Assignment:
Argument Essay: Your Required "Reading" List
Topic: Write an essay that summarizes and justifies the five texts that make up your own required reading list. In English departments, the word "text" is used flexibly, and that's how we'll be using it in this class. For the purposes of the upcoming assignment, text can, of course, mean books, short stories, poetry, and other traditional forms of written media, but your list of texts can also include TV shows, online videos, music, video games, comic books, graphic novels, songs, and any other type of widely distributed media. Please read the detailed description below for more information. Need Assignment Help?
Length: 1250-1750 words (about 5-7 pages, double-spaced)
Format: This is a formal academic essay. It should include an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs to demonstrate your understanding of the stories and the prompt (see below), and a conclusion that restates the thesis and summarizes your main points (one sentence about each story is probably good). I know that many of you are coming back to school after a break in your studies. For more information on how to structure an academic essay, consider reading this.
Style: All papers must be double-spaced in 12pt Times New Roman. Please follow MLA or APA style, whichever you are more comfortable with. You need to include both in-text citations and a works cited or reference page. If you have trouble with these formats, I have added templates and descriptions of both styles in the "Helpful Information" module. You can also request online assistance from UMSL's writing center. Documents must be .docx, PDF, .doc, or .rtf--I am not able to open .gdocs or .pages documents.
Detailed Description
Choose five texts (literally anything published) that you think everyone should read. This is your list. The texts you choose don't have to be "impressive" or "important." In fact, I would prefer you to think outside the box. You can gear your list toward any age group. You can make a list for toddlers, teens, forty-somethings--it's up to you. In your essay, you'll briefly summarize each text, focusing on the parts that make it interesting or special to you. Then, considering the types of evaluative criteria we've previously discussed in this class, you'll make a justification for why your chosen audience should read it. Because this is an academic essay, make sure that you have an introduction (with a thesis statement) and a conclusion that tie the essay together.
All essays must include the following;
- An introduction that draws the reader in and ends with a simple and clear thesis statement that explains what you will be writing about.
- A statement in or just after the introduction that defines the audience of your required reading list.
- A brief summary of all five texts that make up your required reading list. If the text has been published in the past three years and has a plot, do not include spoilers. If it is more than three years old, spoilers are fine.
- A justification of why you think these texts should be required reading.
- A conclusion that reiterates the arguments you made in the essay.
- A works cited (MLA) or reference (APA) page that cites all five of your texts and any additional research.
If you are having trouble coming up with or narrowing down a list of five texts, consider:
- Texts from a single genre (sci fi, fantasy, romance, etc)
- Texts with a similar theme (loss, perseverance, coming of age, etc)
- Hidden gems--things you love that you think no one else has heard of
- Scrolling through your recent history on streaming sites, the library, Audible, your e-reader, or other places that keep track of media you've consumed recently