Paper details:
Requirements: MLA format, about 1,200 words, or four full pages (this means more
than three support paragraphs!) Both in-text citation
... [Show More] and a Works Cited page needed.
Essays that have one but not the other will not receive a grade higher than a 1.5. Essays
lacking both will not receive a grade higher than a 1.0.
At least three sources are required. Avoid having more
than six sources. Both primary & secondary sources are allowed. (A primary source
means you created it, like an interview you gave, a survey you passed out, or a poll you
conducted. A secondary source is a source that you did not make yourself.)
Only use web searches if they are vital to your essay. Otherwise, rely on the databases.
These days, if you want to find articles proving that giant frogs are controlling our
thoughts, you probably could. Databases help us weed through some of the non-credible
stuff!
Essay Two due: July 7th by 11:59 PM
(No Essay Twos after July 11th will be accepted.)
Like Essay One, Essay Two will have an intro, thesis, and a conclusion that contains
public resonance (how your essay relates to the “bigger picture” that we are all a part of).
However, this essay will be much more in-depth, as it will have more than three support
paragraphs and will also include counterarguments and concessions (see pgs. 258-260
in our textbook).
Pick A, B, or C to compose Essay 2.
(All questions don’t have to be answered—just to help generate ideas):
A) Explore one significant relationship to examine. For example, it could be between
fathers and sons, individuals and their self-image, people and technology, celebrities and
their fans, or even between concepts, like racism and a particular town. Possibilities
really are endless. Be very specific with the relationship you choose. What keeps this
relationship going? When is it healthy or unhealthy? What is often overlooked in this
relationship? Try to go beyond the obvious.
Example thesis: Although many young people will never meet their athletic icons,
those icons can shape the goals, attitudes, and beliefs of young people, often in
conflicting ways.
B) Write about a trend that you are observing. This could be a trend in a subgroup of
society, in media, in a specific field, in the way some Americans live their lives, in
technology, in roles people adopt, etc. (Again, possibilities are pretty endless.) Who is
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this trend affecting and how? What fuels this trend? What are the positive and negative
effects of this trend? What was the situation before this trend? Is it an obvious trend or
one that is more hidden?
Example thesis: While the trend of disclosing personal mental health issues on
social media can be helpful in creating support and community, it should not be
used as a substitute for seeking professional help.
C) Choose your own adventure! Did something we discussed, read, or watched in class
give you an idea for an essay? Do you have an idea that is academic and involves
analysis, but doesn’t quite fit with A or B? Run it by me first to make sure it will work! [Show Less]