Any topic (writer’s choice)

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Overview: This second essay asks you to produce an analysis of either Henry David Thoreaus text (from Walden), Shirley Geok-Lin Lim essays (Boiled Chicken Feet and Hundred-Year-Old Eggs), or Samin Nosrats text (Introduction to Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat) that we have read for class, in terms of how the author writes her/his text in order to achieve a purpose/s with respect to her/his readers.

Organization: Your essay should begin with an introduction paragraph that clearly sets up key elements of this type of analysis, as we discussed in class (such as the audience, and/or purpose of your chosen text).  You should end your introduction paragraph with a thesis statement about the author/s key argument/s and her/his use of strategies to advance those arguments persuasively.

Then, to develop your analysis, you must include the following body paragraphs; (write at least one developed paragraph on each, with relevant supporting evidence and interpretive explanation).  (But, you do not necessarily need to follow this order exactly.)

A paragraph on how one writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.
A paragraph on how a second writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.
A paragraph on how a third writing strategy is used by the author to attempt to achieve a purpose.
A paragraph comparing (and/or contrasting) your chosen texts use of writing strategies with the writing strategies in at least one of the other texts we have read. 
A paragraph in which you discuss whether or not you believe the author was ultimately persuasive in her/his text and explain why. 
A conclusion paragraph that refers back to your original thesis while also presenting your reader with your thoughts about how writers make choices in their writing to attempt to persuade their audiences

A successful essay will do the following (in addition to all the elements of writing we have been working on thus far this semester):

Analyze various writing elements/choices/strategies in the text appropriately
Punctuate all quotations properly, and use and explain quotations effectively
Coherently keep the reader on track by means of clear paragraphing and transitions
Develop an effective thesis that evolves out of your work in this type of analysis

Any topic (writer’s choice)

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Each student will be required to write an in-depth research paper about a cause/issue with respect to wrongful convictions. Part of the assignment includes coming up with a viable topic that is interesting to you, but some examples might include child witness recantations and actual innocence; the impact of innocence commissions or conviction integrity units in the U.S.; the validity/legal admissibility of voice recognition testimony, forensic hypnosis, blood spatter analysis or other dubious forensic “science”; jailhouse lawyers and wrongful convictions; issues regarding police practices and wrongful convictions; how other countries have addressed wrongful convictions, etc. Topics must be approved by the instructor, and the research paper itself is due at the beginning of class on the due date. This is a major assignment; therefore, page length of the paper should reflect the amount of research that you have conducted. (12 to 15 pages is the appropriate range, although papers that include obvious “padding” or repetition will be penalized accordingly). Please submit a brief description of the topic you have chosen for your major research and writing project, along with names and contact information for potential “experts” who you will interview regarding the project. Recall that your topic must pertain to the issue of wrongful convictions, and may not be a recycled paper that you’ve submitted for another class. Your description is due by March 17 at 2:10 p.m.

Any topic (writer’s choice)

/in /by

Each student will be required to write an in-depth research paper about a cause/issue with respect to wrongful convictions. Part of the assignment includes coming up with a viable topic that is interesting to you, but some examples might include child witness recantations and actual innocence; the impact of innocence commissions or conviction integrity units in the U.S.; the validity/legal admissibility of voice recognition testimony, forensic hypnosis, blood spatter analysis or other dubious forensic “science”; jailhouse lawyers and wrongful convictions; issues regarding police practices and wrongful convictions; how other countries have addressed wrongful convictions, etc. Topics must be approved by the instructor, and the research paper itself is due at the beginning of class on the due date. This is a major assignment; therefore, page length of the paper should reflect the amount of research that you have conducted. (12 to 15 pages is the appropriate range, although papers that include obvious “padding” or repetition will be penalized accordingly).

Women in the labor Force

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Conduct preliminary research and write an annotated bibliography with 6 sources that you will use in your paper (3 of those sources have to be academic)
This step requires you to do some background research on the topic you chose to write about (i.e: finding articles written by authors on this specific topic; sources can be books, articles -scholarly and not- however, please do NOT use Wikipedia entries as your sources).
Creating this preliminary bibliography will assist you in developing a review of existing research on the phenomenon. Each resource should be cited in ASA format, followed by the summary, assessment, and reflection of each source. You should have 6 resources in your bibliography (3 of which will have to be academic).
This bibliography has to include a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Your bibliography should do the following:
Summarize: Summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? Assess: After summarizing a source, evaluate it. Why is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is it this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
Reflect: Once you’ve summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?