Remember, this paper has to be at least 2500 words long, which is approximately

Remember, this paper has to be at least 2500 words long, which is approximately twelve paragraphs. So you need to choose a topic that will be substantive enough to allow you to write that much, but also not so long that you are writing a dissertation. A good place to start is by using the databases on the Lone Star website. I have shown you how to use these databases. Go to the database of your choice and search to see what comes up for your topic. If not much comes up, then you will have a problem finding ten citations to use in your essay. If a lot comes up, then lucky you. You will have a wealth of choices for material to use to support your essay.
I hope you remember that we discussed something called the “condensed argument.” A condensed argument means that it is logic appeal with a lot of assumptions built into it. If we think about any condensed argument, we can begin to strip out the assumptions that the conclusion is based on. In this case, we call these assumptions “warrants.” The word warrant really just means a reason. (So for example, in the phrase, a warrant for someone’s arrest really just means that a judge has created a document with a reason for someone’s arrest.) Warrant means reason.
When you create the thesis statement in the format of an assertion followed by three statements, the format we have been using in class, the three statements are actually your condensed arguments for the essay. So on the planner, at the top, put in your topic, and then write down the thesis statement in the format of the assertion and the three parts of the argument. Next, take each of those three parts, and put them into the planner as a condensed argument for part 1, a condensed argument for part 2, and a condensed argument for part 3.
Once you have done that, start analyzing your condensed arguments to extract the warrants. Strive to get four warrants for each condensed argument. Also, pull out at least one objection and your rebuttal for each condensed argument. You can do one for each warrant if you want to, but try to find at least one for each condensed argument.
Once you have this worksheet filled out, you have your essay almost written, believe it or not. Each warrant (you will have twelve), and each objection and rebuttal (you will have three) can be its own paragraph in your essay. That means that you actually have twelve paragraphs planned, and you only really need ten body paragraphs (and an introduction and conclusion). So chose the ten best, and write those paragraphs. Add an introduction and conclusion, and the first draft of your research paper is done.
When you chose your ten best warrants or objection-rebuttal pairs to write about, choose based on what you have drawn from articles that you can quote from to substantiate your position. As I have said before, it is really difficult to get good quotations from trying to research on the topic level because it is too general. Instead, once you have your warrants defined, use those to search in the databases for relevant articles. You will find material that is much more relevant to what you want to write. This will actually save you a lot of time. It may not seem like it, but trust me, it will save you a LOT of time.
As you read and pull quotes out of what you are reading, keep a running list of citations using the full citation (MLA style) for each article you read. This will also make it easier and save you time when you are trying to do the final version of your document with the in-text citations and the list of works cited.
This is all that my professor has instructed the class. I have also attached the planner she speaks of.