Overview Units 2-4: Problem/Solution Research Paper

At this point in the course, students begin working on their formal individual problem/solution research papers (IRP) The research & writing process for the IRP extends through Units 2,3, and 4 (the end of course). All material covered in class is designed to provide examples for students for guidance and practice. 

Students will be responsible to apply skills learned in class to their own papers outside of class. While students should be working on their papers independently, there will be dedicated days when students can share their progress and received feedback from one another. Each unit builds upon the work completed in the previous unit. Each unit features a formally graded assignment demonstrating the students' progress.

Details for each unit are listed in the respective Unit overview pages. A summary of each unit's formally graded assignments are as follows: 

Unit 2: Pre-Research Portfolio  
Graded: A collection of background information needed for the first stage of IRP research 

Unit 3: Annotated Bibliography  
Graded: Formal documentation to explain the sources selected for their IRP 

Unit 4: Writing the IRP  
Graded: Final draft of the IRP

Video: Overview of Unit 2-4

Document 1: Assignment Prompt: Unit 2-4 IRP Student Overview

Document 2: Quiz: Unit 2, 3, 4 Overview quiz (key)

IRP Task/Prompt:

Choose an organization that is actively working towards addressing a problem in society (e.g. community, state, region or country) affecting a distinct population (e.g. women, animals, children, etc.). Write a problem/solution paper that describes and critiques at least two current solutions to the problem offered by the organization and recommends how to improve them or critiques two current solutions and suggests one or two new solutions with justifications.

IRP Outline/Structure:

Papers will be divided roughly into 11 paragraphs. Outline option 1 will be followed in most lesson plans and will be the only option given to students initially. Option 2 can be offered/encouraged based on instructor preference or to fit the needs of those students whose topic and source does not work well for option 1. Option 2 only describes and critiques two existing solutions but then describes and recommends one or two brand new solution(s). Option 1 describes and critiques two existing solutions but only focuses on improving the existing solutions.

Option 1:    I. Introduction    Solution #1            II. Description            III. Critique            IV. Improvement   Solution #2            V. Description            VI. Critique            VII. Improvement    VIII. Conclusion

Option 2:    I. Introduction    Solution #1            II. Description            III. Critique    Solution #2            IV. Description            V. Critique    Recommended new solution #1            VI. Description            VII. Justification    VIII. Conclusion

IRP Sources:

A minimum of five quality sources should be used to write this paper (at least three need to be peer-reviewed, academic sources). The annotated bibliography assignment is designed, in part, to help facilitate the emphasis on quality sources. It also provides instructors with the opportunity to reject any unreliable or "unacademic" sources before the students begin writing the paper.