For Essay 1 of this course, we will see how well you can research and argue your point. Below is a list of topics. Choose one topic from the list (if you have a topic you wish to do that is not listed please let me know what it is before you start writing) and do some research on it using primary and/or secondary sources where required. Develop your argument and provide proof that your perspective is valid and should be taken seriously. You can do this by citing credible sources (that also means diverse sources. Do not use strictly Internet based sources) and creating your argument, or thesis statement, prior to doing the bulk of the writing. Use the MLA format for your paper and be sure to write 4 to no more than 5 pages double spaced 12pt Times new Roman font. Please have a cover page on the final copy and a works cited page. The cover page should include the title of your essay, your name, date, class, instructor, and at the bottom, copy the topic you chose from the list or the one you came up with. The list of topics will give you and idea of what you can write about. I want to give you the freedom to form your own thesis statement so that you can express your thoughts and perspectives on an academic level. The prompts represent topics you can use to create your own thesis statement and you do not have to answer all of the questions that a prompt may pose. Those are just to get you thinking about the topic. The important part is what your thesis will attempt to answer and address.The goal of this essay is twofold: 1) to prepare you and show you an effective way to write a concise academic argumentative research paper. This will not only help you write powerful research papers for other classes (or if you decide to continue studying after graduation) but also if you wish to write powerful research papers for work. 2) This essay project will expose you to new and unfamiliar topics that will, hopefully, open your mind to see the world in a new way. After all, the mind is like a parachute . . . it works best when it is open.The Draft: This is simply an outline with a concrete thesis statement. If you can tell me the point of your essay in one to two sentences max followed by a basic tentative essay structure, you are set to go! The essay will practically write itself once the due diligence phase has been completed. I will check your draft in class for points.The final draft: Be sure to include a works cited page and, of course, the cover page. Rubric:- Thesis is clearly stated in the introduction to the paper- Topic sentences are evident in each paragraph of the paper- The focus of the paper synthesizes your sources. It is an essay, not a report- Your original thought is evident and separated from the borrowed material with appropriate citations and quotations – You form arguments and ideas into paragraphs of your own creation. You do not simply cut and paste evidence- Thesis is clearly restated in the conclusion of the paper – The minimum number of required sources is included on the “Works Cited” page- All borrowed material is cited- In text citations include author’s last name, the year the work was published, and the page number(s)- Every source cited in the text must be documented in a Works Cited page at the end of the paper- The author’s name (or a key word from the title) is located in a parenthetical citation or in an introduction to the borrowed material (IBM) – Page number(s) (if applicable) are always placed in the parenthetical citation- Parenthetical citations at the end of the sentence are followed by the appropriate punctuation mark (comma or period). [Unless you indent the entire quotation] – Where appropriate, blended sources are used to support major claims of the paper- Essay should be double-spaced- Have one inch margins – 12 point font, Times New Roman – Last name & page number in upper right hand corner of all pagesPROMPTS: You may create your own prompt by coming up with a thesis statement and outline. Please see me if you decide to make your own topic.1) Social inequality seems to be an ever present phenomenon that exists on multiple levels. Does Marx’s conflict theory effectively explain all of the different types of inequality or is it too narrowly focused? What kind of social inequality do we see in our society today and is conflict theory still relevant?2) Erich Fromm once said that “human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience.” Questions to ponder: is deviance always negative or has deviance helped society? Why do democratic societies place so much value on obedience? Can disobedience promote positive changes in society? Use evidence to back your thesis statement.3) Structural functionalism argues that everything we see in society has a functional purpose, including aspects of society we deem detrimental to our wellbeing. For example, structural functionalists would argue that crime benefits structures that fight crime, such as the legal system, prisons, and the police. Questions to ponder: Do you believe that crime has a positive influence on society when viewed this way? Is this really what we see happening in our society? Do we see over-criminalization of certain behaviors and activities as a result of lowering violent crime rates? What are some ways that crime is beneficial to society? Is allowing crime to exist, such as gang activity,a way to maintain jobs associated with stopping those crimes but not eliminating them? Create your own thesis statement and support your argument with evidence.4) In recent years, free speech and expression have been challenged on both ends of the political spectrum and calls to censor speech have become louder. Some questions to ponder: Is there a limit to free speech? Should the government punish speech that is hurtful to people’s feelings? Is there protected speech? Should private corporations censor potentially hurtful content and is it acceptable to argue that large social media firms can censor whatever they wish because it is their speech platform? Create a thesis statement with three supporting arguments supported with academically sound evidence. You do not have to answer all of the above questions. They are there to help you form your thesis statement.5) There are many socialization agents in our society that range from family, peers, schools, the legal system, books, history, prisons, the media, and many more. They educate our children, shape opinions, and can cause disagreements. Given the debates around “fake news” and agenda driven media, aggressive politics on the left and right, what role does the alternative media play in the media landscape? Does the mainstream media have a bias? What are opinion leaders? Does the media, both mainstream and alternative, provide fact based news reports or is it “fake news”, politically biased, and propaganda driven? What about advertisements? What about social media? Is the media still the Fourth-Estate? Use these questions and/or your own questions to create a thesis statement about the role of the media as a socialzation agent.6) What are some ways democracies collapse into dictatorships? What social forces give rise to extremism and destabilize democracies? Craft your thesis statement around the first question and use the follow up question to provie support / evidence for your argument.
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