Week 5 – Final Argumentative Essay

Global Societal Problem, Argument and Solution

Prepare: The topic of your essay needs to be a global societal problem from the following list: adult illiteracy, funding for General Education vs STEM in primary and secondary schools, minimum wage, oceans desertification, overcoming the digital divide, refugee (escaping persecution, war, or death) crises, species extinctions (modern), tax havens, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), universal statement of human rights (pick one), airport security, or wealth disparity. Review this GEN499 Sample Final Paper Guide for additional guidance on the expectations of this assignment.
 

Reflect: Based on the topic that you have chosen, you will need to use critical thinking skills to thoroughly understand how this topic can be a global societal problem and determine some logical solution(s) to the problem.
 

Write: This Final Argumentative Essay will present research relating the critical thinker to the modern, globalized world. In this assignment, you need to address the following items in separate sections with new headings for each: Identify the global societal problem within the      introductory paragraph and conclude with a thesis statement that states      your proposed solution(s) to the problem. For guidance on how to construct      a good introduction paragraph, please review the Introduction      Paragraph Guideline from      the Ashford Writing      Center. Describe background information on how that problem      developed or came into existence. Show why this is a societal      problem, and provide perspectives from multiple disciplines or populations      so that you fully represent what different parts of society have to say      about this issue. Construct an argument supporting your proposed      solution(s). Be sure to consider multiple disciplines or populations so      that your solution shows that multiple parts of society will benefit from      this solution. Provide evidence from multiple scholarly sources as      evidence that your proposed solution is viable.  Interpret statistical data from at least three,      peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Do this by discussing the validity,      reliability, and any biases; identifying the strengths and weaknesses of      these sources; and pointing out limitations of current research and      attempting to indicate areas for future research. You may even use visual      representations such as graphs or charts to explain statistics from      sources. Evaluate the ethical outcomes that result from your solution. Be      sure to provide at least one positive ethical outcome as well as at least      one negative ethical outcome that could result from your solution, and      explain at least two ethical issues related to each of those outcomes.      It’s important to consider all of society. Develop a conclusion as the last paragraph(s) of the      essay, starting with rephrasing your thesis statement and then presenting      the major points of the topic and how they support your argument. For      guidance on how to write a good conclusion paragraph, please review the Conclusion Paragraph      Guideline from the Ashford Writing      Center. 

The Final Argumentative Essay Must be 3,300 – 3,900 words in length (approximately      between 10 – 12 pages; excluding title and reference pages) and formatted      according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Must include a separate title page with the following: Title of paper Student’s name Course name and number Instructor’s name Date submitted Running header with page numbers Must include in-text citations from at least 10 scholarly sources. Be sure to integrate your      research rather than simply inserting      it.  Must document all sources in APA style as outlined here and here. Must have no more than 15% quoted material in the body      of your essay based on the Turnitin report. Reference list will be      excluded from the Turnitin originality score. Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined      in the Ashford Writing      Center. Source Document Requirements: Multimedia sources (such as videos) may be used, but       no more than two such sources may be used. If multimedia sources are       used, they must be authored and distributed by credible sources, such as       universities, law schools, medical schools, or professors, or found in       the Ashford University Library. Government sources may be used, but no more than two       such sources may be used. Examples include whitehouse.gov, state.gov,       usa.gov, cdc.gov, etc. These websites can be used to make a stronger       point about your proposed soluation within the argument. Where print documents are used for source materials,       those must be peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles, and academically       published books. Popular media sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines,       television and radio shows, etc.) must not be used. Materials from       advocacy groups (e.g., Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, National       Organization for Women, etc.) must not be used. Sites such as ProCon.org and Wikipedia must not be       used. Religious texts must not be used.

Good Critical Thinking Tips: Your paper should include academic sources that explain      multiple sides of the issue. Your interpretations of the evidence should be      objective and state the conclusions and theses presented in the evidence      clearly and fairly. Your paper should place the various forms of evidence      in relation to one another and demonstrate why one form or perspective is      stronger than the other positions that one could take on the issue. Your paper should point out the limitations of current      evidence and attempt to indicate areas for future research. Writing Tools:  Before you submit your written assignment, you are       encouraged to review the The Grammarly       Guide: How to Set Up & Use Grammarly tutorial,       set up a Grammarly account (if you have not already done so), and use       Grammarly to review a rough draft of your assignment. Then carefully       review all issues identified by Grammarly and revise your work as needed.