For this essay, you will read five articles on the subject of body image issues and then construct
an argument in response to a narrow(er) topic related to body image that is based on the
conversation you’ve read. This means you will need to stake out a claim (position) with reasons
(your why statement) and support those reasons with evidence from your own experience or
observations, your own logic and values, and information gathered from three or more articles of
the five that you read. You will need to draw upon skills of summary, paraphrasing, quoting, and
synthesis, the later of which means weaving different voices and ideas together based on a
common point.
Please note that all five articles will be read in/for class, and are provided to you on
Blackboard. You will need to cite at least three of the five articles you read. You may always cite
more than three, but the required minimum is three. Importantly, please note that this paper is
not a research paper. The research has already been done for you in advance. Do not conduct any
outside research for this paper. Work with what has been carefully curated for you.
Your essay should be a minimum of four full pages and no longer than five pages–anything beyond
that length will be considered a failure to adhere to one of the assignment’s basic requirements.
Maximum page limits are just as significant as minimum word limits, as it requires the writer to
be focused and concise with his/her phrasing and word choice. Your essay should be double-
spaced, typed in Times New Roman with 12-point font character size and one-inch margins. Since
you are a variety of sources, you will need a clear citational practice including in-text citations or
hyperlinks and a works cited page constructed in MLA format.
