Football is Made to Unit

Essay Objectives: The purpose of this essay is to write an effective argumentative essay and to practice researching & documentation skills. The objective of the essay is to convince/persuade your audience to see/understand your position on your selected topic. ESSAY SPECIFICATIONS: Topic: You may choose your own topic-- however, there are topics that I will not approve such as those that are too broad or have been overdone (gun control, abortion, gay marriage, drinking age, etc…). The best topics deal with a local or regional problem/issue/topic & are original. • You must choose a topic that requires some type research. • You must establish a position on your topic in a concise manner. • You must get my written approval of your topic by submitting a topic proposal. Research & Sources: This essay will require research appropriate to the topic; sources don’t have to be scholarly; they simply must show your ability to select research appropriate to the topic and purpose. You can use any type of source (book, newspaper, magazine, web site, interview, or field research) that is credible and appropriate for the topic. The best option is to gather as many sources as you can, then choose the ones that are the most fitting. I will review your sources, so have a wide variety of potential sources to choose from. (NO WIKIPEDIA). Minimum of 5 sources. Documentation: You will be using MLA formatting. • You will be primarily summarizing your research sources with very little quoting (15%-20% should be direct quotes ) • You must cite your sources using in-text citations with parenthetical references • You must cite your sources on a separate “Works Cited” page at the end of the essay. Organizing this Essay: • Once you choose a topic, you will decide on the best organization. • Whatever organization you choose, your essay will consist of the following elements: o Introduction: catches the reader’s attention, introduces the topic & ends with the thesis o Thesis Statement: one sentence at the end of the introduction that presents your proposal o Body Paragraphs: identification & discussion of the topic, presentation of your position & its benefits, lines of reasoning (including appeals), evidence from sources, & potential objections. o Conclusion: reinforces the thesis & leaves a lasting impression on the reader o Works Cited Page: a list of sources cited in the essay, formatted per MLA style Format and Submission Specifications: • Length: 4-5 pages (Excluding the Works Cited page) • Double-space • Times New Roman 12 font ONLY / Black font • 1” margins all around – left, right, top, bottom • Normal character spacing (not “expanded”); do not use full justified (even) margins; use left align • Number each page in the upper right hand corner (don’t manually type them in; let your program do it for you) • In the upper left hand corner of the first page only type the following information, vertically, single-spaced: Your full first and last names Course Professor Due Date • Give a creative, but meaningful title that will appeal to your audience ESSAY COMPONENTS & DEADLINE DATES: • Proposals are required, but only on-time proposals will earn points. • The proposal should be in proper format and proofread. Proposal Due: Tuesday, June 3rd. Introduction (first draft) Due: Monday, June 9th • A complete introduction with a clearly stated thesis statement. This should be a well-written introduction. Final Essay is due on June 20th (by midnight) Topic proposal: 10 points Introduction: 10 points Final Draft: 80 points Total possible points: 100