Skeleton Assignments

Skeleton assignments suitable for the portfolios:

Most sections of English 1 will assign five of these, including the research paper. Some may assign six,

allowing students to select from three different papers for each portfolio. The skeletons do not have to be

assigned lock-step. Some instructors provide students will the complete list allowing them to select which

genre is most appropriate for the topic selected, an exercise that most accurately mirrors the writing

process as we experience it. Others invite students to select from several options following a discussion

of the genre in question—for example (1), (2) or (8) as part of a unit on synthesis; (4) or (6) as part of a

unit on comparison; the argumentative assignments in (3), (4), or (8); or the analytical assignments in (5),

(6), or (7). However the skeletons are used, the extended research paper (9) must be assigned and

included in the final portfolio.

A brief list of all NINE skeleton assignments

1. Students provide insight into an issue or debate in research using three or more (reliable) sources.

The paper should contain a focusing statement, though it will not be argumentative since the goal

of an explanatory synthesis is to inform rather than to persuade. (Explanatory or background

synthesis)

2. Students engage in at least one form of primary research (interview, structured observation,

survey/poll, questionnaire) and synthesize their findings with at least three secondary sources. The

paper may have an explanatory or an argumentative thesis and should include the results of the

primary research in an appendix. (Field synthesis)

3. Students form an argument based on the structure/thesis “X is/is not Y because of a, b, c, and d.”

Students select an “X” term and then define their “Y” term, Each section of the “Y” term definition

paper argument (a, b, c, d) should ideally be at least one paragraph in length and should include

defense against possible counter-arguments. (Definitional argument)

4. Students use an argumentative thesis to make a claim about the significance of similarities and

differences between selected sources (textual, visual, or oral). This assignment relies on a focused

structure—generally point-by-point—to support an argument. The thesis should highlight the

broader significance of the comparison rather than focusing on the fact of similarity or difference.

(Comparative argument)

5. Students are asked to discuss the rhetorical aspects used in an argument. The assignment may

simply require explanation, in which case the paper will have an explanatory thesis. It may also

invite students to explain and evaluate, in which case the paper would require an argumentative

thesis. In either case, the paper must have supporting quotes, and focus on specific strategies and

the way they combine to create an argument/or their combination as a factor in the effectiveness of

the author’s argument. The assignment does not ask students whether they agree or disagree with

the argument under analysis. This assignment may focus on written, spoken, or visual texts.

(Rhetorical analysis)

6. Students complete a basic rhetorical analysis for two or more texts, and then compare the

rhetorical features of those texts. This paper requires an argumentative thesis and supporting

quotes, and focuses on the overall effectiveness of the argument of each author/text—not whether

the student agrees or disagrees with one of the arguments. Like the regular comparison, this

assignment relies on a focused structure—generally point-by-point—to support an argument. The

thesis should highlight the broader significance of the comparison. (Comparative rhetorical

analysis)

7. Students select an idea or theory from an approved or assigned source and apply it to another

“text” or collection of texts (these may be written, visual, or oral or a combination). The theory acts

as a lens for interpretation. Papers should briefly summarize the theory and then apply it to the text

or texts in a point-by-point fashion. The thesis, which in most cases should be argumentative,

should take a position on the “texts,” or on the theory based upon what the attempt to apply it

reveals to the student. (Theory-based analysis)

8. Students select a topic for preliminary research (within parameters set by the instructor) and write

a short research paper using 3-6 sources. The topic can be a preliminary investigation that will be

developed into a full research paper. The paper should be thesis-driven, and the thesis should in

most cases be argumentative. The sources should be from a variety of (reliable) media, should be

correctly cited using MLA in-text citation (or other disciplinary-based citation style), and should be

used in the paper to create a well supported argument about the selected topic. (Short research

paper or argumentative synthesis)

9. The research paper is an 8-10 page paper that uses 8-16 sources in an extended discussion of a

topic selected by the student (within parameters set by the instructor). The sources should be from

a variety of (reliable) media, should be correctly cited using MLA in-text citation, and should be

used in the paper to create a well supported argument about the selected topic. In some cases an

English 1 research paper may be explanatory, but an argumentative thesis is preferred. (Extended

research paper)