Paper Assignment: Causal Analysis Essay
Length: 3-4 double-spaced pages
1 inch margins, Times New Roman 12 pt. font
Required: Research and quotes from at least 3 reliable sources
In your first essay, you will select and then carefully analyze the causes and effects of a socially significant problem in the U.S. While you have a great deal of freedom in choosing your essay's topic, make sure that you support any claims you make with reliable and well-incorporated evidence, that you carefully explain your points, and that you utilize the critical thinking process when conducting your research. Avoid arguing for solutions in this essay.
Like those in most academic audiences, your readers will be skeptical and will require proof of any assertion you make. Avoid unsupported assumptions, idle speculation, and overly-biased sources.
You will be graded on your ability to...
• Create an essay that fulfills the minimum page and formatting requirements
• Maintain focus on the problem, its causes, and its effects
• Create an essay free of mechanical errors and informal language
• Craft cohesive and well-structured paragraphs
• Present reliable supporting evidence in an effective manner that avoids plagiarism by including proper quotation marks and citations
• A purposeful structure in which ideas and paragraphs are logically organized and fully developed
• Craft effective an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion
• Original thought and writing: while you will include quotes and/or paraphrased passages, most of your essay should be original writing. Don't overwhelm readers or drown out your own writing voice with quotes and statistics. Instead, use them carefully to support your claims and explanations.