removing civil war artifacts
This essay has to be used in conjunction with the annotated bibliography.
THE ASSIGNMENT:
For this assignment, you will write a formal 10-11-page, researched essay in which you propose, and argue for, a solution to a local, civic, national, or global problem. Your essay and argument should have the following parts or sections: (A) a description of the civic issue or problem, and a demonstration that the problem actually exists, (B) a concisely stated solution and a description or explanation of this proposed solution, (C) a justification of your proposed solution, using supporting evidence or reasons, (D) a discussion of alternatives/opposing views/objections, and, (E) a conclusion.
Remember, for the higher grades (A, B, or C), you will not simply explain why something exists or how something works (these are examples of expository writing, and you will need to take the next step toward presenting an argument, based on a presented thesis) and you won’t just try to “raise awareness,” or address “everyone.” For the higher grades on this essay, you will want to demonstrate a rhetorical understanding of the situation and the writings involved, and you will also need to address a particular “real world” audience with the capability of legislating or implementing the change you are arguing for (this audience is typically an organization, an agency, or a legislative body, with an actual address).
Remember, this assignment asks for a formal research paper, using researched data for development and support. In business and professional life, this kind of research proposal is often referred to as a white paper. White papers are composed to propose changes in public policy or to recommend a course of action, either internally (within an organization) or externally (to a client or stakeholder).
This assignment asks for 10-11 pages of writing/text (not including the Works Cited page, or any graphs, pictures, etc.). For this assignment, the text of a 10-11 page paper ends between the bottom of page 10 and the top of page 12 (students sometimes ask if they can write a bit more; I will accept, and give full credit to, up to 12 full pages of text). This assignment asks for at least 10 full pages of text, and no more than 12 full pages of text. Essays that do not meet the minimum requirement, or exceed the maximum allowed, will not receive full credit.
RESEARCH:
You will be doing library research to find at least eight sources that are appropriate for academic compositions. An “A” paper will present a specific argument, while using, and demonstrating a rhetorical understanding of, at least eight appropriate sources and/or texts – these should be eight to twelve of the (10-12) sources presented in your Annotated Bibliography.
An academic source, for this essay, is an essay, book, chapter, or article, found in the Charles C. Sherrod Library, or through recognized academic databases (like JSTOR, Gale, or LexisNexis) that is at least five (5) pages long, has an identifiable author, page numbers, and presents a discernable thesis. While you may use a couple of, or a few, sources that simply present information, you will need a minimum of eight sources that each have an author, present a thesis, present an argument, have page numbers, and are found in our Sherrod Library or the Sherrod Library databases.
Note that we are practicing (and these assignments ask students to present) what MLA and OWL refer to as the “Author-Page Style” of parenthetical citations, or in-text citations; consequently, for the higher grades, it is important that each of your outside academic sources has an author and page #s. You must follow MLA guidelines, provide in-text citations for each reference to each source in your essay, and include a Works Cited page (according to MLA guidelines).
This essay is due in the established drop-box by/@ 11:59pm, on Friday, 7/10.
PLAGIARISM STATEMENT:
Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited.
All assignments must be submitted to the appropriate drop-box (to be checked, by Turnitin, for plagiarism or unoriginal material); assignments with a score of 50% or more will not be corrected – these papers will receive a zero.
AUDIENCE/RHETORICAL CONTEXT:
This proposal should be written for a college level or administrative audience. Write for people who are educated at levels ranging from first-year students to professors or administrators. Your language, style, and tone should reflect your audience and your purpose.
Like the Proposal, this argumentative synthesis should attempt to persuade a specific real-world audience. This will be the legislative body, agency, institution, or funding source, that has the ability to enact or implement the change you are proposing (remember, your proposal, and your essay, should each propose a specific change). You are not simply trying to “raise awareness” in this assignment. Consequently, you will not be addressing people in general, students in general, parents in general, or young people who are concerned, etc.
This assignment asks each student to address a specific audience (usually, a legislative body, organization, or agency), with the capacity to enact, implement, or legislate, the specific change or solution proposed.
ESSAY/ASSIGNMENT FORMAT:
All work submitted in this class should be typed and double spaced using 12-point Times New Roman typeface, with 1’’ margins all around (according to MLA or APA guidelines). Please place your name, the course and section number, and the date/semester (single-spaced) in the upper left-hand corner of Page 1 (only) on each assignment.
GRADING:
Please see the “Grading Rubric” and “Elements of an Effective Paper” posted on D2L. The posted rubric outlines the analytical and rhetorical expectations for all of your compositions in this course. For this particular assignment, please note the following criteria:
Title (that reflects the argument presented) = 10% of the essay grade,
Compelling Introduction/Thesis = 10% of the essay grade,
Organization/Sequencing = 10% of the essay grade,
Rhetoric/Grammar = 30% of the essay grade,
(Note that Rhetoric refers, here, to a rhetorical understanding of the assignment and the sources used, while the grammar portion of this grade involves the student’s ability to demonstrate appropriate grammar, diction, syntax, and mechanics, etc., according to MLA guidelines; please see MLA guidelines, and the “Grading Rubric” posted under Content, on our D2L site.)
Analytical Content = 30% of the essay grade,
(This involves and includes the student’s use of the appropriate number of appropriate sources, and a demonstration of the ability to integrate, interpret, analyze, and cite, these appropriate outside academic sources in the presented argument.)
Works Cited page (according to MLA guidelines) = 10% of the essay grade.
