Overview of Steps and Requirements:
Read the information provided in the Wellness and Its Dimensions folder in Bb.
Choose ONE “other” dimension of wellness that we haven’t discussed this semester.
Read the information provided on writing a cause and effect essay in Bb.
Conduct preliminary research to gain a clear and thorough understanding of the selected dimension of wellness and ways this dimension of wellness is expressed and nurtured and repressed and neglected or damaged.
Using preliminary research, identify a problem or challenge associated with the selected dimension of wellness.
Using preliminary research, identify at least TWO causes of the problem or challenge.
Using preliminary research, identify at least THREE effects of the problem or challenge.
Develop a thesis.
Conduct additional and more thorough research that will help you develop and support your argument. (For more specifics about research required, see below).
Develop ideas for an effective introduction and conclusion.
Complete an argmentative outline for the body of your essay.
Practice integrating quotations and appropriately documenting sources using MLA style.
Write an initial draft of your essay.
Complete a PEER REVIEW.
Identify areas that need revision and create a plan of “next steps.”
Revise as necessary to ensure you’ve met all requirements.
Proofread and edit for grammar and spelling.
Submit an effective argumentative essay that incorporates the required parts of an essay and the specific requirements outlined below through the appropriate submission link in Bb.
Complete a Self-Assessment and Reflection exercise.
General Purpose: inform
Audience: general academic audience
The Process:
First, choose ONE “other” dimension of wellness:
intellectual wellness
financial wellness
environmental wellness
spiritual wellness
social wellness
occupational wellness
Second, gather some research and narrow the focus of the essay by identifying a problem or challenge found within the selected dimension of wellness.
Third, gather some research and identify at least TWO causes of the problem or challange.
Fourth, gather some research and identify at least THREE effects of the problem or challenge.
RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS:
You must include information from at least FIVE (5) outside resources in your final essay:
At least THREE sources must be scholarly articles, essays, etc. retrieved from a library database.
TWO sources can be retrieved from CREDIBLE resources found through a basic web browser search EXCEPT you CANNOT use Wikipedia or any of its affiliates. (Note: I encourage the use of Google Scholar).
EXAMPLES of Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4:
dimension of wellness: social
problem or challenge: broken homes
TWO causes: finances and addiction(s)
THREE effects: mental health issues, unhealthy relationship patterns, poor academic performance
dimension of wellness: intellectual
problem or challenge: illiteracy
TWO causes: poverty and learning disabilities
THREE effects: employment issues, crime, poor health
dimension of wellness: financial
problem or challenge: identify theft
TWO causes: phishing and mail theft
THREE effects: empty bank account(s), bad credit scores, mental health issues
Fifth, create your thesis. (The thesis is THE guiding “force” of the essay. It should let the reader know the purpose and main point of the essay and provide a brief overview of the main ideas that will be discussed. It should also provide the overall organization of the body of the essay).
Basically, the ultimate questionS your essay should answer are
what is the “other” dimension of wellness you selected?
what is ONE problem or challenge that falls within the selected dimension of wellness?
what are TWO causes of the problem or challenge? and
what are THREE effects of the problem or challenge?
Your thesis, then, should provide a VERY BRIEF answer to the “ultimate questionS.”
It may look like this:
A problem or challenge may be the result of Cause #1 and Cause #2 and can negatively affect an individual’s dimension of wellness by creating Effect #1, Effect #2, and Effect #3.
A broken home may be the result of financial struggles and addiction issues and can negatively affect an individual’s social wellness by creating mental health issues, unhealthy relationship patterns, and poor academic performance.
OR THIS:
Cause #1 and Cause #2 may cause problem or challenge, which may then result in Effect #1, Effect #2, and Effect #3 and negatively impact an individual’s dimension of wellness.
Poverty and learning diabilities may cause illiteracy, which may then result in employment issues, crime, and poor health and negatively impact an individual’s intellectual wellness.
Finally, write your essay making sure you organize your essay as follows:
Outline Structure
Catchy Title (The selected dimension of wellness, the problem or challenge, a list of the causes and/or effects of the problem or challenge is/are not (an) effective title(s) for this essay. Remember, however, that the title should provide a hint of what the essay will discuss).
Paragraph 1: Introduction
Hook (Often the hook will also introduce the broad topic).
Background information on the selected dimension of wellness.
Transitional sentence or two that connects the background information with the thesis.
THESIS (See thesis-specific requirements above).
Paragraph 2: aka Body/Analysis Paragraph 1 (This paragraph should provide background information on the problem or challenge).
Main topic sentence (Identify the problem or challenge that will be discussed).
Incorporate facts, statistics, expert opinions, etc. to provide background information on the problem or challenge.
A good portion of the background information should be summarized or paraphrased from at least one of your resources. (Remember that a summary or paraphrase still requires an appropriately formatted in-text citation).
You must include a direct quotation, and you must make sure you appropriately integrate the quotation:
signal phrase/introductory sentence
“Quotation”
in-text citation (author’s last name and pg. # where quotation can be found if given)
interpretation and explanation of the quotation (How does it illustrate the main topic sentence of the paragraph and help prove your thesis?).
Closing sentence that reiterates the main topic sentence.
Paragraphs 3 AND 4: aka Body/Analysis Paragraphs 2 AND 3 [Each paragraph should discuss ONE cause of the problem or challenge].
Main topic sentence (Identify the CAUSE that will be discussed).
Incorporate facts, statistics, expert opinions, etc. to provide information on the cause.
You must include a direct quotation, and you must make sure you appropriately integrate the quotation:
signal phrase/introductory sentence
“Quotation”
in-text citation (author’s last name and pg. # where quotation can be found if given)
interpretation and explanation of the quotation (How does it illustrate the main topic sentence of the paragraph and help prove your thesis?).
Closing sentence that reiterates the main topic sentence.
Paragraph 5, 6, AND 7: aka Body/Analysis Paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 [Each paragraph should discuss ONE effect of the problem or challenge].
Main topic sentence (Identify the EFFECT that will be discussed).
Incorporate facts, statistics, expert opinions, etc. to provide information on the cause.
You must include a direct quotation, and you must make sure you appropriately integrate the quotation:
signal phrase/introductory sentence
“Quotation”
in-text citation (author’s last name and pg. # where quotation can be found if given)
interpretation and explanation of the quotation (How does it illustrate the main topic sentence of the paragraph and help prove your thesis?).
Closing sentence that reiterates the main topic sentence.
Conclusion (You do not necessarily have to follow this order, but include the following):
Reiterate the thesis.
Summarize the overall main points.
Leave a lasting impression.
Additional Requirements (Read Them Carefully):
You MUST follow MLA guidelines for document design:
Your essay must be typed in Times New Roman, 12 pt. font;
your essay must be double-spaced;
you must include a heading (double-spaced) in the upper, left-hand corner of the 1st page ONLY of your essay that includes your name, my name, the course prefix and number, and the date (due date is fine);
you must include page numbers in the upper right-hand corner of your essay beginning on the 1st page of your essay. Your page numbers should also include your last name (Peace 1); and
you must include a title with your essay that reflects the assignment description and provides a hint of what’s to come. (Your title should not be bolded, italicized, in all caps, enlarged, etc.).
Your essay MUST be at least 5 FULL pages of text, but no more than 6 FULL pages of text in length, not including the Works Cited page. (The addition of the Works Cited page, the very last page of the essay, may make the essay 6-8 TOTAL pages).
An essay that is 1/2 a page or less short will receive a 10 pt. deduction. (You cannot make higher than an 90-and that’s if everything else is perfect!).
An essay that is a full page short will receive a 25 pt. deduction. (You cannot make higher than a 75-and that’s if everything else is perfect!).
An essay that is two full pages short will receive a 50 pt. deduction. (You cannot make higher than a 50-and that’s if everything else is perfect!).
An essay that is more than two full pages short will receive a 0.
An essay that does not include a Works Cited page will receive a 0 for plagiarism!
This IS a research-based essay. Your essay should include information retrieved from at least FIVE outside resources. (See specific instructions about resources above).
EACH body paragraph should reference the selected dimension of wellness.
You must use third person point of view [This means no “I” (first person) or “you” (second person)].
You MUST include a Works Cited page as the final page of the essay that is formatted per MLA 9 requirements. (Refer to the Research and MLA Documentation folder located in Course Resources and/or the RW Handbook). Again, as previously stated an essay that does not include a Works Cited page will receive a grade of 0 for plagiarism! .
You MUST incorporate at least ONE paraphrase and/or summary. (Remember, you will still cite the paraphrases and/or summaries).
You MUST incorporate directly quoted information from outside resources as required. (See the outline above).
You must NOT BEGIN or END body paragraphs with direct quotations. The first sentence of each body paragraph should let the reader know the focus of the paragraph.
You MUST appropriately integrate quotations into the essay:
A signal phrase or introductory phrase must come BEFORE the direct quotation,
quotation,
an appropriately formatted in-text citation that gives the page number where the quotation can be found must come AFTER the direct quotation, and
NOTE: An essay that does not include in-text citations will receive a 0 for plagiarism.
an explanation of how the selected quotation supports and illustrates the main idea or point being discussed must come AFTER the in-text citation.
You must make sure you include appropriate transitions between and within paragraphs to effectively connect your ideas.
You must edit and proofread your work carefully for grammatical and spelling errors. (Excessive errors may warrant severe point deductions).
The REAL Center/VREAL or ILC may be used to receive tutoring for the essay.
