FINAL DRAFT DUE:

Background: For most of the semester, we have reading Fast Food Nation and learning about the ways the fast food modelof business influences many things in our culture. Many of the topics brought up in the book raised questions about oursociety’s food production, government, and business models. Now, you will research a question the book has raised for youand write an essay. Assignment: Write an essay in which you join the academic conversation about the fast-food model of business. To join theconversation, you will use outside research to become knowledgeable about the topic you chose and argue some pointabout what you discovered.
Should jobs be able to have any rules they want? Should the government have a say in safety or rules in a workplace? Are worker’s compensation and disability practices fair? Why is violence in the workplace so common? What can be done to reduce violence in the workplace? Are unions still relevant to today’s work force? Should Americans form/join unions? Are the experiences of low-wage workers proof there is a problem with these types of jobs? How do suburbs and city design influence how we live our day-to-day lives?Topic: You have the opportunity this semester to work on a research assignment inspired by any topic found in Fast FoodNation. Since the best research is fueled by curiosity, I only ask that you pursue a topic that truly intrigues you, one that isworth the time and energy you will devote to your research. To help you decide upon a topic, review the chapters thatappealed to you and your Double Entry Responses. Once you have decided on a topic, you will need to narrow the scope ofyour research by developing your own specific research question.Some examples (feel free to come up with your own):
Why are businesses giving fewer benefits (vacation, sick time, and retirement) to their workers? Why don’t American

Should we limit money in politics or publically fund elections? Should the government allow monopolies? Should multi-national corporations be allowed to use tax shelters? Is opening a franchise a sound business investment? Should corporations be responsible for their impact on our environment? Is the animal food system humane? Healthy?  Are farmers still necessary? Should the government be doing more to encourage and/or protect farmers? Are the use of standardized food practices (one company that produces food used at all restaurants) safe or good for us?workers demand/expect benefits from their jobs?
What regulations should government impose on business?
OFF LIMIT TOPICS: You cannot do food or obesity!

Sources: Once you have developed your research question of your own, you will need to find the appropriate sources tohelp you answer your question. Your research must include FIVE credible sources Fast Food Nation should be one of thefive. Other sources: books, magazine or newspaper articles, government websites, or academic journal articles, which can belocated through the library databases. You are welcome to use primary research that you initiate: interviews, surveys, andobservations. If you choose to conduct primary research, you must still have five written sources.

Requirements
Essays will have a clearly focused thesis and appropriate support. Final drafts should be at least 2000 words (6-7) pages and be in MLA format.
This is a formal research paper, so you will not use I. You should not say: “I think, I feel, I believe.” Do not use slang,

contractions or foul language.
Specific, concrete details and vivid descriptions are a must. The more detailed and specific you are, the better able

your reader is to follow your essay.
This is not a list or summary/report of research findings– you are proving a clear point about your topic using support
such as examples, explanations, statistics, expert opinions, description, hypothetical situations, anecdotes, etc.

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Name: _______________________________ Responder’s Name:______________________________________

Peer Response Workshop

Please read your fellow writer’s essay carefully. Then, read and answer this set of questions. You should respond to questions 1-4 bymaking notes on the writer’s paper. You should answer questions 5-9 on this sheet of paper (use the back if you run out of room).Please provide your writer with an overall comments on the back of this sheet and then give them back this sheet and their draft.1. Thesis/Main Argument: What is the main point, or thesis, of the essay (label it on their draft)? What could be improved?2. Praise: Label the word or phrases that your strike you as good or memorable? Which sections seem the most important or

interesting? Which parts of the essay work well (label them by marking this works well or this is interesting)?

3. Expansion ideas: What ideas are “almost” said? What do you want to hear more about? Where does the writer need to expand or

explain more?4. Summary: Are there places where the writer is providing only summary without any analysis? Are there more outside ideassummarized then their own ideas in the essay?5. Intro: How well does the writer set his/her topic in the intro? Is the introduction interesting and catchy? What improvementscould be made?6. Logical Support: How well does each body paragraph support/prove the main point? Does each paragraph clearly tie back to thethesis with a topic sentence? Are there any points that don’t seem to be connected to the thesis or main point of the essay?7. Textual Evidence: How well does the writer make use of outside sources to help prove each argument? Are there points that youbelieve have not yet been adequately proven? Does the writer set up each quote in a way that flows well and makes sense as thereader? In other words, do quotes and paraphrases prove a point the writer makes and then are clearly connected and explained?8. Analysis: How well does the author use analysis in order to explain his/her main argument and his/her own interpretation of thesubject? In other words, is the essay mostly the writer’s interpretation and evidence proving the subject or is it a summary of

outside sources? What parts are unclear?

9. Organization: Is each supporting point broken up into paragraphs that make logical sense to you? Does the order of each

paragraph flow well (are there transitions)? What changes need to be made in the order?

Research Project Proposal Outline

To: Professor Kristina RogersFrom: [Your Name]Research Question: [You may ask any question as long as it relates to Fast Food Nation. Ask open ended
questions that will allow you to explore multiple, even unexpected perspectives of your chosen topic; avoid askingquestions that limit your research by leading you to preconceived answer or worse: a dead end. Ask questions thatare reasonable and specific with attainable answers, avoid asking questions that may be too difficult to answer inrelatively brief research assignment such as this.]Purpose: [Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching this topic, it is important youidentify a) which section of Fast Food Nation inspired your question and b) the reasons you are curious and whatyou hope to gain from this topic.
Audience: [Be as specific as possible about who would benefit from reading your research and why. For example,“workers” or “businesses” are vague; “low-wage exploited workers” or “large food producing corporation” aremore specific.]Tentative List of References: [At this point you should have identified at least two of the sources you may use inyour essay. These are tentative sources only. You may focus on different sources as your research progresses. Listyour tentative sources here in MLA format as you would on a Works Cited page.]Questions & Concerns: [I know a project such as this can feel overwhelming. Please use this section to address anyspecific questions or concerns you have about your research. I am here to help you succeed in any way I possiblycan.]

FINAL DRAFT DUE:

Background: For most of the semester, we have reading Fast Food Nation and learning about the ways the fast food modelof business influences many things in our culture. Many of the topics brought up in the book raised questions about oursociety’s food production, government, and business models. Now, you will research a question the book has raised for youand write an essay. Assignment: Write an essay in which you join the academic conversation about the fast-food model of business. To join theconversation, you will use outside research to become knowledgeable about the topic you chose and argue some pointabout what you discovered.
Should jobs be able to have any rules they want? Should the government have a say in safety or rules in a workplace? Are worker’s compensation and disability practices fair? Why is violence in the workplace so common? What can be done to reduce violence in the workplace? Are unions still relevant to today’s work force? Should Americans form/join unions? Are the experiences of low-wage workers proof there is a problem with these types of jobs? How do suburbs and city design influence how we live our day-to-day lives?Topic: You have the opportunity this semester to work on a research assignment inspired by any topic found in Fast FoodNation. Since the best research is fueled by curiosity, I only ask that you pursue a topic that truly intrigues you, one that isworth the time and energy you will devote to your research. To help you decide upon a topic, review the chapters thatappealed to you and your Double Entry Responses. Once you have decided on a topic, you will need to narrow the scope ofyour research by developing your own specific research question.Some examples (feel free to come up with your own):
Why are businesses giving fewer benefits (vacation, sick time, and retirement) to their workers? Why don’t American

Should we limit money in politics or publically fund elections? Should the government allow monopolies? Should multi-national corporations be allowed to use tax shelters? Is opening a franchise a sound business investment? Should corporations be responsible for their impact on our environment? Is the animal food system humane? Healthy?  Are farmers still necessary? Should the government be doing more to encourage and/or protect farmers? Are the use of standardized food practices (one company that produces food used at all restaurants) safe or good for us?workers demand/expect benefits from their jobs?
What regulations should government impose on business?
OFF LIMIT TOPICS: You cannot do food or obesity!

Sources: Once you have developed your research question of your own, you will need to find the appropriate sources tohelp you answer your question. Your research must include FIVE credible sources Fast Food Nation should be one of thefive. Other sources: books, magazine or newspaper articles, government websites, or academic journal articles, which can belocated through the library databases. You are welcome to use primary research that you initiate: interviews, surveys, andobservations. If you choose to conduct primary research, you must still have five written sources.

Requirements
Essays will have a clearly focused thesis and appropriate support. Final drafts should be at least 2000 words (6-7) pages and be in MLA format.
This is a formal research paper, so you will not use I. You should not say: “I think, I feel, I believe.” Do not use slang,

contractions or foul language.
Specific, concrete details and vivid descriptions are a must. The more detailed and specific you are, the better able

your reader is to follow your essay.
This is not a list or summary/report of research findings– you are proving a clear point about your topic using support
such as examples, explanations, statistics, expert opinions, description, hypothetical situations, anecdotes, etc.

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Name: _______________________________ Responder’s Name:______________________________________

Peer Response Workshop

Please read your fellow writer’s essay carefully. Then, read and answer this set of questions. You should respond to questions 1-4 bymaking notes on the writer’s paper. You should answer questions 5-9 on this sheet of paper (use the back if you run out of room).Please provide your writer with an overall comments on the back of this sheet and then give them back this sheet and their draft.1. Thesis/Main Argument: What is the main point, or thesis, of the essay (label it on their draft)? What could be improved?2. Praise: Label the word or phrases that your strike you as good or memorable? Which sections seem the most important or

interesting? Which parts of the essay work well (label them by marking this works well or this is interesting)?

3. Expansion ideas: What ideas are “almost” said? What do you want to hear more about? Where does the writer need to expand or

explain more?4. Summary: Are there places where the writer is providing only summary without any analysis? Are there more outside ideassummarized then their own ideas in the essay?5. Intro: How well does the writer set his/her topic in the intro? Is the introduction interesting and catchy? What improvementscould be made?6. Logical Support: How well does each body paragraph support/prove the main point? Does each paragraph clearly tie back to thethesis with a topic sentence? Are there any points that don’t seem to be connected to the thesis or main point of the essay?7. Textual Evidence: How well does the writer make use of outside sources to help prove each argument? Are there points that youbelieve have not yet been adequately proven? Does the writer set up each quote in a way that flows well and makes sense as thereader? In other words, do quotes and paraphrases prove a point the writer makes and then are clearly connected and explained?8. Analysis: How well does the author use analysis in order to explain his/her main argument and his/her own interpretation of thesubject? In other words, is the essay mostly the writer’s interpretation and evidence proving the subject or is it a summary of

outside sources? What parts are unclear?

9. Organization: Is each supporting point broken up into paragraphs that make logical sense to you? Does the order of each

paragraph flow well (are there transitions)? What changes need to be made in the order?

Research Project Proposal Outline

To: Professor Kristina RogersFrom: [Your Name]Research Question: [You may ask any question as long as it relates to Fast Food Nation. Ask open ended
questions that will allow you to explore multiple, even unexpected perspectives of your chosen topic; avoid askingquestions that limit your research by leading you to preconceived answer or worse: a dead end. Ask questions thatare reasonable and specific with attainable answers, avoid asking questions that may be too difficult to answer inrelatively brief research assignment such as this.]Purpose: [Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching this topic, it is important youidentify a) which section of Fast Food Nation inspired your question and b) the reasons you are curious and whatyou hope to gain from this topic.
Audience: [Be as specific as possible about who would benefit from reading your research and why. For example,“workers” or “businesses” are vague; “low-wage exploited workers” or “large food producing corporation” aremore specific.]Tentative List of References: [At this point you should have identified at least two of the sources you may use inyour essay. These are tentative sources only. You may focus on different sources as your research progresses. Listyour tentative sources here in MLA format as you would on a Works Cited page.]Questions & Concerns: [I know a project such as this can feel overwhelming. Please use this section to address anyspecific questions or concerns you have about your research. I am here to help you succeed in any way I possiblycan.]

FINAL DRAFT DUE:

Background: For most of the semester, we have reading Fast Food Nation and learning about the ways the fast food modelof business influences many things in our culture. Many of the topics brought up in the book raised questions about oursociety’s food production, government, and business models. Now, you will research a question the book has raised for youand write an essay. Assignment: Write an essay in which you join the academic conversation about the fast-food model of business. To join theconversation, you will use outside research to become knowledgeable about the topic you chose and argue some pointabout what you discovered.
Should jobs be able to have any rules they want? Should the government have a say in safety or rules in a workplace? Are worker’s compensation and disability practices fair? Why is violence in the workplace so common? What can be done to reduce violence in the workplace? Are unions still relevant to today’s work force? Should Americans form/join unions? Are the experiences of low-wage workers proof there is a problem with these types of jobs? How do suburbs and city design influence how we live our day-to-day lives?Topic: You have the opportunity this semester to work on a research assignment inspired by any topic found in Fast FoodNation. Since the best research is fueled by curiosity, I only ask that you pursue a topic that truly intrigues you, one that isworth the time and energy you will devote to your research. To help you decide upon a topic, review the chapters thatappealed to you and your Double Entry Responses. Once you have decided on a topic, you will need to narrow the scope ofyour research by developing your own specific research question.Some examples (feel free to come up with your own):
Why are businesses giving fewer benefits (vacation, sick time, and retirement) to their workers? Why don’t American

Should we limit money in politics or publically fund elections? Should the government allow monopolies? Should multi-national corporations be allowed to use tax shelters? Is opening a franchise a sound business investment? Should corporations be responsible for their impact on our environment? Is the animal food system humane? Healthy?  Are farmers still necessary? Should the government be doing more to encourage and/or protect farmers? Are the use of standardized food practices (one company that produces food used at all restaurants) safe or good for us?workers demand/expect benefits from their jobs?
What regulations should government impose on business?
OFF LIMIT TOPICS: You cannot do food or obesity!

Sources: Once you have developed your research question of your own, you will need to find the appropriate sources tohelp you answer your question. Your research must include FIVE credible sources Fast Food Nation should be one of thefive. Other sources: books, magazine or newspaper articles, government websites, or academic journal articles, which can belocated through the library databases. You are welcome to use primary research that you initiate: interviews, surveys, andobservations. If you choose to conduct primary research, you must still have five written sources.

Requirements
Essays will have a clearly focused thesis and appropriate support. Final drafts should be at least 2000 words (6-7) pages and be in MLA format.
This is a formal research paper, so you will not use I. You should not say: “I think, I feel, I believe.” Do not use slang,

contractions or foul language.
Specific, concrete details and vivid descriptions are a must. The more detailed and specific you are, the better able

your reader is to follow your essay.
This is not a list or summary/report of research findings– you are proving a clear point about your topic using support
such as examples, explanations, statistics, expert opinions, description, hypothetical situations, anecdotes, etc.

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Name: _______________________________ Responder’s Name:______________________________________

Peer Response Workshop

Please read your fellow writer’s essay carefully. Then, read and answer this set of questions. You should respond to questions 1-4 bymaking notes on the writer’s paper. You should answer questions 5-9 on this sheet of paper (use the back if you run out of room).Please provide your writer with an overall comments on the back of this sheet and then give them back this sheet and their draft.1. Thesis/Main Argument: What is the main point, or thesis, of the essay (label it on their draft)? What could be improved?2. Praise: Label the word or phrases that your strike you as good or memorable? Which sections seem the most important or

interesting? Which parts of the essay work well (label them by marking this works well or this is interesting)?

3. Expansion ideas: What ideas are “almost” said? What do you want to hear more about? Where does the writer need to expand or

explain more?4. Summary: Are there places where the writer is providing only summary without any analysis? Are there more outside ideassummarized then their own ideas in the essay?5. Intro: How well does the writer set his/her topic in the intro? Is the introduction interesting and catchy? What improvementscould be made?6. Logical Support: How well does each body paragraph support/prove the main point? Does each paragraph clearly tie back to thethesis with a topic sentence? Are there any points that don’t seem to be connected to the thesis or main point of the essay?7. Textual Evidence: How well does the writer make use of outside sources to help prove each argument? Are there points that youbelieve have not yet been adequately proven? Does the writer set up each quote in a way that flows well and makes sense as thereader? In other words, do quotes and paraphrases prove a point the writer makes and then are clearly connected and explained?8. Analysis: How well does the author use analysis in order to explain his/her main argument and his/her own interpretation of thesubject? In other words, is the essay mostly the writer’s interpretation and evidence proving the subject or is it a summary of

outside sources? What parts are unclear?

9. Organization: Is each supporting point broken up into paragraphs that make logical sense to you? Does the order of each

paragraph flow well (are there transitions)? What changes need to be made in the order?

Research Project Proposal Outline

To: Professor Kristina RogersFrom: [Your Name]Research Question: [You may ask any question as long as it relates to Fast Food Nation. Ask open ended
questions that will allow you to explore multiple, even unexpected perspectives of your chosen topic; avoid askingquestions that limit your research by leading you to preconceived answer or worse: a dead end. Ask questions thatare reasonable and specific with attainable answers, avoid asking questions that may be too difficult to answer inrelatively brief research assignment such as this.]Purpose: [Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching this topic, it is important youidentify a) which section of Fast Food Nation inspired your question and b) the reasons you are curious and whatyou hope to gain from this topic.
Audience: [Be as specific as possible about who would benefit from reading your research and why. For example,“workers” or “businesses” are vague; “low-wage exploited workers” or “large food producing corporation” aremore specific.]Tentative List of References: [At this point you should have identified at least two of the sources you may use inyour essay. These are tentative sources only. You may focus on different sources as your research progresses. Listyour tentative sources here in MLA format as you would on a Works Cited page.]Questions & Concerns: [I know a project such as this can feel overwhelming. Please use this section to address anyspecific questions or concerns you have about your research. I am here to help you succeed in any way I possiblycan.]

FINAL DRAFT DUE:

Background: For most of the semester, we have reading Fast Food Nation and learning about the ways the fast food modelof business influences many things in our culture. Many of the topics brought up in the book raised questions about oursociety’s food production, government, and business models. Now, you will research a question the book has raised for youand write an essay. Assignment: Write an essay in which you join the academic conversation about the fast-food model of business. To join theconversation, you will use outside research to become knowledgeable about the topic you chose and argue some pointabout what you discovered.
Should jobs be able to have any rules they want? Should the government have a say in safety or rules in a workplace? Are worker’s compensation and disability practices fair? Why is violence in the workplace so common? What can be done to reduce violence in the workplace? Are unions still relevant to today’s work force? Should Americans form/join unions? Are the experiences of low-wage workers proof there is a problem with these types of jobs? How do suburbs and city design influence how we live our day-to-day lives?Topic: You have the opportunity this semester to work on a research assignment inspired by any topic found in Fast FoodNation. Since the best research is fueled by curiosity, I only ask that you pursue a topic that truly intrigues you, one that isworth the time and energy you will devote to your research. To help you decide upon a topic, review the chapters thatappealed to you and your Double Entry Responses. Once you have decided on a topic, you will need to narrow the scope ofyour research by developing your own specific research question.Some examples (feel free to come up with your own):
Why are businesses giving fewer benefits (vacation, sick time, and retirement) to their workers? Why don’t American

Should we limit money in politics or publically fund elections? Should the government allow monopolies? Should multi-national corporations be allowed to use tax shelters? Is opening a franchise a sound business investment? Should corporations be responsible for their impact on our environment? Is the animal food system humane? Healthy?  Are farmers still necessary? Should the government be doing more to encourage and/or protect farmers? Are the use of standardized food practices (one company that produces food used at all restaurants) safe or good for us?workers demand/expect benefits from their jobs?
What regulations should government impose on business?
OFF LIMIT TOPICS: You cannot do food or obesity!

Sources: Once you have developed your research question of your own, you will need to find the appropriate sources tohelp you answer your question. Your research must include FIVE credible sources Fast Food Nation should be one of thefive. Other sources: books, magazine or newspaper articles, government websites, or academic journal articles, which can belocated through the library databases. You are welcome to use primary research that you initiate: interviews, surveys, andobservations. If you choose to conduct primary research, you must still have five written sources.

Requirements
Essays will have a clearly focused thesis and appropriate support. Final drafts should be at least 2000 words (6-7) pages and be in MLA format.
This is a formal research paper, so you will not use I. You should not say: “I think, I feel, I believe.” Do not use slang,

contractions or foul language.
Specific, concrete details and vivid descriptions are a must. The more detailed and specific you are, the better able

your reader is to follow your essay.
This is not a list or summary/report of research findings– you are proving a clear point about your topic using support
such as examples, explanations, statistics, expert opinions, description, hypothetical situations, anecdotes, etc.

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Name: _______________________________ Responder’s Name:______________________________________

Peer Response Workshop

Please read your fellow writer’s essay carefully. Then, read and answer this set of questions. You should respond to questions 1-4 bymaking notes on the writer’s paper. You should answer questions 5-9 on this sheet of paper (use the back if you run out of room).Please provide your writer with an overall comments on the back of this sheet and then give them back this sheet and their draft.1. Thesis/Main Argument: What is the main point, or thesis, of the essay (label it on their draft)? What could be improved?2. Praise: Label the word or phrases that your strike you as good or memorable? Which sections seem the most important or

interesting? Which parts of the essay work well (label them by marking this works well or this is interesting)?

3. Expansion ideas: What ideas are “almost” said? What do you want to hear more about? Where does the writer need to expand or

explain more?4. Summary: Are there places where the writer is providing only summary without any analysis? Are there more outside ideassummarized then their own ideas in the essay?5. Intro: How well does the writer set his/her topic in the intro? Is the introduction interesting and catchy? What improvementscould be made?6. Logical Support: How well does each body paragraph support/prove the main point? Does each paragraph clearly tie back to thethesis with a topic sentence? Are there any points that don’t seem to be connected to the thesis or main point of the essay?7. Textual Evidence: How well does the writer make use of outside sources to help prove each argument? Are there points that youbelieve have not yet been adequately proven? Does the writer set up each quote in a way that flows well and makes sense as thereader? In other words, do quotes and paraphrases prove a point the writer makes and then are clearly connected and explained?8. Analysis: How well does the author use analysis in order to explain his/her main argument and his/her own interpretation of thesubject? In other words, is the essay mostly the writer’s interpretation and evidence proving the subject or is it a summary of

outside sources? What parts are unclear?

9. Organization: Is each supporting point broken up into paragraphs that make logical sense to you? Does the order of each

paragraph flow well (are there transitions)? What changes need to be made in the order?

Research Project Proposal Outline

To: Professor Kristina RogersFrom: [Your Name]Research Question: [You may ask any question as long as it relates to Fast Food Nation. Ask open ended
questions that will allow you to explore multiple, even unexpected perspectives of your chosen topic; avoid askingquestions that limit your research by leading you to preconceived answer or worse: a dead end. Ask questions thatare reasonable and specific with attainable answers, avoid asking questions that may be too difficult to answer inrelatively brief research assignment such as this.]Purpose: [Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching this topic, it is important youidentify a) which section of Fast Food Nation inspired your question and b) the reasons you are curious and whatyou hope to gain from this topic.
Audience: [Be as specific as possible about who would benefit from reading your research and why. For example,“workers” or “businesses” are vague; “low-wage exploited workers” or “large food producing corporation” aremore specific.]Tentative List of References: [At this point you should have identified at least two of the sources you may use inyour essay. These are tentative sources only. You may focus on different sources as your research progresses. Listyour tentative sources here in MLA format as you would on a Works Cited page.]Questions & Concerns: [I know a project such as this can feel overwhelming. Please use this section to address anyspecific questions or concerns you have about your research. I am here to help you succeed in any way I possiblycan.]

FINAL DRAFT DUE:

Background: For most of the semester, we have reading Fast Food Nation and learning about the ways the fast food modelof business influences many things in our culture. Many of the topics brought up in the book raised questions about oursociety’s food production, government, and business models. Now, you will research a question the book has raised for youand write an essay. Assignment: Write an essay in which you join the academic conversation about the fast-food model of business. To join theconversation, you will use outside research to become knowledgeable about the topic you chose and argue some pointabout what you discovered.
Should jobs be able to have any rules they want? Should the government have a say in safety or rules in a workplace? Are worker’s compensation and disability practices fair? Why is violence in the workplace so common? What can be done to reduce violence in the workplace? Are unions still relevant to today’s work force? Should Americans form/join unions? Are the experiences of low-wage workers proof there is a problem with these types of jobs? How do suburbs and city design influence how we live our day-to-day lives?Topic: You have the opportunity this semester to work on a research assignment inspired by any topic found in Fast FoodNation. Since the best research is fueled by curiosity, I only ask that you pursue a topic that truly intrigues you, one that isworth the time and energy you will devote to your research. To help you decide upon a topic, review the chapters thatappealed to you and your Double Entry Responses. Once you have decided on a topic, you will need to narrow the scope ofyour research by developing your own specific research question.Some examples (feel free to come up with your own):
Why are businesses giving fewer benefits (vacation, sick time, and retirement) to their workers? Why don’t American

Should we limit money in politics or publically fund elections? Should the government allow monopolies? Should multi-national corporations be allowed to use tax shelters? Is opening a franchise a sound business investment? Should corporations be responsible for their impact on our environment? Is the animal food system humane? Healthy?  Are farmers still necessary? Should the government be doing more to encourage and/or protect farmers? Are the use of standardized food practices (one company that produces food used at all restaurants) safe or good for us?workers demand/expect benefits from their jobs?
What regulations should government impose on business?
OFF LIMIT TOPICS: You cannot do food or obesity!

Sources: Once you have developed your research question of your own, you will need to find the appropriate sources tohelp you answer your question. Your research must include FIVE credible sources Fast Food Nation should be one of thefive. Other sources: books, magazine or newspaper articles, government websites, or academic journal articles, which can belocated through the library databases. You are welcome to use primary research that you initiate: interviews, surveys, andobservations. If you choose to conduct primary research, you must still have five written sources.

Requirements
Essays will have a clearly focused thesis and appropriate support. Final drafts should be at least 2000 words (6-7) pages and be in MLA format.
This is a formal research paper, so you will not use I. You should not say: “I think, I feel, I believe.” Do not use slang,

contractions or foul language.
Specific, concrete details and vivid descriptions are a must. The more detailed and specific you are, the better able

your reader is to follow your essay.
This is not a list or summary/report of research findings– you are proving a clear point about your topic using support
such as examples, explanations, statistics, expert opinions, description, hypothetical situations, anecdotes, etc.

Happy Writing!

Writer’s Name: _______________________________ Responder’s Name:______________________________________

Peer Response Workshop

Please read your fellow writer’s essay carefully. Then, read and answer this set of questions. You should respond to questions 1-4 bymaking notes on the writer’s paper. You should answer questions 5-9 on this sheet of paper (use the back if you run out of room).Please provide your writer with an overall comments on the back of this sheet and then give them back this sheet and their draft.1. Thesis/Main Argument: What is the main point, or thesis, of the essay (label it on their draft)? What could be improved?2. Praise: Label the word or phrases that your strike you as good or memorable? Which sections seem the most important or

interesting? Which parts of the essay work well (label them by marking this works well or this is interesting)?

3. Expansion ideas: What ideas are “almost” said? What do you want to hear more about? Where does the writer need to expand or

explain more?4. Summary: Are there places where the writer is providing only summary without any analysis? Are there more outside ideassummarized then their own ideas in the essay?5. Intro: How well does the writer set his/her topic in the intro? Is the introduction interesting and catchy? What improvementscould be made?6. Logical Support: How well does each body paragraph support/prove the main point? Does each paragraph clearly tie back to thethesis with a topic sentence? Are there any points that don’t seem to be connected to the thesis or main point of the essay?7. Textual Evidence: How well does the writer make use of outside sources to help prove each argument? Are there points that youbelieve have not yet been adequately proven? Does the writer set up each quote in a way that flows well and makes sense as thereader? In other words, do quotes and paraphrases prove a point the writer makes and then are clearly connected and explained?8. Analysis: How well does the author use analysis in order to explain his/her main argument and his/her own interpretation of thesubject? In other words, is the essay mostly the writer’s interpretation and evidence proving the subject or is it a summary of

outside sources? What parts are unclear?

9. Organization: Is each supporting point broken up into paragraphs that make logical sense to you? Does the order of each

paragraph flow well (are there transitions)? What changes need to be made in the order?

Research Project Proposal Outline

To: Professor Kristina RogersFrom: [Your Name]Research Question: [You may ask any question as long as it relates to Fast Food Nation. Ask open ended
questions that will allow you to explore multiple, even unexpected perspectives of your chosen topic; avoid askingquestions that limit your research by leading you to preconceived answer or worse: a dead end. Ask questions thatare reasonable and specific with attainable answers, avoid asking questions that may be too difficult to answer inrelatively brief research assignment such as this.]Purpose: [Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching this topic, it is important youidentify a) which section of Fast Food Nation inspired your question and b) the reasons you are curious and whatyou hope to gain from this topic.
Audience: [Be as specific as possible about who would benefit from reading your research and why. For example,“workers” or “businesses” are vague; “low-wage exploited workers” or “large food producing corporation” aremore specific.]Tentative List of References: [At this point you should have identified at least two of the sources you may use inyour essay. These are tentative sources only. You may focus on different sources as your research progresses. Listyour tentative sources here in MLA format as you would on a Works Cited page.]Questions & Concerns: [I know a project such as this can feel overwhelming. Please use this section to address anyspecific questions or concerns you have about your research. I am here to help you succeed in any way I possiblycan.]