Argumentative (Position) Essay

Assignment:

Drawing on the assigned readings—“Learning by Degrees” by Rebecca Mead (http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2010/06/07/100607taco_talk_mead),
“How Much Is That Bachelor’s Degree Really Worth? The Million Dollar Misunderstanding” by Mark Schneider (http://www.aei.org/article/education/higher-education/how-much-is-that-bachelors-degree-really-worth/),
and “How to Get a Real Education” by Scott Adams (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704101604576247143383496656.html—write an essay that presents your informed stance or opinion—your position—on the Value(s) of Higher Education in a Changing Economy.

What is the significance and purpose of a college degree in today’s society? Is it to receive individual, private benefits of a college degree through acquiring a good job and achieving financial security? Or is it to help build a fairer, more just and educated society?

Qualify your position by collecting information from sources, considering opinions of others, and relying on your personal experiences and observations.

Guidelines:

1.    Your introduction will present the issue and state the essay’s thesis. See that the thesis includes a claim (an assertion, possibly with a word “should”) and the reasons (of value or cause) that support the claim and are logically connected to it.

2.    The body of your argument will:
(a)    provide logical support for each reason stated in the thesis by using
•    appeals to authority
•    facts and figures
•    opinion statements
•    examples
•    personal experience
(b)    summarize the position of those who would oppose this argument and respond to the opposition point of view by either refuting it or conceding to it.

3.    In your conclusion, place the argument in a larger context, perhaps by summarizing your main points and showing why this issue is an important one or by calling to action.

Position: The purpose of a college degree in today’s society is to receive a good job with financial security for future unexpected events, family planning and to be prepared for the future’s economy.

Sperduto – prompt — Persuasive/Analytical essay –  3-4 pages to include Works Cited page and in-text citations

Including the following films:

The Birth of a Nation
Gone with the Wind
All of — In the Heat of the Night
All of — Crash

EXAMPLE INTRO PARAGRAPH: Viewing films in an educational setting such as high schools, colleges, and universities can be beneficial but does not come without its criticism. In fact, some high schools and even certain institutions of higher learning ban certain films or at least require a letter of explanation from the instructor or approval from parents before viewing a film with suggestive or controversial content.

Some educators argue that viewing and discussing films containing racism or stereotyped images of certain groups of people provides students with a glimpse of the historical past and contributes to greater understanding and empathy.

Some professors refuse to screen films with heinous presentations of ethnicities, arguing that viewing these films with their negative caricatures, characterizations and racial stereotypes perpetuate the very caricatures,  stereotypes, and racist behavior America wishes to eradicate.

In a well-written multi-paragraph essay, state and develop your position (your claim/thesis)  on this issue. Be sure to include minimal plot with passages and/or quotes from each work to support your claim.  Also, use appropriate evidence from documents you have received or researched over the course of viewing these four films.