Essay Assignment: Higher Education Open Letter
We read multiple articles Essay 3: Higher Education Open Letter
We read multiple articles about higher education. Some focused on the value of learning. But some of the sources talked about education as a system, one with flaws. Drawing on your experiences, and the sources we read/watched, write an essay in which you express your arguments about an issue in higher education. You'll suggest what you think should be done to solve the issue. For this essay, you'll also be able to do some research of your own, make sure to follow the source use tips to avoid plagiarizing.
Prompt
Write an open letter taking a position regarding an issue in American Higher Education. Your thesis should state the problem and ask for a specific solution. You get to choose the issue and do some research of your own to support your argument. All research and information must be documented/cited-make sure it's clear where information is from.
Outcomes
A passing grade on this essay assignment means you have met the listed English 101 outcomes:
? Write texts that demonstrate awareness of audience, purpose, and genre across multiple communities and contexts.
? Analyze, respond to, and document a variety of complex written and visual texts.
? Develop flexible strategies for planning, drafting, revising, and editing.
? Collaborate effectively and respectfully with peers throughout the writing process.
? Apply situation-appropriate conventions at the sentence level.
Guidelines
Writing and Style
? Focus on your analysis
? Write in your voice (I)
? Complex vocabulary/professional level language
? Each paragraph should have a topic sentence
? State a solution or ask for a specific result/action
Thesis
? Have a clear thesis/point with strong arguments
? Your thesis should state a problem and propose a solution (an "ask")
? State the thesis at the end of the first or second paragraph
? Everything should support/connect to the thesis
? It's a good idea to make your claim clear in multiple ways
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Organization
? Multiple paragraphs
? Paragraphs can be shorter than in an academic essay
? Everything needs to be clearly connected
? Use transition words and sentences, connect ideas
Audience
? Directly address to a specific person or targeted group
? Secondary "viral" audience
Length
? 750 - 1250 words
Source Use
? Simple/signal phrase style citation - Give credit to sources by saying the title and author in your sentence
? Use at least 2 of the 4 class sources Frederick Douglas - "Learning to Read"
- Ann Hulbert - "How to Escape the Community College Trap"
- Martha Nussbaum - "Education for Profit, Education for Democracy"
- Documentary - Discounted Dreams: High Hopes and Harsh Realities at America's Community Colleges
? Use at least one source you researched on Academic Search Complete, but no more than two.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.