodes has increased because of ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—The number of cyberbullying episodes has decreased because of ____, _____, and _____.
9. Cybersecurity
a. Thesis 1—The number of cybersecurity episodes has increased because of ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—The number of cybersecurity episodes has decreased because of ____, _____, and _____.
10. Artificial Intelligence
a. Thesis 1—Artificial Intelligence is beneficial (or not beneficial) to society because it ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 1—Three recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence include ____, ____, and ____.
11. United States Food Safety Regulations
a. Thesis 1—United States Food Safety Regulations are beneficial because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—United States Food Safety Regulations are not beneficial because they _____, _____, and ______.
12. Illegal Immigration
a. Thesis 1—Illegal Immigration Laws are beneficial to society because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Illegal Immigration Laws are not beneficial to society because they _____, _____, and ______.
13. Health and Obesity
a. Thesis 1—Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2— Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are not necessary because they ____, ____, and _____.
14. Animal Rights
a. Thesis 1—Animal Rights are beneficial to society because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Animal Rights are not beneficial to society because they _____, _____, and ______.
15. Gun Control Laws
a. Thesis 1—Gun Control Laws are beneficial to society because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Gun Control Laws are not beneficial to society because they _____, _____, and ______.
16. Nanotechnology
a. Thesis 1—Three recent advancements in nanotechnology include ____, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—Recent technological advancements in nanotechnology have positively (or negatively) impacted ____, ____ and ____.

17. Drinking Water Supply
a. Thesis 1—Measures to maintain a Drinking Water Supply is crucial because it ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2— Measures to maintain a Drinking Water Supply is not necessary because it _____, _____, and ______.
18. Police Brutality
a. Thesis 1—Police and citizen relationships have improved and there are less episodes of police brutality because of ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Police and citizen relationships have not improved and there are more episodes of police brutality because of ____, _____, and _____.
19. Free Trade
a. Thesis 1—Free Trade practices have recently improved because of ____, _____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Free Trade practices have recently deteriorated because of ____, ____, and ____.
20. Energy Concerns
a. Thesis 1—The three most recent energy concerns are ___, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—Recent energy concerns have had these three positive effects; they have ___, ____, and ____.
21. Social Media and Society
a. Thesis 1—Social Media is beneficial to society because it ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Social Media is not beneficial to society because it _____, _____, and ______.
22. Social Security
a. Thesis 1—Social Security and measures to maintain the program are necessary because it (they) ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2— Social Security and measures to maintain the program are unnecessary because it (they) _____, _____, and ______.
23. The Business of College Athletics
a. Thesis 1— The business of college athletics has had these three positive effects; it has ___, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—The business of college athletics has had these three negative effects; it has ___, ____, and ____.
24. Affirmative Action
a. Thesis 1—Affirmative Action is beneficial to society because it ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—Affirmative Action is not beneficial to society because it _____, _____, and ______.
25. U. S. Manufacturing Industry
a. Thesis 1—The three most recent U.S. Manufacturing Industry concerns are ___, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—The U.S. Manufacturing Industry has had these three positive (or negative) effects; it has ___, ____, and ____.
26. Education Funding
a. Thesis 1—The three most recent education funding concerns are ___, ____, and ____.
b. Thesis 2—Education funding has had these three positive (or negative) effects; it has ___, ____, and ____.
27. High Cost of College and Student Debt
a. Thesis 1—The high cost of college and the possibility of a large student debt are necessary for an individual because they ____, ____, and _____.
b. Thesis 2—The high cost of college and the possibility of a large student debt are necessary for an individual because they _____, _____, and ______.

You will have to think of the words for each blank. For example, let’s say I was assigned the topic Technological Advances in Education. After researching the topic, I decided to use the following thesis statement for the Topic of Technological Advances in Education—

Thesis Statement: Three recent technological advancements in education include the use of online educational opportunities, videoconferencing educational opportunities, and hybrid educational opportunities.

Notice that with this example you can easily determine what my 3 main points will be: online educational opportunities, videoconferencing educational opportunities, and hybrid educational opportunities. Your statement must include your 3 main points when you submit your Thesis Statement. (You may NOT use my 3 points!)

Again, as you select your thesis, make sure you have your 3 main areas or subtopics. When I grade your thesis/outline, I should be able to see what 3 main points you want to use in this research paper.

Reminder: You must use one of the Thesis Statements from the directions. The list of Thesis Statements is not a suggestion; it is a requirement. You will use the Thesis Statement to make the Topic Sentences. When I approve your Thesis Statement, you will also include that approved Thesis Statement as the last sentence in the Research Paper Introduction (when that time comes).

Because this is the first college research paper that some of you will complete, I have certain requirements/guidelines on how to complete this paper. Some students may find that my requirements are rigid, but I know that using a certain format to compose this paper will help you stay on track through the process…you have to trust me!!

Step 3:
Before you start to research your topic, I would like for you to open a Word document to begin a working Works Cited page (that will eventually become your Assignment #4: Works Cited Page). You will find it helpful to copy and paste citations into the working Works Cited page as you find sources that you plan to use in the Research Paper. Don’t worry about formatting until you are certain that you want to use the source in the research paper. Even though you find 5 sources that you think will be good for this research paper, you may need to do more research as you complete the outline and realize where more information is needed. You can minimize this working Works Cited page as you search for sources.

Even though the Works Cited page is explained in Assignment #4, you will actually find your sources before you can even begin Assignment #3. Search the databases that I explained in the TC Library Orientation PowerPoint. I encourage you to go back through the slides to get help in researching and citing your sources.

You may not use general websites! You must use Temple College books and Temple College databases. I know that it would be easy to Google information, but that information may not be accurate. Because this research paper in an academic research paper, you must use academic sources. I have stated this fact in the Library Orientation PowerPoint and the Research Paper Guide.

While you are researching, you need to keep in mind the two possible Thesis Statements for your assigned topic.

I will check the sources. If I know that your source is from a general website, I will deduct points from assignments; if you choose to use general websites for the final research paper, you will receive a failing grade on the research paper. If I am not sure about your source (which may be from TC database or a general website), I will check on it and I may ask you to send me a link to the source or even scanned pages of the book source. If that happens, you must get my approval to use the source that I am questioning before you can use the source. Even though I am very familiar with the TC sources that you will use to write this research paper, I do come across some sources that are not as familiar to me; thus, I will ask you for more information. Please do not think that I am dismissing your sources when I ask about them; instead, I am double-checking to make sure they are good sources. Also, you need to realize that it is better for me to check your sources now than to question them after you complete the entire research paper (and may get a failing grade for using incorrect sources).

Step 4:
Organize your information for the outline. You must use all 5 sources in the research paper outline and research paper. You must also not solely rely on one or two sources; instead, you need to consult a variety of sources in order to have information from different experts.

When you use a statement from a source (whether it is paraphrased or a direct quote), you must include a parenthetical reference that contains source information at the end of the statement.

Before you begin choosing statements from your sources, you need to finalize your Works Cited Page. Please read Assignment #4 directions on how to correctly format the Works Cited Page. The reason that it is important to have a correct Works Cited page is because you will use the first item in the Works Cited entry to place in the parenthetical reference when you use something from the source.

If your Works Cited entry looks like the following:
Mantel, Barbara. “Preventing Obesity.” CQ Researcher, 1 Oct. 2010, pp. 797-820. CQ Researcher, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2010100100&type=hitlist&num=0.
and you want to use a statement from this source, you will place (Mantel 780) at the end of the statement.

Using Parenthetical References in Outline: The Research Paper Outline and the Research Paper must contain parenthetical references! You used sources to learn information about your subject, so you must give credit to your sources when you use their exact words or when you use their ideas (which includes putting the ideas from the sources in your own words). In other words, you still must give credit to your sources by using parenthetical references when you summarize their ideas.

To help you know what kind of sources that you will need for this Research Paper, here is the basic outline for the Research Paper:

Outline Organization: Plan to organize your research paper according to the following format:

Topic of Research Paper
Thesis Statement: (You will use one of the two Thesis Statements from Step 2)
I. Introduction (You are not required to write the entire Introduction for the outline; you can simply put the word Introduction on the outline.)
II. Main Point #1 Topic Sentence
A. Support
B. Support
C. Support
Concluding Sentence
III. Main Point #2 Topic Sentence
A. Support
B. Support
C. Support
Concluding Sentence
IV. Main Point #3 Topic Sentence
A. Support
B. Support
C. Support
Concluding Sentence
V. Conclusion (You are not required to write the entire Conclusion for the outline; you can simply put the word Conclusion on the outline.)

Notes on Outline:
You will begin the Outline by stating the title and the Thesis Statement that you chose from the above list of Thesis Statements. You must write a Topic Sentence for each supporting paragraph. Please see the following two sets of examples for Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences based on my example Thesis Statements from Step 2. It is very important that you use these examples when you write your Topic Sentences. If your Topic Sentences are not written according to my directions/examples, I will ask you to write a new Thesis Statement and new Topic Sentences.

Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences Example #1
If you used the following Thesis Statement about the three recent technological advancements in education–

Thesis Statement: Three recent technological advancements in education include the use of online educational opportunities, videoconferencing educational opportunities, and hybrid educational opportunities.

–you will use the following three Topic Sentences:

Topic Sentence 1: The first recent technological advancement in education includes the use of online educational opportunities.

Topic Sentence 2: The second recent technological advancement in education includes the use of videoconferencing educational opportunities.

Topic Sentence 3: The third recent technological advancement in education includes the use of hybrid educational opportunities.

Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences Example #2
If you used the following Thesis Statement about the three government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity–

Thesis Statement: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can help eliminate food deserts; they can help reduce the consumption of high-calorie, sugary drinks; and they can hold manufacturers and marketers accountable for the advertisement of unhealthy food choices.
Please Note: I used semi-colons because I had a comma within one of my main points; if you do not have commas within your main points, you will use commas between your main points (as you see on many of the Thesis Statement examples).

–you will use the following three Topic Sentences:

Topic Sentence 1: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can help eliminate food deserts.

Topic Sentence 2: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can help reduce the consumption of high-calorie, sugary drinks.

Topic Sentence 3: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can hold manufacturers and marketers accountable for the advertisement of unhealthy food choices.

Note on Topic Sentences: You will use the Thesis Statement to write the three Topic Sentences. Much of the wording will be the same in the sentences. The Topic Sentences must clearly show the three main points of this research paper.

Finding Supporting Information: You will find at least three examples of support for each of the three main points; you may have more than three, but no less than three support sentences. You must include information from your sources that support each main point. Use quotation marks for direct quotes. After the statements from a source, you must provide source information in a parenthetical reference.

Then, you will write concluding sentences for each of the 3 main points. Each concluding sentence will contain some of the same information as the topic sentence for that main point, but you may not use the same sentence for the concluding sentence as you used for the topic sentence. It is important to have a topic sentence to introduce the supporting paragraph and a concluding sentence to conclude the supporting paragraph. Please realize that the Topic Sentence introduces the reader to this paragraph and the Concluding Sentence “sums up” the paragraph for the reader. The Concluding Sentence will contain information from the Topic Sentence as well as information that you discuss in the paragraph. You probably learned about Topic Sentences and Concluding Sentences in your English 1301 class when you were asked to write personal essays.

If I use the following Topic Sentence–

Topic Sentence 1: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can help eliminate food deserts.

–I can use the following Concluding Sentence:
Concluding Sentence 1: The government is decreasing obesity and eliminating food deserts by passing the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) as well as proposing other government programs.

If I use the following Topic Sentence–

Topic Sentence 2: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can help reduce the consumption of high-calorie, sugary drinks.

–I can use the following Concluding Sentence:
Concluding Sentence 2: The government is helping to fight obesity by decreasing the consumption of high-calorie, sugary drinks with the implementation of the soda tax.

If I use the following Topic Sentence—

Topic Sentence 3: Government programs to promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity are necessary because they can hold manufacturers and marketers accountable for the advertisement of unhealthy food choices.

–I can use the following Concluding Sentence:

Concluding Sentence 3: Some consumers are influenced by “catchy” marketing techniques for unhealthy foods and drinks; thus, the government is decreasing obesity by offering important initiatives to hold manufacturers and marketers accountable for their products.

Please take a few minutes to see the similar wording in both the Topic Sentence and the Concluding Sentence for each main point. The reader should clearly know that you are beginning a section and ending a section before you move on to the next section.

Important Note: The Thesis Statement, Topic Sentences, and Concluding Sentences must be in your own words! You may NOT take these sentences from your sources, so you may not have parenthetical references after these sentences.

After you complete the outline, you must make sure that the Thesis Statement is based on the research and outline organization. You must include the Thesis Statement at the beginning of the outline.

Step 5:
Your outline must be formatted exactly like my example outline. The Roman Numerals or letters must be uniformly spaced (like my example). If you have difficulty with making your outline look like my outline, you may find it necessary to use two of my favorite icons (usually located above the line spacing icon): Decrease Indent and Increase Indent.

You must use 12 pt. Times New Roman for the entire Outline with Thesis Statement document (and the entire research paper project). The entire document must be double-spaced.

When you complete the Research Paper Outline with Thesis Statement, you must post the document to the dropbox labeled Assignment #3. You will find the due date for the assignment on the Schedule of Events.