ENGL 0099 Essay 3

Assignment/Topics

This time, we’ll explore various forms of persuasive writing. Use a combination of the various development strategies we’ve learned thus far, along with persuasive techniques we’ll learn in this unit.

Topics

Pick one of the following. If you wish to create your own persuasive topic, you must get my “okay” on it before you begin writing.

• Does violence in popular culture (television, movies, video games, song lyrics) increase the level of violence in our society?

• What are some of the causes of violence among teens in our society, and what can be done about them?

• Should American schools teach only in English? Should they continue to offer instruction for multiple subjects in Spanish to Spanish-speaking students?

• Why is illegal immigration a problem, and what are some possible solutions?

• Why is it difficult for someone in an abusive relationship to leave? What are some solutions?

• What are some of the causes of divorce in our society, and what can be done to prevent divorce?

• What difficulties does divorce cause for children? What can be done to help the situation?

• What are some of the reasons we have so many single-parent households in our society? What could be done to prevent these situations?

Specifications

The essay must be three pages (two complete pages and onto the third). If it doesn’t meet the length requirement, there will be grade penalties.

You must include at least one research source, which can be from our textbook, the internet, the library, etc. Always consider doing more than minimum.

Include in the essay packet source copies, copies or printouts of the sources you used as your research sources. I need these to check your quoting and paraphrasing. Exception—I do not need copies of articles from our book, since I already have those in my possession.

Please note: I cannot grade the essay without the source copies, so they are required.

Make sure that when you use information from your source(s), that you either quote or paraphrase (we will discuss in class).

When you use research information, make sure you always cite your source according to MLA conventions, which we will discuss in class (author’s name and page number in sentence/parentheses, plus list the work on Works Cited).

Make sure you include a Works Cited page which correctly lists the sources you used in the essay (again, we will discuss in class).

Make sure you go through all the required drafts, at minimum, and that you turn in all of your work relating to the essay. I do not accept final drafts by themselves, unaccompanied by all the drafts leading up to them.

For paper format, use MLA headings and page numbers. Make sure the essay has a title, intro that gets the reader’s attention, as many body paragraphs as the essay needs, conclusion.

You must get the Paper Packet (in paper) to me by the beginning of class on the due date. You must also submit the final draft electronically to TurnItIn.Com by midnight on the due date.

Paper Packet=Letter to the Reader, Final Draft, Peer Workshop drafts, other drafts and prewriting/planning (in that order). Hold this material together with a binder clip. I do not accept final drafts by themselves, unaccompanied by all the drafts leading up to them