Assignment 2: Thesis-Driven Essay
900-1100 words
Foregrounded LOs: #thesis, #organization, #evidencebased, #composition, #sourcequality, #professionalism
For this assignment, you will write a well-supported, well-organized thesis-driven essay on the following prompt: “National identities are complicated because…” (This prompt should get you thinking about the specifics of how national identities are complicated; the thesis statement does not need to necessarily start out this way.)
DO:
**Make complex, quality claims **engaging with Appiah’s text and bringing in evidence from your own background.
**Use Appiah **as both a model and a text with which to interact as is appropriate.
An outline and a reverse outline, keeping in mind the principles of #organization.
Research: You should consult with at least 3 sources (at least two of which are academic).
Include an annotated bibliography (see below). Format the entire paper correctly.
Proofread and revise, revise, revise.
DO NOT:
Quote big chunks of text: paraphrase others’ arguments when possible; quote minimally.
**Collaborate with others – **this is an individual assignment. Even if there are other students from your country, your family and experiences are unique. You can discuss the project with others and ask for feedback, but you must write your own individual paper.
Start at the last minute!
ALSO:
Be sure to draw attention to your most prominent applications of LOs (especially those mentioned in the “LOs to be graded” section below) by adding footnotes.
In the footnote text (at the bottom of the page), provide the hashtag of the LO and at least a 2-3 sentence explanation of your application. Help the professor understand exactly why this constitutes a strong application.
Remember: the use of #thesis should be within the paper itself; the footnote is merely there to show how you believe you applied it well in the text. For each LO, footnote what you believe your strongest application of the LO is.
Footnote text does not count toward the target length of the assignment, and all applications of the (not just those that are footnoted) will count toward your grade.
Including footnotes is an important part of reflecting on your learning. It should be an occasion for #professionalism. Help the professor understand exactly why this constitutes a strong application. For samples of effective annotations, refer to the footnotes that go along with each LO example (in Why/Use of pre-class readings) written in square brackets.
For guidance on how to write an annotated bibliography:
The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue. Annotated Bibliographies. Purdue University. Retrieved from: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/index.html
Why/Use: This resource gives you an explanation of what an annotated bibliography contains and does. NOTE: Please remember that you are writing a summary annotation, not an evaluative one. Follow the instructions for annotations that summarize.
University of Wisconsin. What goes into the content of the annotations? The Writer’s Handbook. Retrieved from: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/AnnotatedBibliography.html
Why/Use: This source provides an explanation and a sample annotated bibliography entry.
NOTE: You are writing an “Informative” annotated bibliography, so please focus on that section of the document.
For examples of annotated bibliographies:
The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue. Annotated Bibliography Samples. Purdue University. Retrieved from: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/annotated_bibliography_example.html
Why/Use: Please refer only to the Chicago Manual of Style example at the bottom of the page.
Durán, K (2009). Sample Annotated Bibliography in APA Style. California State University, Northridge. Retrieved from: https://library.csun.edu/docs/apannotbib.pdf
Why/Use: This sample shows you what your overall paper may look like. NOTE that this example uses shorthand summaries, while you will be writing in complete sentences.
Please comply with the following APA conventions for formatting an annotated bibliography:
– The text and the reference list should be double-spaced.
– Entries should be organized alphabetically.
– Each paragraph should be indented.
– Reference list entries must have a hanging indent.
– Use Times Roman font, or a similar serif font in black.
(if you have any questions feel free to ask)
