FYS Unit -D- Essay Prompts

Proposal Essay

        As with your previous essays, I want you to find a current topic related to globalization and write a "proposal essay" on that topic. A proposal essay argues for a solution to a problem -- or more modestly, it argues for one step towards a solution.
        A proposal essay must first identity a problem that needs to be solved (i.e., exigency), demonstrate awareness of its context (i.e., other points of view and various stakeholders), and advocate a strong and clear course of action. Be aware of the various stakeholders (a.k.a. constituencies) affected by the problem and by any course of action taken. Also keep in mind the feasibility of your proposal. Possibly, you may not be coming up with a completely new idea but instead be considering a course of action that someone else has already proposed and simply suggesting a modification.
        Your topic for this essay is of your choosing. You may continue to work on something that you've written about for other papers if you wish. You may also consider a new topic, such as the Global Aids Initiative or environmental issues. You may consider the relationship of globalization to religious and ethnic conflict. Or you may want to address the problems that Joseph Stiglitz, Martin Wolf, and Naomi Klein are addressing. Ultimately, though, my suggestion is that you keep your eye on the newspapers and see what's going on. For instance, the financial section of every newspaper raises issues faced by the business community everyday.
        The length of this assignment is 3-5 pages, and I do expect some research. As always, I will grade you on how clear your thesis is, the clarity of each paragraph, and how well you support each of your claims with reasons and some kind of evidence. In addition, I will look for how well you establish exigency and how well you situate your argument in an on-going conversation.
       

Note: For this assignment I want you to practice yet another way of citing sources. So, instead of the MLA style or the Chicago style, please practice the APA style.

Technicalities for Definition Essay:
     1. Page Length -- "3-5" pages means at least three, and less than six. It does not mean almost one and more than four.
     2. Papers should have one inch margins and be in 12 point, Times New Roman font.
     3. Double spaced.
     4. In the upper right corner, put in this order single spaced: your name, the name of this assignment (e.g., "Proposal Essay"), FYS 100-43A, Dr. Steven Thomas, and the date.
     5. Centered, above the first paragraph, in bold face, have your own title. No separate title pages please!!!
     6. Cite sources properly using the APA style. See here if you have questions.