[Introduce your topic – approx. 1 paragraph] Briefly describe your topic. Remember, the goal is to convince your audience (me and classmates) of your position. You cannot go back and forth on your stance. In your introduction, there should be a strong piece of data/facts about your topic that is correctly cited using APA 7th edition guidelines. Use in-text parenthetical citations. You cannot use direct quotes in this paragraph. Your thesis statement should be clearly identifiable by the end of this paragraph.
[Introduce a pervasive myth about your topic—approx. 1 paragraph] In this paragraph, you will introduce and explain a pervasive myth about your topic. This is likely the opposite stance of your topic. For example, if your topic is that we must abolish the death penalty, your myth will be something like, the death penalty reduces crime, or the death penalty reduces murder, or the death penalty is a deterrent, etc. This paragraph should help the transition to the next paragraph below.
[Discuss the “Kernel of Truth” regarding the myth – approx. 1paragraph] This is your counterargument. When you are trying to convince the reader of your position, you must include arguments against your position. You may have data and studies to support this opposite argument, but you will challenge that data/studies in the next section. Correctly cite your in-text parenthetical citations using APA 7th edition guidelines.
[Research and Facts Supporting your Position—approx. 1 ½ -2 pages] This is the section where you will present the facts that support your topic/position/argument. This is the most important part of your proposal. Please note the expected length of this section. Select sources that challenge/debunks/completely obliterates the information you presented in the previous paragraph. This section should have a lot of your scholarly sources included.
[Interests Served by the Myth – approx. 2-3 paragraphs] Here you will present information about who benefits from the false belief in your myth. Is it politicians? The police? The social elite? The media? The public? Criminologist? Some other experts? Explain, discuss, and cite proof of your assertions using in-text parenthetical citations using APA 7th edition guidelines.
[Policy Implications of Believing the Myth Instead of Your Topic – approx. 2-3 paragraphs] This section deals with the laws or policies that are usually harmful from believing in the myth of your topic. What are some? Why are these problematic? What are potential solutions (based on critical thinking and research)? Explain, discuss, and cite proof of your assertions using in-text parenthetical citations using APA 7th edition guidelines.
[Interests Served by the Myth – approx. 2-3 paragraphs] Here you will present information about who benefits from the false belief in your myth. Is it politicians? The police? The social elite? The media? The public? Criminologist? Some other experts? Explain, discuss, and cite proof of your assertions using in-text parenthetical citations using APA 7th edition guidelines.
Conclusion—approx. ½-2/3 of a page] Writing effective conclusions. The conclusion is a summary of your paper and repeats the main ideas. In academic writing, a conclusion serves to remind the reader of what your paper is about, restates the thesis statement, and allows you to make a final point without introducing new information. The conclusion should also answer the “so what?” question for your reader.
A more emphatic conclusion builds on a restatement of your thesis in one of several ways. The conclusion can set ideas in the paper in a larger context, call for action (or research), purposefully trouble the reader, raise a question, or quote a familiar or authoritative source.
Do not introduce new information in the conclusion. Do not end with some dramatic quote, statement, or story. Keep it strictly academic.
All revisited points, data, research must be correctly cited using APA guidelines.
[Reference Page] Include all references in APA 7th edition format. All references mean articles, textbook, etc. Note that each textbook chapter is written by a different author; cite accordingly.
Minimum length is 4 ½ pages. Maximum length is 6 pages. References do not count as a page of writing.
Stay focused and on-topic.
This is an ESSAY. Your answers should be complete thoughts, well considered, and grammatically correct.
Do NOT use “I” statements [“I think”, “We”, and “You” etc.]. First and second person writing are not acceptable for this assignment.
Only third person writing is allowed.
Follow the structure on the next page. It does not make any sense to try and do your own thing. Follow the order so that when you go to do your presentations, this will all help you.