Assignment: Write a 3 to 5-page paper in which you describe a social problem and propose what we should do about it. You must choose one of the social problems we’ve covered in class. Background: Critical thinking is the careful and comprehensive exploration and analysis of issues before accepting or formulating a position. It includes understanding facts, evaluating various perspectives and their underlying assumptions, and analyzing a situation within its context. This assignment asks that you “critically think” about one of the Social Problems we’ve covered in class. The source material for the assignment will include the textbook and at least four additional sources. Your paper will address two big questions: What is the social problem, and what should we do about it? Check out the additional information and resources I’ve posted on Blackboard for this extra credit assignment. Requirements: Your paper should be 3-5 pages, double-spaced, in 12 point, Times New Roman font. The paper and citations should be in APA format. You should include proper citations within the paper and an APA formatted bibliography at the end. Only two of your citations can be from websites, and those must be from credible organizations who have some kind of authority to address the social problem you’ve chosen. In your paper you should do all of the following. (You do not need to have separate sections for each.) Explain what the problem is. State and describe comprehensively, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding of the problem. Question Assumptions. Think through and analyze your own and others’ assumptions about this social problem. An assumption is “an unexamined belief: what we think without realizing we think it.” We often reach conclusions based on “assumptions that we haven’t thought about critically. A critical thinker, however, is attentive to these assumptions because they are sometimes incorrect or misguided. Just because we assume something is true doesn’t mean it is.” (Louisville Library: Critical Thinking) Take a position. Your position should be imaginative and should take into account the complexities of the problem. Importantly, you should acknowledge the limits of your position and you should acknowledge how others’ points of view are incorporated into your own. As you consider the social problem and the positions you and others take, “think carefully about your beliefs, assumptions, and potential biases. How might these things influence your interpretation of information about the problem? How does your point of view affect whether you agree or disagree with a certain argument?” Form conclusions. Make sure that your conclusions and the related outcomes (consequences and implications) are logical and reflect your informed evaluation and ability to place evidence and perspectives discussed in priority order. Grading and Evaluation: The paper will be evaluated based on how well you accomplish the four points of critical thinking above. Additionally, the paper will be based on the quality of the writing , including style, grammar, and formatting.
