Double space, 12 point font, standard margins.
2000 words
This assignment is worth 25% of your grade
For this assignment, you will choose two or more of our course readings and you will write an analysis of the arguments/ideas in these sources, including your own analysis/interpretation/ideas. This is meant to be a “conversation” between YOU and the authors of the pieces you have chosen, NOT a simple summary of the arguments.
Your goal is to use these readings as evidence for your thesis. Your thesis MAY take one side of an argument, but this is not the only approach. Another option is to “say” something that is prompted by these readings, similar to what most of you did in Analysis 1. You do not necessarily need to criticize the author’s argument or points, but rather to analyze or interpret the author’s argument as a critical thinker.
Some important points:
- It is okay to use first person in your essay!
- At least for your first draft, you will be using ONLY course readings as your source material!
- Since you are using two voices in this essay (that of the author of the piece you are analyzing and YOUR OWN voice), you will need to find effective ways of transitioning between the two so that the reader knows whose thoughts and words they are reading at all times.
- Please avoid using excessive quotations. Part of the reason I am having you do this assignment is so you get practice in summarizing arguments in your own words. This is a nice source from the UNC Writing Center on how to use quotations effectively: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/quotations/Links to an external site.
- As with your Analysis 1 essay, your writing should be engaging and interesting, with an appropriate and clear voice, strong flow and organization, and reader-friendly writing style. Again, pay attention to your introduction and conclusion.
- The strongest essays will make a strong claim and defend it convincingly.
Brainstorm – topics
https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/magazine/our-national-eating-disorder.html
- Culture of eating in the US
- Food fads and dietary decisions
- American vs European diets
- Anxiety, hyper-critical “scientific” thinking around
food
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25616214/
- Comparing american and french family meals
- Culture → dietary habits, especially for children
- Ex. veggies
- Americans: Something you have to eat
- French: an enjoyable part of your meal
- Structure of meals
- Americans: less structured, less social, more focused
on convenience
- Potential to use cultural models to improve people’s health in US
- Childhood obesity could be linked to culture about
eating fresh fruits/veggies in the U
Diverse Culinary Influences: American cuisine is a melting pot of various cultures, incorporating elements from Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and other international cuisines.
Fast Food Dominance: The prevalence of fast food chains has led to concerns about health and the overshadowing of traditional and regional dishes.
Regional Specialties: Despite the fast food culture, the U.S. boasts unique regional foods, such as Southern barbecue, New England clam chowder, and Cajun cuisine, reflecting local histories and traditions.
Health Concerns: High consumption of processed and fast foods has contributed to health issues like obesity and diabetes, prompting discussions about the need for healthier eating habits.
Culinary Innovation: The U.S. is home to a dynamic food scene with innovative chefs and a growing emphasis on farm-to-table dining, organic produce, and sustainable practices.
Cultural Significance: Food in America often serves as a means of cultural expression and community building, with events like food festivals and farmers’ markets playing significant roles in local communities.
Comments on my first draft by my teacher:
Overall flow of ideas is great. Your thesis could be refined to be more
of a statement than a walkthrough. See my comment in your text for rough
suggestion. In terms of your content, there is some repetition (like at the end
when you revisit the corporate influence stuff you’ve already said), and I
think that some of your evidence could be more specific. Give examples,
details, stats…there is so much in the Michael Pollan paper, the Kremer-Sadlik
paper, and Arnade has some specific stats on the amount of time spent eating.
BE SURE that you have parenthetical (author year) citations for EVERY sentence
that is not from your own head. I also wasn’t sure what the Fieldhouse paper
you kept referring to was…that wasn’t one of our course readings…
-sbs
1.OKAY! So after reading, I think this flow of ideas works well but your thesis statement could be simpler. I don’t think you need to walk through the things you’re going to cover. Just make a statement. Something like: “Corporate influence on food culture in the United States has led to a public health crisis (or mention obesity/chronic disease??). To combat this, we can learn from immigrant communities and others with strong traditional food cultures.” (OR SOMETHING like that).
2. Don’t forget parenthetical (author year) citations throughout!!!
3. Could use more of a case in the body of your paper about why we should care about this.