For this formal essay/paper, you will explore multiple perspectives on the meaning of a chosen term. Your task is to answer the question “What does (or should) race mean in American today? You may focus on the strictest definition of the term, or you may choose to explore other extended definitions of the term. So, your thesis sentence will STATE (not in question format) what your assertion is about your chosen term. Unlike other essays that assert and then support a thesis statement, an Exploratory Essay simply examines and explains what other sources are saying about the issue. Since you are using APA style for this paper, this will require that you paraphrase your source material. If you GOOGLE Purdue Owl and then click on “paraphrase” you will find valuable information and paraphrasing exercises. Or consult your Hacker in the APA section (see page 527 specifically). For your Exploratory Essay, you will examine, explain and interpret what FOUR separate sources say about the term you are exploring. Each of your sources must come from the Tacoma Community College library databases (electronic or paper). This is on purpose; you must become skilled at locating academic quality sources in the library. When you write your essay, you will start with an introduction that provides context for your essay, and then you will devote a body paragraph to each of your four sources, and then you will conclude. Along the way, you explain to your readers why the perspective and information these sources offer is valuable and how your thinking on the matter is evolving. You must also include a Reference page.