Research (or Researched) Writing

On a continuum:

• Writing that results from formal research, whether empirical/experimental, archival, interview, textual, etc.
• Writing that includes researched material for support, evidence, illustration, example

Not a genre 
Not a standard form or format.

Purposes for teaching research writing.

Traditional academic term/research paper assignments have often led students to the following practices:
     Pick a topic, do a little research (the minimum amount!), organize some stuff (whatever!?*) in some way or other, write a summative introduction and conclusion, document it (sorta!). Make sure it's the specified length.
    The traditional research paper assignment has usually specified no reader, no purpose, no requirement on the part of the writer to reflect on the subject matter or engage with it in any way. It has been a reporting exercise that doesn't change students' practices much from elementary school through college.

Elizabeth Cooper
Virginia Commonwealth University
ecooper@vcu.edu