Assignment:
For Essay #3, write a well-researched argument that addresses the following questions:
Part One: Is the American Dream still possible to achieve? If yes:
Who is achieving the American Dream?
How are people achieving it?
Education
Skill development
Creativity
Financial literacy
Self employment
Provide some success stories.
Or–Is the American Dream dead or dying?
Who is not achieving the American Dream? Which groups in American society are struggling in other words.
Why are people struggling and not achieving the success that they would like.
Discuss the obstacles such as high prices, low wages, lack of health care, etc.
Part Two: How do we create a more perfect, more equitable, society?
What could be done, in your view?
Address the high cost of education?
Improving access to health care?
Increasing taxes for the rich?
Lowering CEO pay?
Reparations
More empathy
Please note that your essay will have two parts: an argument section and a solution section.
Sources from Unit Two (use at least two):
Inequality for All (You will find this film in our current module)
“Radiolab Presents: On the Media: Busted: America’s Poverty Myths”:RadiolabLinks to an external site.
“It’s More than Racism: Isabel Wilkerson Explains America’s ‘Caste’ System”:Fresh AirLinks to an external site.
Richard Wilkinson’s “How Economic Inequality Harms Societies”:TedTalkLinks to an external site.
Sources for Essay #3:
You will use at least two of my sources (see above) and at least three of your own.
Please find some of your sources in our school’s databases. CQ Researcher, Opposing Viewpoints, and Ebsco are good starting points. You may also use some Internet sources; you could try the following: the Pew Research Center, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Mother Jones, National Public Radio, The Economist, The BBC News, PBS, National Geographic, The Guardian, the Wallstreet Journal, Scientific American, and the American Civil Liberties Union to name a few. You could also try Google Scholar.
Format:
See Format Template on the next page.
Process:
I would recommend that you begin this research paper writing process with an open mind. Once you have informed yourself of the various angles of your topic, you will be able to plan out an outline, find sources to back up your claims, and write the essay. It is impossible to write a solid essay without doing the reading first and informing yourself of the complexities of your topic. Plus, as the name implies, a research paper requires that you have done research and found good evidence that you can use in your essay.
Requirements:
This paper is longer than previous essays, but you have options depending on your goals for the class. Here are the options: if you are reaching for a C, this paper can be 4 pages long, if you are striving for a B, it can be 5 pages long, and if you are going for an A, it needs to be 6 pages.
Follow MLA guidelines: double space and use 12-point font in Times New Roman.
Your paper must include 5 outside sources (minimum) which should include at least 2 of the sources that I gave you for Essay #2, and two of the articles should come from our school’s databases.
This paper must have a works cited page and accurate in-text citations.
