Dropbox inside Blackboard

PART 2 – Essay (80 points)
After reading your classmates’ responses and considering your initial response, write a more detailed answer to the question in an essay format. Your essay should be at least 1800-2000 words and your argument should be supported with information from the class readings and PowerPoints.

Submit your essay to Assignment Dropbox inside Blackboard.

Keep electronic and paper copies of all written work. For your own protection, keep a copy of your turnitin.com electronic receipt (confirmation of assignment submission), until you have received your final grade for the course.

In every Gordon Rule course, students must demonstrate “college-level writing skills.” College-level writing must exhibit the following characteristics:

• It has clear purpose and thesis or controlling ideas.
• The thesis is supported with adequate reasons and evidence.
• It shows sustained analysis and critical thought.
• It is organized clearly and logically.
• It shows knowledge of conventions of standard written English.
• It shows awareness of disciplinary conventions in regard to content, style, form, and delivery methods.
• Moreover, sources must be cited as appropriate.

Thesis Statement: 
The thesis is the central idea of your paper around which all your evidence and claims are organized. Every single paragraph should be dedicated in a clear way to proving your thesis. In your essay, the thesis should be stated as quickly and as clearly as possible. In fact, many teachers will expect your thesis statement to appear in the last sentence of your essay’s first paragraph. A vivid thesis statement will announce the steps of its argument, not just provide a flat statement of the essay’s ultimate goal. Think of the thesis as a roadmap that gives directions to your reader rather than as a picture of your final destination.

A good thesis should not state something that is obviously true. When your thesis is too easy to prove, your essay can become repetitive and you may feel that you do not have enough to write about. A complex thesis, on the other hand, requires you to convince your reader that your argument is logical and will reveal ideas that cannot be easily anticipated. A worthwhile thesis will always outline an argument with which a reader can readily disagree.
These are two links to guide you to write a good thesis statement:

http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html

When reading your essays, I will be looking at three different elements: Content, Style, and Research. You will receive a grade in each of these areas, and these grades will then be averaged together for your final essay grade.

Content refers to the information in your paper. Is it correct? Is it detailed? Do you demonstrate basic knowledge of the religious tradition? Is this knowledge evident in your description of the service?
Style refers to how that information is presented. This includes the way the information is organized and language skills such as spelling, grammar, and proper sentence structure.
Research refers to the quality and quantity of your research. 

Do you have a fully developed, clear and focused thesis? Have you considered the ‘so what’ factor of your thesis?

Ø  By all means try to avoid this type of thesis – ‘In this essay I will analyze Appiah’s article and examine the role of religion.’ This thesis is very broad and does not tell me what you will examine specifically and if you agree/disagree with Appiah’s view and why. Your thesis does not have to be only one sentence – you can detail in a few sentences what your argument is.

Ø  Your thesis should be located at the end of your introduction so that the reader will know exactly what you are writing about. 

·      Your focus should be on the role of religion in Appiah’s article.

·      Organization: Pay close attention to how you structure your argument. It should be clear how the information in your paragraphs is connected and how it supports your thesis.

·      Grammar: Proofread your essay – read it out loud to yourself. DO NOT use contractions (don’t, shouldn’t, I’ve).

·      MLA Style: Remember to use MLA for your format, in-text citations, and works cited page.

 

 Do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions about the assignment or if you want me to read over your thesis