[Return to Writing]

Sample: Research Paragraph

A sign-up sheet will be circulated in class from which you will need to choose a technical term relevant to this class with the goal of writing a one-paragraph explanation of the term, drawing on at least one book or journal source and one web source. You will need to provide in-text citation as well as a bibliography, all following the MLA style (consult the Purdue OWL or the Modern Languages Association (MLA) online reference). You should not spend more than a half hour on this project (you can spend more time, of course, but my intention is that it take you no more time than that).

Your paragraph will be graded using the following rubric:

Appropriateness of Sources (0-1 pt)/1

In-Text Citation (0-1 pt)/1

Work Cited: (0-1 pt)/1

Grammar/Spelling/Mechanics: (0-1 pt)/1

Clarity of Expression: (0-1 pt)/1

Score: 5


The actual paragraph, all on just one sheet, should look something like this:


[Name]   [Date]   Aibo [the term being explained]

Aibo is a robotic dog created by Sony and first sold to the public in 1999, although it had begun in 1993 as a research project with no intention of commercial production. Its production has since been discontinued. The word comes from “A.I. roBOt,” and which conveniently also means “companion” or “friend” in Japanese (“Aibos History”). One quickly sees, in a video clip highlighting the problems of keeping the electronic pets in repair, how important these robots are to some of their owners (“Can the Aibo?”). Kusahara notes that Sony’s intention was to create a robot whose outer appearance only approximates that of a dog — for instance, they make no attempt at a furry exterior — and yet whose behavior is often so dog-like that it surprises and charms the humans interacting with it (300).

Work Cited

“Aibos History.” Sony-Aibo, n.d. Web. 5 July 2015, www.sony-aibo.com/aibos-history/.

“Can the Aibo Robot Dog Be Saved From Extinction?” Online video clip. WSJ Video, 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 5 Jul. 2015, www.wsj.com/video/can-the-aibo-robot-dog-be-saved-from-extinction/7B50011D-946C-4DA5-A964-292B9727FB5F.html.

Kusahara, Machiko. “The Art of Creating Subjective Reality: An Analysis of Japanese Digital Pets.” Leonardo 34.4 (2001): 299-302.


Additional tips:

These are some quotes that I collected from my sources during my research, and from which I drew when writing up my paragraph:

“The word AIBO comes from Artificial Intelligence roBOt and is also the Japanese word for ‘Companion’ or ‘Friend’. They were first introduced in 1999 and were the first consumer robot of its kind to be offered to the public. The AIBO is able to develop from a newborn puppy to an adult with a personality shaped by the interaction with their owners and surroundings. However, they were never intended to be mass produced, having started life in 1993 as a research project.” [www.sony-aibo.com/aibos-history/; accessed July 5, 2015]

“The strategy Sony used in designing AIBO is one example. AIBO is consciously designed as a robot, without fur or soft skin or even visible eyes. It looks cool, but not lovable, at first glance. But once it moves, it charms people with its motion, which reminds them of a real dog. Because people do not expect such motion from AIBO’s robotic appearance, the impact of its movement dramatically increases the sense of its reality.” [Kusahara 300].

Also, I initially found the video on YouTube, but a little more searching led me to the original clip on the Wall Street Journal website. Had I used the YouTube clip, the citation would have looked like this:

Wall Street Journal, “Can the Aibo Robot Dog Be Saved From Extinction?” Online video clip. YouTube YouTube, 11 Feb. 2015. Web. 5 Jul, 2015. [this follows the Purdue OWL MLA guide]


[Return to Writing]