Given the potential risks associated with night shift work, Should the US government mandate hazard pay for all the night shift workers?

1. Write well-organized, well-developed, effective, well-edited, logically sound, and clear essays.
2. Write effective, well-edited, well-organized research papers of 1,600 words minimum that apply appropriate and clear organizational strategies.

Objectives:

• Read college-level materials with comprehension.
• Paraphrase short passages.
• Evaluate evidence; distinguish between fact and inference; use critical thinking to recognize faulty logic in reasoning.
• Write well-organized and coherent essays of 1,600 words or longer, developed with appropriate support from class readings such as examples, quotations, paraphrased support, and statistics, with minimal errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Write effective introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs.
• Demonstrate sentence variety and style, using such structures as FANBOYS and subordination.
• Use appropriate college-level diction in writing.
• Write a well-developed, well-organized, clear, original, and well-formatted research paper.

• Goals

  • To recognize your hard work this semester by applying it to an independent research paper.
  • To write a 1,600-word minimum or 5-7 page research paper.
  • To further develop your expertise and confidence as a writer.
  • To demonstrate your understanding of MLA formatting, including the accurate use of in-text citations and a properly formatted Works Cited page.
    

    Requirements

    • Use Times New Roman 12-point font.
    • Double-space your essay.
    • Submit a 1,600-word minimum or 5-7 pages minimum (do not count the Works Cited page) research paper.
    • Your essay should have at least 4 Works Cited page entries and cite each of those sources at least once in the essay.
    • Your essay should have an alphabetized Works Cited page.
    • The essay should argue (thesis) and explain why (topic sentences) you think what you think about a controversial topic of your choosing, which can be the topic you based your Team Newscast Proposal on.
      

      Research Paper Standards (“Rubric”)

      You and your facilitator will apply the following standards to your Final Research Papers and determine how well you have met each one (“exceeds standard,” “meets standard,” “approaches standard,” “not yet,” and “insufficient data”).

      Introductory paragraph hook

      • There is a hook to captivate readers’ attention that relates to and prepares readers for the essay. 

      Introductory paragraph background

      • Following the hook, you identify or provide readers with necessary background information on the issue or topic under discussion to help them recognize what the issue is or means, why it may be relevant for discussion, and how it relates to or prepares readers for the problem or issue of the essay.

      Introductory paragraph debate

      • Following the background information, you present readers with a problem, debate, or issue that is controversial. Readers will need to see how the problem, debate, or issue is not an easy one to solve; it’s a tricky situation and there are multiple sides to the argument because people with different opinions raise good points about it. 

      Introductory paragraph thesis statement

      • The introduction concludes with a one-sentence thesis statement that presents your solution to the problem, debate, or issue introduced in the background and debate. The thesis statement is what your essay is trying to prove to readers. It will make at least one concession (“although” or “even though” or “though” or “while”) and will align with your essay’s topic sentences and body paragraph evidence.

      Topic sentence with concession

      • Each body paragraph begins with a topic sentence that introduces the reason or topic or focus of that paragraph as it relates to and supports your essay’s thesis statement. Since counterarguments exist for nearly everything, the topic sentence may include a concession (“although” or “even though” or “though” or “while”) that alerts readers to potential opposing views on their reason or topic or focus for that paragraph.
      • (Optional: often, it may be helpful to provide a clarifying sentence by repeating the topic sentence in a different and clearer or simpler way if necessary.)

      Say with context

      • Following the topic sentence or topic sentences, you incorporate others’ words and ideas into your writing (evidence, sources, quotes, etc), and you ensure that your evidence, source, or quote includes context, which has two key elements: 

        1. You introduce where the quote is coming from by providing the author or source’s name and/or background information about the author or source.
        2. You introduce the point of the quote–what’s generally going on in the quote. 

        Finally, you ensure that the evidence, source, or quote is distinguishable from the rest of the paragraph (use quotations and citations per MLA formatting conventions).

      Mean with illustration

      • Following each and every Say with Context, you interpret and analyze your Say’s meaning to explain clearly how it relates to and supports your topic sentence reason as well as your thesis statement. Then, help readers “get” your meaning by comparing your evidence’s meaning to something else that’s relevant–paint a picture for readers; you’re basically coming up with your own examples that parallel the evidence you just gave.

      Counterargument & rebuttal

      • Since everything’s an argument, you’ll need to anticipate counterarguments to your points, so wherever anticipated or potentially needed, follow your Mean with Illustration is followed by a concession or concessions to your argument or point. You need to show that your debatable issue, question, or problem is complicated by considering other perspectives and using concessions wherever necessary, appropriate, or anticipated. Always turn back to your argument, however, by refuting the opposing perspective or perspectives and supporting your argument or perspective. Sometimes counterarguments need more space, and devoting an entire body paragraph to a significant counterargumentative point is warranted. For example, perhaps there is a major concern that someone might raise about your argument, which really challenges your position, so you may need to devote a whole paragraph establishing that counterargument and, then, refuting it.

      Matter

      • Once you’ve addressed potential counterarguments and returned to support your argument, it’s important readers see why your point or argument matters. Express what consequences and wider implications derive from the point of your body paragraph: if you’re right, then what do those consequences reveal about us and our world? What new pathways now stand before us? How does the point you just proved change you or change others? Who else is impacted by this knowledge or reality? In other words, once you’ve evaluated what those consequences reveal about us and our world, predict what your newfound knowledge means for our collective future; that is, how are we all implicated and impacted by that knowledge and, most importantly, so what?

      Transitions

      • Once you’ve concluded your Matter and established the wider implications of your point, transition from your point to the next point under discussion in your essay. Ensure each paragraph ends by establishing the relationship between the paragraph that is ending and the paragraph that follows. For example, you could express how the paragraph that follows is similar in some way or perhaps more important in some way; you could identify how the paragraph that comes next is more controversial or more surprising, etc. In short, get readers to connect what they just read to where you’re going in the next paragraph.

      Conclusion paragraph thesis restatement

      • The first sentence of your conclusion paragraph restates your thesis statement, not as something that needs to be proved but as something that has been proven.

      Conclusion paragraph summary

      • Following your restated thesis statement (which is one sentence long), summarize your argument and the main points that support it to help readers recognize the validity of your proven thesis statement. 

      Conclusion paragraph significance

      • Once you’ve summarized your argument’s main points to justify your thesis statement, express how your argument matters even more by connecting it to other relevant arguments; in short, show what consequences and wider implications derive from your essay’s main argument: if you’re right, what do those consequences reveal about us and our world? What new pathways now stand before us? How does the thesis you just proved change you or change others, perhaps in a profound way? Who else is impacted by this knowledge or reality? Predict what may happen in the future because of this knowledge and how that prediction may represent a much bigger argument or thesis we need to consider now going forward.

      Sentence strength

      • This standard assesses how well you use sentence-combining techniques to express your ideas, avoiding run-on sentences and redundant writing in the process. Readers should be able to read your ideas without getting distracted by grammar mistakes and redundancy. Ideally, you accurately incorporate a mix of various sentence-combining techniques throughout your writing (FANBOYS, semicolons, and subordination).

      MLA formatting

      • For non-research paper submissions, MLA formatting still applies: you’ll want to double-space your submission, left-align it, and use appropriate headers (your name, our course name, submission date), Times New Roman font, and page numbers. The more challenging part of this standard is properly applying MLA formatting when you incorporate quotes or paraphrase your sources. Ensure you cite all of the sources you incorporate and accurately add them to a Works Cited page. A strong assessment here indicates that readers have no problem finding where your sources come from because every quote or paraphrase is cited, and every citation is paired with a properly-formatted Works Cited entry. Ensure that each source that appears in your Works Cited page is used and cited in your essay; if it isn’t, remove it from your Works Cited page.

      Quality of sources (only for research papers)

      • This standard assesses how well you’ve researched your topic. Ideally, you have multiple sources that show readers you’ve “done your homework” on the topic you’re writing on. In other words, you have several reputable scholarly and popular sources–aim for at least 4.
        • Demonstrate effective use of prewriting strategies (outlining)
        • Contextualize quoted and/or paraphrased passages.
        • Write topic sentences that accurately express the main idea of the entry.
          • Write concession topic sentences that introduce divergent ideas using “although,” “though,” “even though,” or “while.”
        • Demonstrate sentence variety and style, using such structures as FANBOYS, subordination, and concession.
        • Use appropriate college-level diction in writing.
        • Write a well-developed, clear, and original outline for a 1,600-word minimum research paper.
        • Add appropriate popular and/or scholarly sources for each topic sentence in the outline.
          • Create source entries for each source on a Works Cited page.

          • Directions

            Each member of your Newscast Team needs to complete this outline individually for their Final Research Paper. You are encouraged to develop the outline for at least 4 of your sources, but you’re welcome to complete it for all 6 of your sources and even beyond 6 if you feel especially scholarly 💯✊🏼🙌🏼!

            Grow your existing outline for the Newscast Proposal/Presentation in the following format by making a copy of this provided Google docLinks to an external site. to ensure your outline is complete.

            • Essentially, you’re using your outline for your Newscast Proposal/Presentation to build it into an outline for your Final Research Paper. 

            First

            Present your thesis statement draft, and ensure it uses at least one concession (“although,” “even though,” etc.).

            • Your thesis statement draft is essentially your argumentative and debatable answer to your Newscast Proposal’s research question.
            • Ensure your thesis statement is one sentence long.

            Second

            Turn each of your reasons/sides from your Newscast Outline into topic sentences, preferably with concessions.

            • Your Newscast Proposal’s Outline reasons are essentially topic sentences; however, now you need to ensure that they are reasons in support of your thesis statement.

            Third

            Do a say with context like you’ve been doing with your TSMMTs throughout the semester.

            • Your Newscast Proposal’s Outline sources are essentially the foundations of your Say with Context because they represent the evidence for which you need to provide context.
            • ✅ The context tells us something about the source and something about the say/quote, as described in the rubric standard.

            ---

            Essential Requirements & Example

            Your outline should have the following components:

            Final Research Paper Thesis Statement

            Write your working thesis statement here, ensuring it uses at least one concession and is one sentence long.

            Topic Sentence + Say with Context

            1. Topic Sentence #1, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context (that uses at least one of the Works Cited page’s sources).
            2. Topic Sentence #2, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context.
                 
            3. Topic Sentence #3, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context.
            4. Topic Sentence #4, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context.
            5. (Optional) Topic Sentence #5, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context.
            6. (Optional) Topic Sentence #6, preferably with concession:
               • Say with context.

            Note: You may submit additional topic sentences and says with context for self-assessment, but you’re asked to self-assess only your first four (4).

            Works Cited

            Include your sources with permalinks from your Newscast Outline here, ensuring the format is as close to MLA requirements as possible.

            Example

            Here’s an example of what we’re looking for:

            Working Thesis Statement (one sentence long): 

            Although automakers have argued that a ban on conventional cars would put them out of business, and even though politicians claim there is no “political will” for the US to ban conventional cars, my position that the US should stop producing gasoline-powered automobiles is very reasonable given the dire state of our climate, our government’s ability to subsidize the transition to all-electric vehicles, and consumers’ growing demand for cleaner emissions.

            Topic Sentence #1 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: Although the future market for electric vehicles looks bright, some automakers inaccurately argue it will put them out of business.
              • Say w/context: If it were easy to do and initial profits were high, automakers would have switched their conventional fleets to electric vehicles long ago, but that’s not the reality; the transition is slow, in part, because of “the high initial cost of manufacturing electric vehicles,” writes UC Davis researcher David Sperling in Bulletin of Atomic Scientists (15).
              • Say w/context: Fortunately, though, the predicted costs of making the transition are outweighed by long-term gains in the future: General Motors President states, “we believe ultimately that the whole world will go that direction” (Bradsher qtd. in Sperling 11). 
              • Say w/context: Moreover, it appears that the “high initial cost” may not be as steep as one might think given many conventional cars’ electrical components are already sufficiently advanced: “Although today’s automakers are weighed down by the legacy of 100 years of internal combustion engines and mechanical engineering designs, they are well along in converting the car’s infrastructure to electronic controls” (Sperling 13). 

            Topic Sentence #2 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: The US government can subsidize American automakers’ transition to electric fleets even though the funds to do so are limited.
              • Say w/context: A prime example of governmental subsidies for electric vehicle manufacturers is China: Tesla “garnered substantial assistance from the Chinese government to get its Shanghai facility, known as Tesla Giga Shanghai, off the ground” (Floyd 48). 
              • Say w/context: Moreover, China also supported one of its budding electric vehicle manufacturers–to the tune of $1 billion: “Take Nio, for example, which recently received a billion-dollar lifeline from a government entity in south central China to help keep its operations afloat” (48).
              • Say w/context: Of course, the money has to come from somewhere, and it’s possible the well has already started to run dry given Tesla’s “white-glove treatment” has “rarely—if ever—[been] received,” and just because it worked for Tesla, doesn’t mean it will work for others. 

            Topic Sentence #3 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: Though some politicians may still argue that regulating conventional car production is extreme, it no longer seems so politically risky.
              • Say w/context: If President Biden’s willingness to tout electric vehicles so openly is any measure of political calculus, then it appears he’s crunched the numbers and concluded it’s politically safe to whole-heartedly champion electric vehicles: “On the campaign trail Joe Biden called global warming ‘an existential threat’. To fix it, we need to “get internal-combustion-engine vehicles off the road’, he said” (qtd. in Meigs 8).
              • Say w/context: President Biden didn’t stop there either; he also touted EVs as the solution to high gas prices, a means to boost the economy and create jobs, and even a means of combating Putin: “tyrants like Putin won’t be able to use fossil fuels as weapons against other nations” (8). 

            Topic Sentence #4 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: Because the planet is on the brink of irreversible climate chaos, we need to reduce carbon emissions, starting with the biggest contributors although some may argue that taking such measures will hurt average consumers.
              • Say w/context: In a study funded by the Center for Behavioral & Experimental Agri-Environmental and Risk Management Research (CBEAR) through the United States Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture, University of Delaware and Johns Hopkins University researchers Brandon R. McFadden, Paul J. Ferraro, and Kent D. Messer conclude, when evaluating the results of a government-backed encouragement for greater innovations, “emissions-free vehicles,” as one such innovation, “is a more cost-effective path forward both financially and politically” to achieve a kind of behavioral change among the population to help mitigate the climate crisis (14).

            (Optional) Topic Sentence #5 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: There is overwhelming public support for major investment in green energy, so focusing on the auto industry seems like a great starting point even though misconceptions about green or renewable energy continue to delay the movement toward an emissions-free society.
              • Say w/context: Published in the peer-reviewed and highly respected journal energies, which is affiliated with The European Biomass Industry Association (EUBIA), Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres (EUREC), Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal (IChPW), International Society for Porous Media (InterPore), CYTED and others, Senior Researcher at GREA Innovació Concurrent, University of Lleida & Associate Consultant at Factor, Hugo Lucas Porta, an agronomy engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid Spain (UPM), and Master in the Energy Sector at the Federal Polytechnic University of Lausanne, Switzerland (EPFL), along with several fellow researchers conclude in their article “Improving Public Attitude towards Renewable Energy,” “An increasing number of countries around the world are enacting renewable energy policies driven by a range of factors, including energy security, job creation, greenhouse gases mitigation, and access to energy” (11).

            (Optional) Topic Sentence #6 w/concession: 

            • Topic sentence w/concession: While transitioning toward an overall reliance on renewable, green energy remains one of our best bets at mitigating the climate crisis, we may lack the required energy infrastructure to successfully transition to an all-electric automobile platform.
              • Say w/context: Poria Hasanpor Divshali and Bong Jun Choi, both part of the Department of Computer Science, State University of New York, as well as the Department of Computer Science, Stony Brook University, New York, discuss, in their article “Electrical Market Management Considering Power System Constraints in Smart Distribution Grids,” also published in the peer-reviewed journal energies, contemplating the rising demand of energy amplified by the climate crisis, growing fuel costs, outdated power system infrastructures, and new power generation technologies, how much of our electrical systems foundation was developed long ago when “energy production was relatively cheap” (1) and that the recent changes in energy technology advancements have been steadily increasing people’s reliance on electrical energy by about 2% per year (1), resulting in the need for greater innovation, which, according to Hasanpor Divshali and Choi, can be seen in the creation of the smart grid (SG), which is itself an advancement over the microgrid (MG) (1). However, according to the authors, “[Smart Grid Distribution Generations] SDG still is in early stages of development and . . . there is no large commercial implementation of a complete SDG to date” (1).

            Works Cited

            Bradsher, K. “China Craves Electric Cars, While US Flirts With Ending Tax Credit.” New York Times, 16 Nov. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/business/energy-environment/electric-cars-china.htmlLinks to an external site.

            Divshali, Poria Hasanpor, and Bong Jun Choi. “Electrical Market Management Considering Power System Constraints in Smart Distribution Grids.” Energies (19961073), vol. 9, no. 6, June 2016, p. 405. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=115841227&site=ehost-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site..

            Floyd, Mike. “How China’s Automotive Future Will Drive the World.” Motor Trend, vol. 74, no. 3, Mar. 2022, pp. 48–49. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=154492984&site=ehost-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site..

            Lucas, Hugo, et al. “Improving Public Attitude towards Renewable Energy.” Energies (19961073), vol. 14, no. 15, Aug. 2021, p. 4521. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=151784642&site=ehost-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site..

            McFadden, Brandon R., et al. “Private Costs of Carbon Emissions Abatement by Limiting Beef Consumption and Vehicle Use in the United States.” PLoS ONE, vol. 17, no. 1, Jan. 2022, pp. 1–17. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=154757367&site=ehost-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site..

            Meigs, James B. “Biden Goes Electric.” Commentary, vol. 154, no. 1, July 2022, pp. 8–10. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=158434486&site=ehost-live&scope=siteLinks to an external site..

            Sperling, Daniel. “Electric Vehicles: Approaching the Tipping Point.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 74, no. 1, Jan. 2018, pp. 11–18. EBSCOhost, https://berkeley.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url&db=a9h&AN=127161734&site=ehost-live&scope=site%C2%A0Links to an external site..