Parameters:
- 1000 words minimum, 1750 words maximum
- Use/incorporate at least 5 sources from reliable, relevant, and academic sources (does not have to be peer reviewed); these should be used as support in the body of the essay. Sources can be from our library but do not have to be. If they are from the web, they need to end in .edu, .org, or .gov. (if you include .coms I will deduct points)
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- Further, I need to be able to access your source or to see it that it exists (excluding hard copy books). This means any online article link needs to be functional and accessible to me.
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DO NOT use .com sources.
- Notes: use signal phrases to introduce source material (quotes, paraphrases, and summaries)
- Synthesize source information (meaning you reference more than one source per main idea as support for those main ideas ideally showing how those sources are related.)
- Do not rely on anecdotal evidence. Every major main idea (i.e. paragraph) should have source evidence to help you support it and back it up.
- Document and cite all information that is not common knowledge, you didn’t generate yourself, or otherwise was obtained from a source.
- Do not reference Wikipedia. Do not use sources that are questionable in credibility.
- Not all .orgs are equal. Some are just as bad as .coms. Be choosy.
- Sources referenced in the intro or conclusion will be not be counted as one of your 5 minimum sources unless you also use them in some way in the body.
- MLA formatted in-text citations
- MLA formatted works cited page (does not count towards word count)
- Have a clear thesis which makes a claim about an issue of cause and effect.
- Address at least one condition of rebuttal.
- Essays should have a solid introduction, well-developed body paragraphs that logically build on one another in a coherent manner, and a strong conclusion paragraph that sums up the major points, restates the main claim and offers final insight.
General Prompt: Write an argument about an issue which explores the implications of causes and/or effects, making a clear claim about those implications. Ultimately, the only real parameter as far as topic is that it is an issue in which the most significant element of the thesis statement makes a claim related to causes and/or effects. 🙂
If you need a little more direction, here are some suggestions: (though remember to try to keep the topic tight focused and not super huge like “global warming.” That’s an “umbrella” not a topic. Your topic would be under that umbrella, like some aspect of climate change like the effects of X on the sea levels or populations of whales). *note in the interest of full disclosure I used AI to generate some of these potential topics to see what it would come up with; consider it an experiment if you will. 🙂
- The effects of a particular technology (social media, electric cars, etc.)
- The effects of a particular medication or drug (though stay away from just “drugs” in general)
- The causes and/or effect of a particular health trend or behavior
- The Relationship between Technology and Sleep Deprivation
- The Rise of Online Shopping and Its Effects on Brick-and-Mortar Retailers
- The Benefits or drawback of __________________
- The Relationship between Stress and Physical Health
- The Causes and Effects of Food Insecurity
- The Impact of Exercise on Mental Health
- The Relationship between Social Media Use and Body Image
- The Influence of Video Games on Cognitive Skills
- The Causes and Effects of Laughter
- The Influence of Pets on Human Well-being
- The Causes and Consequences of Procrastination
- The Effects of Outdoor Activities on Mental Health
- Is Breakfast really the most important meal of the day?
- The Effects of Exercise on Brain Function
- NOTE 1:Do not write about HUGE concepts or terms as this will not give you the room you need to address it adequately. Terms like “climate change” are too broad. Terms like “string theory” are too much as well. This essay needs a tight focus and should be concrete and specific.
- NOTE 2: Overall this essay should be interesting, and I hope you have fun with it. If you pick a topic you are not actually interested in, this will convey through your writing and make your writing uninteresting.
- NOTE 3: The more interested you are and the more you know about your subject, the more eloquently you can write about it. So do research and learn something new! wwrite this essay with the information provided above use multiple quotes within each paragraph, explain the main idea of the negative effect plastic straws have on the ocean and its environment make sure no Ai is used.