SUSTAINING OUR SURVIVAL Essay - Persuasive essay
In "The New Renaissance," Daniel Quinn stated, "something extraordinary is going to happen in your lifetime," claiming that "the people of our culture are going to figure out how to live sustainably on this planet-or they're not." Quinn also suggests that we are on the brink of a "new Renaissance" that will usher in radical cultural changes that hopefully will allow us to live sustainably. Do you agree with this view? Why or why not? Justify and prove your opinion by providing examples from Quinn and at least two other outside sources (see below).
Feel free to focus on specific areas, including those related to your major or interests, that support your view. Try to explore this question through the "lens" of ideas that interest you, be they related to the environment, politics, artificial intelligence, etc. Your essay should demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of Quinn's ideas, and that you have thought deeply and critically about this topic. I don't expect you to prove your claim beyond a reasonable doubt, or resolve all sustainability problems. Nobody can do that. But I do expect you to move beyond thoughts like, "green recycling arrows are seen everywhere, so the new Renaissance is here." Most important is that you support your claim with strong evidence from your outside sources.
You will need to incorporate properly cited quotes and/or paraphrases from the following, for a minimum of 4 sources:
? Daniel Quinn's "The New Renaissance"
? At least one additional reading from our UNIT 2 readings or the Sustainability Reading List.
? At least two, outside reliable sources.
In order to earn a C or above, you must abide by the following criteria: Length
? 1,200 to 1,800 word minimum, which is 4-6 double-spaced pages. Please note, papers below 1,200 words will be downgraded! APA
? an APA format cover page AND an APA reference page (not included in the page count above)
? proper APA in-text citations for all paraphrases and direct quotations
? no abstract is necessary for this essay
The important elements all your essays in this class must contain:
? an introduction that has a hook and introduces your audience to the topic. Remember, your audience has not read Quinn; thus, you will need to introduce him and the gist of his idea.
Daniel Quinn, author of "The New Renaissance"
? a thesis that makes a specific, debatable claim; your thesis for this essay must be the last sentence in your one-paragraph introduction.
? effectively organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences and transitions
? smoothly synthesized evidence that supports your thesis and is convincing and clear to the reader
? a conclusion that does not merely restate your thesis but that leaves the reader with further ‘food for thought'
A few more rules and tips
? As this is a short essay, please do not use any long block quotes.
? It's okay to use the word "I" when using your own specific evidence. For example, if I write about my experiences at the Antelope
Valley Poppy Preserve, I cannot do this without the word "I," just as Louv does in his book. However, I do not need to say "I believe that the tourists should not have trampled the flowers." I can simply say, "The tourists should not have trampled the flowers." Please remove "I believe," "I think," "I feel," and "in my opinion" from all academic essays.
? Do not use the word "you." Yes, I'm using it here because this is an informal instruction sheet; I am telling you what to do. However, when you write for an audience of peers, you should use "we" instead, to include yourself with your readers. Doing so shows your readers that you don't think you're better than them. Only your professors can do that!
? Please, no "drop quotes"! Create a "quotation sandwich" for each quote by 1) creating context for your quote, 2) using a signal phrase before the quote, and 3) when possible, easing out of the quote by adding some analysis.
? Your language should be formal, but clear and direct. Avoid, inflated, pompous language, but also avoid slang and language that is too informal