Assignment #1: Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture

Assignment: Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture.

Instruction

In this paper you will write a developed, nuanced, researched argument on a topic related to your major or dream job. Think of this as an entry point into key debates and discussions central to your field or discipline. This project is intended as a way for you to demonstrate your mastery of each of the skills and concepts taught over the course of the 1101 and 1102 sequence, including analysis, critical reading, rhetoric and argumentation, advanced writing skills, and source use, while also allowing you to start thinking like a professional in your field.

Choose a topic, formulate a central question, research it extensively, and write an essay arguing your stance, informed by your research, using the classical argumentation model (see Allyn and Bacon “Writing a Classical Argument,” module 7). This is not an informative essay; it is a persuasive argument. You will use closed-form prose to create a strong, nuanced, and original thesis which indicates your stance on your topic. How do you figure out your stance on an arguable issue with many points of view? You read the existing scholarship until you are able to form an educated stance. Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture.

Your paper should include at least 6 sources, 4 of which must be scholarly sources. Up to 2 sources may be non-scholarly, or “popular.” Sources should be used add complexity and evidence to your argument, not to write the paper for you. In other words, your voice must be the dominant voice in your essay and you should organize the essay around your ideas rather than around the sources. It is recommended that you not have more than one block quote per essay. You must submit a works cited page along with your final draft. Please see the attached evaluation form for the full list of criteria.

Requirements:

• 1500-2000 words not including the works cited page
• Minimum of 6 sources, 4 of which must be scholarly (peer-reviewed, academic publisher), up to 2 popular (non-scholarly)*
• 12-point Times New Roman font, MLA style citations and document formatting
• Must adhere to conventions of college essays, including stance-driven thesis, unity, coherence, evidence and support, high-quality sources, effective use of sources, an answer to the so-what question, clear sentences and correct grammar. Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture.
• Part of the goal of the assignment is to learn to develop an argument, so essays that do not meet the length requirement will lose a full letter grade. Get Working With Macros Homework Help!!
• Late work will be accepted up to 5 days late with incremental penalties of -3% each day, including weekends.

Schedule:

Fast-paced baby steps!

Wednesday, 7/05: Rough Draft due for peer review. 1000-word minimum, plus Works Cited page.

Friday, 7/07: Peer Feedback due

Sunday, 7/09: Revised Draft due. 1200-word minimum, plus Works Cited page.

Monday, 7/10, and Tuesday, 7/11: Student-Professor Conferences to discuss revised draft

Thursday, 7/13: Final Draft due. 1500-2000 words plus Works Cited page. Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture.

Extra Credit: You may earn up to 2 bonus points on this assignment by seeking feedback from the Writers’ Studio. To receive credit, visit the Writers’ Studio and have the tutor email me confirmation of your visit and what you discussed. You should make every effort to take the tutor’s feedback into consideration in your essay.

Meets the following Course Outcomes:

Course Outcome 3: Writing Arguments

Course Outcome 4: Writing with Sources

Course Outcome 5: Citation and Format of Researched Writing

Course Outcome 6: Research Technologies

Course Outcome 7: Discourse Conventions and Effective Style

*University websites and blogs do not count as scholarly. Pro and Cons of Polygamy in the African culture. Scholarly sources must go through a rigorous peer-review, vetting, and editing process and must be published through an official academic publisher, such as Oxford University Press.