writing

Requirements:

Intro and body paragraphs (4 or 5 body paragraphs)

minimum 3 1/2 pages

3 different sources should be used with proper attribution/signal phrases and in-text citation

Follow source use expectations outlined here: Paragraph Structure with Use of Text – 101 New x

Actions

Avoid use of 1st and 2nd person perspective (Using 3rd Person – Universal Insights x

Actions ) except for limited use in the intro or conclusion paragraph.

Works Cited page 

***10 pts for on-time submission meeting the above requirements***

English101 Final Project Essay Assignment

For the final project in this course, each student will produce an essay informing your audience on the causes and effects of an issue young adults/students face and “solutions’ that can be supported or implemented through a school organization/club to combat the issue. The organization/club is your creation (and will be featured in your presentation), although you may take cues from already existing organizations working on the same issue. Your essay should inform the audience on background/history (intro), causes, effects, and ways to deal with or solve this problem (body paragraphs). In this assignment handout, you will find information on Topic Choice, and Essay Guidelines and Requirements:

Possible topics to locate ‘issue’ – check larger list of examples on Canvas

Issues of Faith/Religious Tolerance

Impact of Social Media/technology

Drugs/Alcohol

Emotional Stress/Self-Esteem (body-image/depression)

Gender Issues/LGBTQ Equality

The Environment/Climate Change

TOPIC CHOICE – THESIS PROPOSAL

Each student will choose a topic from the above list or propose a unique topic to the instructor during the proposal process. Any and all topics and theses must be approved as part of the proposal, due Tuesday, Mar. 3rd. Once approval for the topic and thesis has been given, the topic cannot change. Slight adjustments to the thesis may occur, but you should try to avoid a major shift. The proposal form will be found on our class Canvas page, and online submissions are expected. Consider which topic will best fit your needs both in terms of personal interest, but also the assignment requirements (note: a list of recent topics/issues students have researched is on Canvas).

A GENERAL OVERVIEW – ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

Your final assignment will consist of a research paper 4-6 pages in length, typed and double-spaced. The essay will be an informative essay that discusses the current issue in society affecting young adults and highlights what your organization can do to combat it, so there is an element of persuasion. Standard MLA documentation must be utilized with all source use. You will begin the assignment by first conducting exploratory research looking for articles, and also investigating an organization working on the issue. After learning about their efforts, each author will perform further research using the library databases to help learn about and support what their ‘original’ organization can/needs to do to improve this issue. Over the course of your research, you will find information about the social issue, its causes and effects, as well as discover possible solutions your organization could offer.

RESEARCH GUIDELINES

This assignment requires the use of at least 3 research sources. Two of these sources should come from the Cascadia/UWB Library. Use the periodicals and bookstacks (physical sources) or the Library Database to locate sources. If you find a source outside of Cascadia’s library (like an org. webpage or news article), you must approach me before going forward with the source. All Internet sources must be approved by instructor before inclusion into your essay! In-text documentation must follow MLA guidelines and an appropriate works cited page is also required. The essay must follow MLA guidelines for formatting and citations.

AUDIENCE

Your audience is undecided on your issue, and needs to be informed on the topic, so that they can understand its importance. This should guide your tone and presentation of the issue. It’s important to stay formal, and not to take for granted the needs of your audience. Your audience is at your education level and therefore, has an introductory knowledge of your topic but needs some explanation of the complexities of the issue (causes/effects), so that they feel the need to take action and support your organization’s work on it. It may be helpful to imagine that your audience is looking at multiple issues and considering which one they want to “invest” in trying to deal with. Your job (purpose) as author is to convince them that your issue is most critical, and your organization is well-suited to respond to the problem.

ORGANIZATION STRATEGIES FOR YOUR ESSAY

Introduction: Help your audience understand the student issue you chose by providing a sense of the issues relevance, as well as any background info or terminology necessary for comprehension. The intro will also need to preview the main ideas you are going to present in your BP’s. This introduction should conclude with a focused thesis statement presenting a specific stance/position/perspective on the issue.

BODY: This section will generally have three main functions (although the balance may be different depending on the topic): reporting to your audience on the causes of this issue, exploring the effects this issue has on students, and providing how a school organization/club would work to improve the situation or help students overcome the issue. The issue or topic of your paper will guide what the support should focus on, but reflect back on the various support approaches used in Essay I and II for help, and let your research guide your major points. Support section 4-6 paragraphs.

Conclusion: This is your last chance to push the importance that this issue is taken seriously. Use this as a lawyer uses a closing argument to demonstrate how your body evidence of support proves your stance to be logical and coherent. Discussion of “what’s at stake” if nothing is done to deal with the issue may also play a role in the conclusion. Conclusion should be 1 paragraph in length.

Requirements:

· 12pt – Times New Roman

· Double spaced with title and header on first page

· A minimum of 4 pages, max of 6

· Must use at least 3 different text(s) and no more than 5.

· Proper MLA In-text documentation and Works Cited page

Assignments and Due Dates

· Proposal and Annotated Bib of min. of 2 database/library sources and 1 organization website due Mar. 3rd (10pts)

· Detailed outline due Mar. 10th (20pts) and rough draft on Mar. 17th (20pts)

·

Final Draft due on Thursday, Mar. 18th (100pts)

English 101

Removing 1st and 2nd

Universal Insights

From now on in essays, I would like you to be able to present your perspective without using 1st or 2nd person perspective. Exceptions may be made if they are used briefly in the intro or conclusion for emotional appeal, but when presenting arguments, examples, or insights you should present them in 3rd person perspective. We practiced this a bit on the last essay as we tried to analyze our points (controlling ideas) for our audience -> tried to help them see the universal value of our point.

First, any use of phrases like “I think”, “I believe”, or “I feel” are unnecessary because as the author all statements presented in your paper are understood to be yours unless other wise noted. For the most part these phrases can simply be removed, but sometimes slight alterations in wording may be necessary.

The other time writers find themselves using 1st person perspective is when relating a personal experience. When creating academic essays, personal experience is weak support in that one can find a contrary experience that represents an opposing viewpoint. Instead, we will work on presenting personal experiences in third person to create universal insights. To do this, it is often helpful to put the example in a more general, or ‘universal’ context. Think of potential nouns, and potentially pronouns, that capture a ‘group’ (People, students, teens, young adults) and have them be the subject of your example. Have a look at an example experience first presented in 1st person:

I had a friend who was bullied on Facebook after she posted her senior photos onto the site. There was a group of people who didn’t get along with our group of friends. All through the year, little events would happen that would cause friction and name calling and negative gossip would ensue. Somehow they found my friend’s senior photos that she had posted to share with family and friends, and relentlessly left derogatory comments meant to hurt her feelings. Some of the jerks even edited the photos to make her look horrible…

Now try to convert:

Many teen users of social networking sites will experience cyber-bullying. Sadly, OSNS’s can often allow schoolyard friction to follow students into the home. Message boards and profile pages can light up with hateful words and no authority to stop them. Cyber bullying can make the victim feel like there is no escape from the judgment and that their future will be dictated by what is being said. For a young adult, this can be over whelming and lead to depression and even suicide…

Paragraph Structure with Use of Text

(P) Topic Sentence-

(I) Follow-Up Development-

(E) Engage the text-

1. Attribution Tag (optional)

2. Paraphrase/Quote ENGAGE TEXT IN MIDDLE 1/3

3. Address or analyze quote

(S) Connect Back to Main Point/Further Insight-

Rules for Paraphrase/Quoting – English 101

· Functions as support

· Centrally located – middle 1/3 of paragraph

· Short quotations only – 4 lines of text or less

· Citation and possible attribution required

· MLA Format

Example Approach to a paragraph with a quote/paraphrase:

1. Identify a passage that includes a key idea from the text to quote/paraphrase:

Robert Hartmann McNamara authored a report on “Homelessness”, which presented that drug use amongst the homeless is prevalent. Research from the 80’s routinely presented a clear connection between homelessness and addiction (1027).

2. Create a topic sentence that connects to or sets up the text support:

A key issue challenging the homeless community, and those working to help the homeless out of their situation, is the rate of addiction to drugs and alcohol.

3. Follow up and develop the idea with your analysis breaking down the point.

4. Notice the set up of the text by attributing the author (sometimes title) of the source.

Robert Hartmann McNamara authored a report on “Homelessness”, which presented that

5. Add in text citation after the source use – (1027).

6. Close out paragraph by addressing the source use and returning back to your main idea for further analysis.

Put it all Together w/ Source Support Highlighted:

(P) A key issue challenging the homeless community, and those working to help the homeless out of their situation, is the high rate of addiction to drugs and alcohol. (I) Substance abuse can cripple one’s ability to maintain a common standard of living. Those suffering in the throes of addiction will struggle to hold a job and often lose connection to the support of their loved ones. This disconnect from a steady income, family, and friends, plus the cost of their addiction, may lead to a life on the streets. Once there, the addiction can further manifest and take hold continuing a dangerous spiral.
(E) Robert Hartmann McNamara authored a report on “Homelessness”, which presented that drug use amongst the homeless is prevalent. Research from the 80’s routinely presented a clear connection between homelessness and addiction (1027). This connection can be powerful and extremely challenging to break.
(S) Even if addiction did not cause the homeless state, living without shelter, physical and emotional, creates an opportunity for substances to replace security and love. When trying to rise out of a homelessness, the need to kick the addiction becomes paramount to become self-reliant again. The clear relationship between homelessness and substance abuse creates a challenging set of circumstances for both the individual and those attempting to intervene and help.

Remember the “Rule of Thirds”

Top 1/3 – your analysis of an idea stated through a clear topic sentence and a group of follow up sentences.

-main point of paragraph

-follow up and explain the idea

-why is the idea important?

-how does it connect to your readers or the target audience of your analysis

Middle 1/3 – Use of text support – quote/paraphrase to support or further the idea you introduced. This may include an attribution sentence/tag, the quote/paraphrase itself, and some analysis of the quote.

Final 1/3 – Returning to your analysis – you may continue to address quote in this final 1/3 but should return back to your main idea, restate it or analyze it in a new way.