Falter- Write an essay and cover letter

I’m studying for my English class and need an explanation.

Topics for Falter
Word Count 650-700 words
Choose ONE of the following topics based on Bill McKibben’s Falter.
Your paper must be primarily based on your critical reading, thinking, and analysis of Falter. For this essay you may, but are not required, to consult 1-2 substantial and reputable sources (Internet, database, or print) in order to support your argument, either in agreement with McKibben’s viewpoint or in planting a naysayer in your text.
Your secondary source(s), like Falter, must be fully documented with in-text citations and works cited page in proper MLA style. If you don’t know how to do this, see “MLA Focus” in modules and/or use bibme.org or Son of Citation machine.
Caution: You may NOT consult Wikipedia or a “boilerplate” source, such as Lit Charts and Spark Notes to gather information or words for your paper; if you do your essay cannot receive a passing score.
In your essay, use at least four effective and significant quotations to support your argument. Additionally, use specific details, examples, and references to the Falter. Papers that use fewer than four quotations, which are adequately introduced and commented upon in your own original voice, or that ignore the other requirements I specify will lose at least 10 points.
Please ensure that your essay is presented in correct MLA format, i.e. how the essay looks on the page. (See the video in Introductory Module.)One point is deducted for each error or omission of MLA format.Points will be deducted if your paper has no title or an ineffective title.
Stick to the word count of 650-700 words. You may write 50 words under or over, but beyond that points may be taken away if the paper lacks development and/or organization.
Proofread your work for content and clarity.Do your best to write complete, correct sentences and consistent, clear grammar.Always look to improve word choice.
Again, choose only one topic

According to McKibben in Falter, Earth has shrunk, but not in a good way. McKibben warns that climate change through all its consequences is making the earth less habitable. He states, “The planet’s diameter will remain eight thousand miles, and its surface will still cover two hundred million square miles, but the earth, for humans, has begun to shrink, under our feet and in our minds” (64). Discuss one or more of the ways that he asserts the earth is becoming uninhabitable.What evidence and examples does McKibben provides for his claims?As part of your discussion, assess whether his argument is convincing and well supported.
In Falter, Bill McKibben expresses strong views about gene editing (CRISPR). Is he opposed to all potential uses of CRISPR?What uses does he oppose and why?As part of your discussion, assess whether his claims seem well supported, convincing, and balanced.
Besides his opposition to genetic engineering, McKibben, in Falter, is skeptical about our human ability to control strong Artificial Intelligence. What are McKibben’s fears about the unrestrained and fast development of strong AI? As part of your discussion, assess whether McKibben’s argument is rational, well supported, and convincing.
Considering the views Bill McKibben expresses in Falter on both genetic engineering and AI, do you find that McKibben is a negative doomsayer, or is he sounding a much-needed warning about these technologies?Support your argument with evidence and examples, and plant a naysayer in your text.
Discuss the two primary strategies that Bill McKibben offers in Falter to overcome the forces that would both end physical nature (i.e. primarily through climate change) and human nature as we know (i.e. with technologies like AI and genetic engineering) them.Assess whether his arguments for use of these strategies seem well supported, reasonable, and convincing.

ENGLISH 10
Dr. Maselli
Cover Letter
Instructions for Cover Letter: Self-Analysis of Your Writing Process

Upload your essay and your cover letter as two separate documents.
The cover letter must be 250 words. At the bottom of your cover letter, give the word count.(You will find the word count at the bottom, left-hand screen of your computer.)
The cover letter is not a summary of your essay; a summary or “off-topic” letter will not receive points.

What is a cover letter? It is a formal analysis of your individual writing process.
A cover letter is analysis applied to your writing process.Approach the cover letter as “meta-analysis” or self-observation of the steps you took to write the original essay and then revise it for the second submission.Don’t summarize (rehash) your essay’s content. You will not receive points if you only summarize your essay.
Writing a cover letter helps you to improve your analytic abilities. It can help you understand your individual writing process and improve your writing.Many students have learned to revise independently and effectively as a result of writing cover letters!
By taking notes on your writing process from start to drafts to finish, you can see what steps of the writing process come easily to you and what causes you to struggle.In other words, you pinpoint your own strengths and weaknesses. You can also learn to identify your original thinking, distinguishing your own thoughts from that of other authors or sources, including all-pervasive media.
The cover letter is a powerful tool for you to make progress as a writer and thinker. Don’t even try to include everything detailed below! Just pull what suits you from the information to help you through writing about your own writing.
The most important thing is just to observe yourself and take notes from beginning to end of your writing process.
Some Guidelines for the Cover Letter

Discovery – Explain how you got started.
Evolution – Explain your actual writing process for the essay
Thinking Style
Assessment – Comment on your paper’s strengths and weaknesses
What “deep” elements of composition did you do especially well here?

“Discovery” process – Comments might include your initial thinking about the topic; how re-reading portions of the text helped you; prewriting tools you used –notes, freewriting, clustering, questioning, journaling.
You should cover discovery in no more than 2-3 sentences.
How did you put the essay together – grouping, outlining, storyboarding? Drafts?
How did your thesis evolve?
How did you write the introductory paragraph? Conclusion?
What information (quotations, paraphrases, points) did you add or delete?Why?
At any point, were you forced to overhaul the paper?

Did you analyze, clarify, and elaborate the ideas that you encountered in the text?
Did you insert your original ideas and interpretation while sticking to the textual evience?

What aspects of the topic put obstacles in your writing way, and how did you deal with them?

Focus on thesis, organization, argument, support, and voice.Do not elaborate on grammar or sentences.

Thesis – focused, narrow, precise assertion that evolves through your paper
Organization – includes unity, coherence, introduction, body, conclusion, paragraph order, sentence order
Argument – logical structure, inclusion of well-placed topic sentences, persuasiveness, clear direction, use of key words
Support – use of facts, examples, illustrations, details that are representative, ample, and support the point. Appropriate use of sources
Voice – appropriate tone, logical, credible, trustworthy, original

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