Truth
Essay Prompt
Write a research-based argumentative essay for an academic audience while using secondary sources. To prepare, you will read Harper Lee’s famous 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird and watch the 1962 film of the same name, starring Gregory Peck with the intent of selecting a contemporary social issue that emerges from the texts that is still important in 2022–and perhaps even more so today than in the 1950s and 60s when the book and film arrived on the scene. Next, you will engage in research that explores a specific aspect of your chosen issue. You will then determine what your personal stance on the issue is and use your previous research (and possibly new research) to support your stance. Your “stance” becomes your thesis. Your research becomes your evidence. The process will be modeled for you in class. Unlike in Unit 3, your teacher won’t be providing you with sources for this essay: you get to find credible sources through your own research, since that’s something college writers do frequently.
Purpose
Craft an argument for an academic audience, convincing them of the veracity of your claim on your chosen To Kill a Mockingbird-related social issue. As with the Unit 3 essay, you’ll use outside sources to support your argument, but as noted above, Unit 4 asks you to find credible sources through your own research. You’ll follow the formal writing process to produce a 3- 5 page essay with a MLA formatted Works Cited page
Process
This research essay asks you to convince your reader of your point of view, using sources you locate yourself for support. Your work on the previous essays in this course, especially the Unit 3 synthesis essay, has helped prepare you for this task. Your teacher will give you several options of places to look for credible sources, in addition to tips on how to conduct academic research. You’ll learn not only how to locate good sources to use in your writing, but also how to document them properly and avoid plagiarism. As with your other essays in the course, the writing process will help you succeed.
Requirements
The essay must be a minimum of 500 words, but no more than 1,000 words.
Your essay must use at least two sources
One source MUST be from Ebsco via KYVL
The other source(s) can be from any credible source–including Ebsco/KYVL
Your essay must be typed following MLA page format.
double-spaced
one-inch margins
Times New Roman 12-point font
standard MLA heading and header
Your essay must include:
an introduction paragraph with an explicitly stated thesis
3 or 4 body paragraphs (each having a topic sentence with content development that follows the TTEIC format and in-text citations that follow the MLA format)
a conclusion paragraph
MLA in-text citations
an MLA Works Cited page
The essay should be written in 3rd-person point of view
Rubric
A highly successful essay will meet the following expectations:
Purpose and Focus
establishes and maintains focus on audience and purpose
effectively engages the audience by providing relevant background information necessary to anticipate its needs
Idea Development
consistently develops ideas with depth and complexity to provide insight, support, and clarification of the topic
consistently develops ideas using appropriate and effective examples, details, facts, explanations, descriptions
may use a variety of techniques or approaches
Documentation
demonstrates skilled use of SEPI format for in-text citations
demonstrates skillful choice with application and variety of summary, paraphrase, quotation, example
demonstrates accuracy in formatting throughout the Works Cited page
Structure
consistently organizes the writing by using a logical progression of ideas that flow within and between paragraphs
consistently uses a variety of sentence lengths and structures
includes a variety of transitional words and phrases that connects ideas and guides the reader
uses appropriate organizational techniques (e.g., comparison/contrast, cause/effect, order of importance, reasons/explanations)
Language and Conventions
maintains an appropriate voice or tone
consistently chooses words that are appropriate to the intended audience and purpose of the writing
consistently uses correct grammar, usage, and mechanics (e.g., spelling, punctuation, capitalization) to communicate effectively and clarify the writing
