Folks, there is a lot of information here. Please read the following slowly, carefully, and completely. Refer back to it regularly throughout the writing process.
Topic: Analyze a cultural product that has been approved by the instructor.
A cultural product may include, but is not limited to, the following:
A work of art (painting, photography, sculpture)
music (a song, album, video)
a book (The Prince, Mein Kampf)
fashion (a specific article of clothing or fashion within a specific area)
toys (a specific toy or category of toys—Barbie, G.I Joe, appliances, etc.)
food (a specific dish or a general category—fast food, etc.)
technology (a specific gadget or company–the washing machine, printing press, etc.) No Apple or iPhone papers, please!, social media (the meme, a blog, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) If you lean towards a technology-related topic, please avoid an essay about cellphones or social media that says the same old stuff!)
These are just examples. You are to choose a cultural product of your own. Be original and creative. Come out of your comfort zone a little bit. Put some thought into your choice. If you choose a product that you find interesting, the paper will be much easier to write.
Do not choose a subject about which you have already written this semester unless you are going to do something very different with it.
Make sure you are choosing a topic that fits this assignment, not just something you want to write about that is not suited to the actual requirements of this paper, which are listed directly below:
Here are the three specific points your paper must address. Keep them top-of-mind throughout this entire process:
Explain the cultural causes of this product (what was going on in society that led to the creation of this product?)
Discuss the cultural effects of this product (how has this product impacted the culture, promoted or shaped cultural ideals, practices and expectations?)
Develop a central interpretation about this product and argue for its cultural significance (why, ultimately, is this product important?)
Here’s an example of what I mean by analyzing a cultural product:
If someone chose the Barbie doll as their cultural product, the premise of the paper might be something like this: The Barbie doll, far from merely being a toy for girls, began as the product of the male-dominated culture of the 1950’s with unrealistic expectations about women’s bodies; however, Barbie has gone on to become a role model for girls who see her as an independent, career-oriented woman. Such a paper might include a catchy introduction that discusses Barbie in general, followed by a paragraph containing historical information about the origins of the doll, and then paragraphs that discuss body image, Barbie’s “careers,” maybe Barbie’s influence on other toys, and the argument that Barbie is, in fact, a positive role model. Where appropriate, outside sources would be used in the paragraphs to provide support for the author’s ideas.
Note: Be sure to choose a cultural product, not just a culture. For example, the 1970’s is a culture but not a product. Someone interested in writing about that time period would have to narrow down their topic to a product of the 1970’s, something that developed or was created during that time, like bell bottoms, disco, muscle cars, punk rock, etc.
Audience: Write for a professional audience that may have opposing views to your own about this product. Avoid using a slangy, non-academic tone.
Requirements:
The essay should be 5-7 pages. Five pages means five full pages with some writing on page 6. The essay must be more than 5 paragraphs. For instance, the historical background of your topic and/or a discussion of opposing views (along with your rebuttal to those views) should necessitate an additional paragraph(s)). Consider breaking down overly-long paragraphs into two separate ones.
This essay is not to exceed 9 pages. Sometimes editing and refining content is just as important as developing it.
Essay will use appropriate MLA format.
A minimum of 4 credible sources are needed to support your analysis/argument. (Don’t worry, there will be an upcoming lesson about finding legitimate sources; you will not just be Googling things.)
75-80% of the essay should be your ideas and analysis. In other words, the paper should not be page after page of quotations. Think of this as a regular essay made up mostly of your own ideas, except every once in a while you bring in an outside source to help prove a point or provide additional information.
Do not use long “block” quotations in the essay. Most quotations/paraphrases should be short, effective, and appropriate. Do not insert random quotes in an attempt to meet the requirements. Integrate quotations and sources into the flow of writing. Avoid “dropped” quotations.
All researched material is to be appropriately cited in-text to avoid plagiarism. Any plagiarism whatsoever, whether intentional or unintentional, will result in an automatic grade of “0” for this assignment. Additionally, do not run your essay through tools like Grammarly to have your sentences rewritten for you. I want your writing only.
A properly formatted Works Cited page should be included.
No 3-point thesis. Instead, develop an insightful, focused sentence that states the central assertion of the essay.
Pay attention to the importance of sentence structure: compound, compound-complex, varying sentence beginnings (using phrases, dependent clauses, for instance), and avoiding wordiness.
Avoid using the first and second person. Cut qualifiers and intensifiers such as “I believe,” “I think,” etc.
Good luck! Please let me know whenever you need help throughout this process.
