Topic: To what extent does social media encourage tourism in XXX (any country)?
Identify a thesis statement
– A thesis statement is the summary of how you interpret your research question. Per the UNC Writing
Center, it makes a claim that others might dispute, but that you intend to defend during the course of your
essay. All arguments in your essay should link back to the thesis statement. It is usually one sentence in
the opening paragraph of an essay.
Compile at least 10 academic references that support your thesis statement
– You will need to use academic citations and examples to support your argument. In this context an academic reference
will either be peer-reviewed research, pre-print articles that are expected to undergo peer review, or
reports that otherwise abide by academic conventions. As a general rule, academic references will be
available via Google Scholar.
The research essay will:
• Meaningfully incorporate the identified academic material
• Be 1000 words or less (not including references)
• Be composed of multiple sections
• Use reference material to support all statements of fact that are not common known (i.e. it will
not plagiarize)
• Have an introduction and a conclusion
The essay portion will be graded based on how well organized, supported, and convincing it is. The
hallmark of an effective, persuasive research essay is that it convinces an uninitiated reader of a thesis statement. Therefore, the essay will be graded holistically beyond the above basic
conditions.