The W1, W2, and W3 assignments are on the same topic: Should the US raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour?

W1 - Three sentences: one thesis sentence and two topic or reason sentences. You will not include any quotations in these three statements.

W2 - Two body paragraphs: each body paragraph will begin with one of the topic sentences you identified in W1. The paragraph that follows the topic sentence will provide support for the statement.

W3 - A complete four-paragraph essay: an introductory paragraph, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. 

W1 Assignment

1. Read a few online articles on the assignment prompt: Should the US raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour?  (Some example articles are linked below.)

2. Take a stand: (Yes or No,) the minimum wage (should/should not) be raised to $15 an hour in the United States.  Keep your thesis simple.

3. Decide on two clear reasons to support your thesis. Write your reasons as complete sentences, not as phrases and not as questions. (These reasons will become the topic sentences for your W2 paper.) A few examples of reasons on either side of the argument are included below. You do NOT need to use these: I simply want to provide you examples of a clear topic sentence.

Yes:

Raising the minimum wage would help the US economy.

Increasing the minimum wage would reduce poverty.

Raising the minimum wage would increase worker productivity.

No:

Increasing the minimum wage would raise the prices of consumer goods.

Raising the minimum wage would hurt small businesses and cause them to close.

Increasing the minimum wage would encourage companies to outsource jobs.

4. Write your thesis and topic sentences, and label them as such.

Thesis sentence: (Do not include any reasons in this statement. Simply state whether or not you believe the minimum wage should be raised to $15 in the US.)

Topic/Reasons sentence one: (Write your first topic/reason sentence)

Topic/Reason sentence two: (Write your second topic/reason sentence)

5. Save the document as a Word file with the following file name: YourLastName W1

6. Upload your thesis and topic sentences to the Dropbox in the W1 folder

A few resources on either side of the argument are linked below. You are not required to use these, but you may, and you are encouraged to find additional online resources on your own. If these sites no longer are available, seek others to support your thesis.

In favor of raising the minimum wage: (In your paper, be sure to indent the second line of your references.)

Author. "Title." Web Site. Publisher of site, date of publication. URL. Date of Access.

Rensi, Ed. "The Ugly Truth about a $15 Minimum Wage." Forbes. 25 April 2016.

www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/04/25/mcdonalds-minimum-wage-reality/#23aad66658bb. Accessed 10 Aug 2016.

VanBuren, Peter. "This Is Why a $15 Minimum Wage Is Not the Answer." Mother Jones. 10 Mar. 2016.

www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/03/15-dollar-minimum-wage-is-not-the-answer. Accessed 10 Aug. 2016.

Against raising the minimum wage:

Hiltzik, Michael. "Is California's Move to a $15 Minimum Wage a Good Idea? Here Are the Facts."LA Times. 28 Mar. 2016.

www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-california-15-minimum-good-idea-20160327-snap-htmlstory.html.Accessed 10 Aug. 2016.

Komlos, John. "Why Raising the Minimum Wage is Good Economics." PBS News Hour. 15 Dec. 2015.

www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/why-raising-the-minimum-wage-is-good-economics/. Accessed 10 Aug. 2016.

W2.

Do not submit this assignment until you have received your graded W1 assignment and read my comments.

1. Write two paragraphs that support the thesis you submitted in the W1 assignment. If you want or need to change or edit your thesis or topic sentences after reviewing the feedback you were given on your W1 assignment, you may do so.

2. Begin each body paragraph with an underlined topic sentence. The topic sentence is a clearly stated reason in support of your thesis. It cannot be a question or a quotation. Reminder: A topic/reason sentence has two jobs: to serve as a reason in support of your thesis, and to announce which reason will be discussed and supported in the body paragraph that follows. Again, each topic sentence should be a reason in support of your thesis, not simply an introduction to the paragraph.

3. Following the topic sentence, provide support from your readings on the topic: you must use and cite at least two sources in W2, at least one source in each paragraph.

4. Cite your sources using either MLA or APA style. Consult your course textbook or the online Purdue Owl if you need help citing and referencing a source in an academic paper. Please remember that the MLA Style Guide has been recently updated, and the examples on your textbook does not include the most recent changes.

5. Include a References (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) list after the second body paragraph.

6. Save the document as a Word file with the following file name: YourLastName W2

W3 Assignment:

1. Read the Writing and Formatting Your Essay document attached to this folder. If you do not follow these guidelines, you will not receive a passing grade.

2. Read the Essay Grading Guidelines document attached to this folder.

3. Write a four paragraph essay based on the thesis and topic sentences you submitted for the W1 and W2 assignments. If you want or need to change your thesis or topic sentence after reviewing the feedback you were given on your W2 assignment, you may do so. However, you must write on the assigned topic.

4. Include the following:

• Title for the essay
• Introductory paragraph that ends in an underlined thesis statement
• Two body paragraphs that each begin with an underlined topic sentence.
• A conclusion
• A Reference or Works Cited listing.

5. Save the document as a Word file with the following file name: YourLastName W3

References note:

Use a minimum of 2 authoritative, credible online sources to support your argument, at least 1 source in each body paragraph. Each quote should be introduced in the text: let the reader know in advance whom you are quoting and the context of the source. All sources are correctly cited in the text using parenthetical citations where needed, and each source is included in a Works Cited or Reference section at the end of the document, following either MLA or APA style guidelines (see course textbook) consistently. Do not cite sources in the body of the essay with Internet addresses (URLs), nor only use a URL for the reference at the end of the document.

Attachment:- w1 example.rar