This paper is the first in part of a two-part series. The second part is the next paper: American Solution. Please be careful when selecting the
... [Show More] issue/problem you will focus on because it will be the topic for the next essay as well.
American: The problem you describe and analyze must be one that applies to the United States or Americans, specifically. The main idea here is that it must have a national scale. Problems involving one city, state, or small group may be extrapolated to a policy that applies nationwide, however. Think of it as the difference between house rules and league rules.
Your purpose in this essay will be to persuade your reader of the seriousness of the problem. This means you are trying to convince your reader to agree with your thesis. They may not necessarily hold all the same views as you, but you are attempting to gain agreement on your main point.
Technical Stuff: Minimum 5 full pages, Maximum 7 (not including your Works Cited, Header, graphics, charts, etc)
Full MLA format
Maintain an appropriate academic tone
Avoid using the pronoun “you” unless it is part of a direct quotation
Required Sources: A minimum of 3 scholarly sources must be documented in your Works Cited and properly cited within the body of your essay. Additional sources are highly recommended. If they are not scholarly, please be sure they are credible.
A note on credibility: encyclopedia level/secondary sources are unacceptable, as are aggregator-type websites. Examples are content networks like About.com, ask.com, Yahoo! Answers, Reddit, and the like. If you start at one of those types of sites, dig deeper to find the original source.
In writing about a problem, you should definitely:
● Explain what the issue/problem is
● State (convincingly) why the reader should care about it
● Look into when and how the problem started
● Examine the consequences of the issue
● Give at least two detailed examples of the problem
Grade Categories: Each Category is worth 20% of the paper (25 pts)
● Mechanics: grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, etc. Please note that comma splices, fragments, and fused (run-on) sentences will be especially detrimental to the scoring in this category.
● Source integration: In-Text Citations (Bergeron 2), introducing and explaining source material, matching the first word in the Works Cited Entry to the first word in the in-text citation
● MLA Formatting: Please use the example paper in the textbook as a template. Page numbering, front-page style, Works Cited layout, spacing, margins
● Organization: Intro, Conclusion, Thesis, Forecasting Statement, Transitions, Staying focused/on topic, each paragraph has one and only one main idea
● Argument Development: No claims made without supporting evidence or reasons. Make sure to use evidence accurately. Does each paragraph answer its questions? Are your thesis, claims, and conclusions appropriately qualified (Do they make claims of probability or absolute certainty?) No logical fallacies. [Show Less]