The Assignment
You will write a causal argument—a type of essay in which you explain and argue the causes of a situation (an event, a phenomenon, or a trend). The key here is to choose a topic that interests you and work from there. Narrow your topic enough to treat it in some detail, and provide more than a mere list of causes. When seeking causes, you will have to decide carefully how far back to go in your search for remote causes. Moreover, you must be sure to distinguish between the immediate causes and the remote causes of the situation you are analyzing.For this assignment, you have complete control of the topic of your essay. However, please note this is not a PRO or CON essay. As a rule of thumb, issues like abortion, gun control, the death penalty, and global warming are all weak topics biased unless you organize and focus them correctly for this paper.
Success with Genre
Does your essay include the important features of a causal argument discussed in course material? Do you describe the causes or effects of the issue you are investigating? Do you discuss the stakes? Do you provide sufficient evidence to support your claims? Do you provide your readers with any background information they need?
Organization
Is your essay logically organized? Do you include an introduction in which you state your main point (your causal claim)? Do you have a strong conclusion? Are your paragraphs focused, and do you use transitions and topic sentences effectively?
Writing Style and Mechanics:
Is your writing clear and understandable? Is it concise? Is it well-edited and free from mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word usage?
Length
Final Copy: 1200+ words, double-spaced, 12-point standard font
Format
Final copy should adhere to MLA documentation style
Citations
All sources used in your paper should be documented correctly according to your specific documentation style. In-text parenthetical citations for any material directly quoted, paraphrased, or summarized should correspond to citations on the Works Cited page.
