Prompt/Research Question: How can people in my profession best compete for jobs in a field increasingly incorporating AI?
Outside Sources: Four or more, at least one of which must be academic/peer-reviewed sources from CCP’s databases (EBSCOhost, Credo Reference, etc.). All sources must be at least 1,500 words and published in the last five years.
Note: If you use AI or a LLM, all your sources should be real, the information accurate and relevant, and consistently and correctly cited in MLA or APA style; also one source must be peer-reviewed from CCP’s Academic Databases.
Length: 3-more pages (750+ words)
Description and Instructions
For your third Essay, you will argue your position answering the question (RQ): How can people in my profession best compete in for jobs in a field increasingly incorporating AI? The purpose of this essay is to offer the best answer to your RQ, and to make a strong argument that persuade the reader to accept your answer as valid. In contrast to Essays 1-2, this essay can include your arguments about the topic and your experience as evidence to support your arguments. Unlike your opinion, however, an argument is based on convincing reasons and evidence that persuade the readers. The trick is to present a fair argument that balances both your ideas and experience with reasons and research. In other words, if you present personal experience as evidence, you should also provide research to back up your personal experience.
Transition Paragraph: This paragraph should briefly summarize your analysis of sources, and it should end with your thesis. Your thesis should offer a clearly stated, convincing answer to the RQ that is based on the strongest research (Based on current research, I argue that…).
Body Paragraphs: The purpose of the body paragraphs is to offer reasons and evidence that supports your thesis. One way to organize body paragraphs is by giving a clear reason that supports your thesis in the topic sentence(s), and then offer convincing evidence that supports your reason in that paragraph (and the thesis).
Counterargument Paragraph(s): that anticipates potential objections from your readers and either accommodates or refutes those objections. This is often the second-to-last or penultimate paragraph, right before the conclusion.
Conclusion: The concluding paragraph will explain how and why your topic and thesis are important. In other words, why does your argument about the topic matter, and how can it be used by other people?
Note on Style: Although Essay 3 is open to personal experience, we are still writing a research paper, so avoid using colloquial language as well as verbs that indicate bias or doubt. For example, do not write, I feel…or Gee thinks/believes…Instead, do write, I argue…or Gee maintains…
Checklist of Essay 3 Requirements
- Thesis statement that offers a convincing answer to your RQ (Based on current research, I argue that…)
- All paragraphs offer a clear and focused answer to the Prompt
- Clarity: correct use of words and phrases
- A consistent style/”voice” that reads/”sounds” throughout the essay
- Demonstrate thinking or synthesizing that goes beyond the information that already exists on the topic.
- Accuracy: information is accurate (make sure to fact check anything from AI)
- A clear definition of your topic
- Clear and convincing arguments, evidence, and reasons that support your thesis
- Clear paragraph construction (topic sentences, evidence, etc.)
- Clear and logical organization of paragraphs (essay structure)
- A formal writing style appropriate to research papers.
- Correct in-text citations of sources
- A Conclusion that explains the importance of your topic
- Works Cited page that documents sources in Essay 3
- Grammar, punctuation, and typos
- Presentation—1 inch margins, 12pt TNR font, double-space, paragraph indentations, etc.