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There are 6 modules in this course
Welcome to the capstone project for the Academic English: Writing Specialization! This project lets you apply everything you’ve learned and gives you the practice you need for college classes by having you write a research paper. You'll have several due dates throughout the capstone to help you stay on schedule.
In this capstone project, you will:
- conduct research on an academic topic of your choice
- create an outline to plan out your essay
- write a short annotated bibliography to help you evaluate your sources
- write a 7-8 page research paper
- use source material correctly with MLA format
In this Capstone project, you will combine all of the skills you've learned in the 4 courses of the Academic English: Writing specialization. This week, you will choose an academic topic to research and formulate an effective research question. By the end of this week, you should know your topic and have a rough outline of your research paper.
What's included
5 videos6 readings2 peer reviews
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 21 minutes
Capstone Introduction Video•1 minute
Plagiarism Resource video 1•4 minutes
Plagiarism Resource video 2•7 minutes
Choosing a Topic and Research Question video•8 minutes
Making an Outline video•2 minutes
6 readings•Total 60 minutes
Capstone Overview•10 minutes
Reminder about Plagiarism•10 minutes
Message about Peer Reviews•10 minutes
The Assignment•10 minutes
Rubric•10 minutes
Resources for Review•10 minutes
2 peer reviews•Total 180 minutes
Submit Your Topic and Research Questions•120 minutes
Submit Your Outline•60 minutes
Research and Annotated Bibliography
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
Last week, you learned about the assignment for this Capstone project, chose a topic, and created an outline. This week, you need to start researching and looking for source material. You will then create an annotated bibliography to submit.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 peer review
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 8 minutes
Finding Sources video•8 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Resources for Review•10 minutes
Annotated Bibliography•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Submit Annotated Bibliography•60 minutes
First Draft and Introduction Paragraph
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
This week, you should start your first draft. Try to write several paragraphs including the introduction paragraph, which you should submit for feedback.
What's included
3 videos1 reading1 peer review
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 29 minutes
Introduction Paragraphs video•13 minutes
Writing Longer Essays video•8 minutes
Using Sources video•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Resources for Review•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Submit Introduction Paragraph•60 minutes
The Rough Draft
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
This week, you should continue working on the first draft. Try to have at least four pages written when you submit the rough draft for feedback. Also, include your Works Cited page for feedback.
What's included
2 videos1 reading1 peer review
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 12 minutes
Works Cited video•4 minutes
MLA Formatting video•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Resources for Review•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Submit Research Paper Rough Draft•60 minutes
Revise and Rewrite
Module 5•18 minutes to complete
Module details
You're getting near the end. Keep up the good work! This week, you don't have anything to submit. Just keep revising and get that next draft to at least 7 pages. Then revise and revise again.
What's included
1 video1 reading
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 8 minutes
Academic Tone and Language video•8 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Resources for Review•10 minutes
The Final Draft
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
You're almost finished! In this final week, use the time to revise your research paper and edit it carefully. When you're finished, submit it for grading and review three other learners' papers. Then you'll be done!
What's included
1 video2 readings1 peer review
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 1 minute
End of Capstone Video•1 minute
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Finish Writing•10 minutes
Learn More•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Submit Research Paper Final Draft•60 minutes
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What will I actually learn in this research writing course?
You'll learn how to move from an academic topic to a finished research paper. It starts with choosing and narrowing a topic, then builds into source evaluation, MLA citation, drafting, and revision. For example, you'll turn a research question into an outline and annotated bibliography before writing a 7 to 8 page paper.
Do I need previous academic writing experience before taking this course?
You don't need expertise in a specific subject area, since you'll choose your own academic topic. But some previous experience with academic writing will help, because this capstone asks you to apply skills like outlining, source use, and citation rather than learn them from scratch. If you're brand new to research writing, the course may feel fast once it moves into drafting and peer review.
Is this course beginner-friendly for research writing?
It's beginner-friendly only if you already have some basic experience with academic writing in English. The course gives you a clear sequence of milestones, but the main goal is to complete a full research paper, not to teach writing basics from the ground up. It's a better fit for learners who are ready to research, draft, and revise with peer feedback.
How long does it take to complete this course?
The course takes about 10 hours in total. At roughly 10 hours a week, you could finish in about a week, though many learners may want longer because the work is broken into milestone assignments with due dates. The course includes lessons and readings, plus drafting, revision, and peer review activities.
Are there hands-on exercises or projects in this course?
Yes, this course is built around a real capstone project. You'll choose a topic, develop a research question, create an outline and annotated bibliography, then draft and revise a 7 to 8 page paper in MLA format. The project is open-ended because the topic is yours, but the staged submissions and peer reviews give it a guided structure.
What skills and topics are covered in this course?
You'll cover the full research writing process, from narrowing a topic to organizing and supporting an argument. The course also teaches how to evaluate sources, use them effectively, and format a paper in MLA style with a Works Cited page. Overall, it helps you bring research, structure, and citation together in one college-style paper.
What can I actually do after finishing this course?
After finishing, you should be able to develop and revise a 7 to 8 page research paper on an academic topic of your choice. That includes turning a broad subject into a focused question, judging source quality, and citing material in MLA format with a Works Cited page. You should also be able to use an outline and annotated bibliography to plan the paper before you write it.
Is this course more focused on theory or hands-on learning?
It's more hands-on than theory-heavy. Short lessons and readings support the process, but most of the learning comes from researching, writing, revising, and using peer feedback to improve your paper. It's a good match if you want to learn by completing a full paper, not just by studying writing rules.
Why choose this course over other research writing courses?
This course is a strong choice if you want a capstone that leads to a complete research paper, not just isolated writing practice. Instead of stopping at topic ideas or citation rules, it walks you through the whole process, including an outline, annotated bibliography, rough draft, MLA formatting, and revision with peer feedback at key stages. If you learn best by working toward a finished academic paper, this course is likely a better fit than a more general writing-skills course.