Essay Assignment: Envisioning a Better Society

Preparation

• Understand the Research Question: Think about the community, city, state, or country in which you were born (or in which you now live). What one aspect of the culture would you change to improve the quality of life for all citizens? Why is the change needed, and how can the change best be achieved?

• Read the selection from Sir Thomas More's Utopia in the Current Issues textbook (pages 655-68) for ideas. Use Utopia as one of your sources; include at least one idea from this selection in your argument and add the work as one of your Works Cited entries.

• Use brainstorming or freewriting to come up with a list of specific ideas for your argument. Watch out for any logical fallacies in your argument.

• Narrow the topic; state it as a focused argumentative thesis. Recall what you learned during the semester from the assigned readings and educational video about developing an effective thesis.

• Submit the thesis to your instructor for review and feedback no later than November 30.

• Search the library academic databases for other credible sources that provide examples, informed opinions, and visual images that support your thesis.

Instructions

The argumentative research essay must be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 7 pages long, and must follow MLA formatting guidelines.

• Introduction. The introduction must be at least ¾ of a page in length and should provide sufficient background information to help the reader understand the importance of the argumentative thesis statement.

• Include a one-sentence thesis statement as the last sentence of your introduction.

• Body. Include a minimum of four body paragraphs that develop your thesis points. Use specific examples, factual information, statistics, and informed opinions. Include at least one paragraph that addresses the opposition point of view. Answer the questions: How would others who disagree with your argument respond? Why are they wrong or misguided?

• Rephrase your thesis at the beginning of the concluding paragraph. You may include a vision of what society could be with the changes you suggest. If a call-to-action is appropriate, state what your readers can do to support your vision.

• Works Cited Page. Add a Works Cited page that contains a minimum of five credible references from a variety of sources (online databases, books, academic articles, information from primary research).

• Proofread carefully to correct mistakes in spelling, grammar, and work choice.