assignment help
Assignment 2
Guidelines for your Research Paper/Personal Essay/Creative Assignment
Your Choice
Research Essay
Cite at least two readings AND two scholarly sources. (At least four sources in total.)
1500-2000 words
Thesis statement underlined in first paragraph.
Personal Essay
Cite at least two readings, use personal anecdotes/stories as proof
1500—2000 words
Thesis statement underlined in first paragraph
Creative Piece
Check in with Meg during office hours before November 19th
Explanation of 750-1000 words citing at least two readings
“Thesis” underlined in first paragraph
Research Essay
Pick a topic that interests you from the course and use the library resources to go further than any of the readings.
Be sure to consider how ableism, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, cissexism, and/or sexism are involved as structures.
Personal Essay
Pick a topic that interests you from the course and using your own experiences, connect the course material and your own experiences to structures bigger than yourself.
Be sure to consider how ableism, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, cissexism, and/or sexism are involved as structures.
Be considerate of the experiences of others and make sure you are not writing about someone else’s disability or someone else’s experiences of discrimination (even if they are family!)
Creative Assignment
Pick a topic that interests you from the course and create something you feel best represents this topic/issue
Also: write an explanation that clearly describes the work that you are doing
Be sure to consider how ableism, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, cissexism, and/or sexism are involved as structures.
Creative assignments must be approved by Meg before November 19.
Citation style
Please cite your sources both in-text and in a References Page using APA citation style!
Need more help with APA? See Owl Purdue which outlines exactly how to use this citation style!
How to Write a Thesis
You have decided to write your thesis about cats
Where do you start?
A thesis statement needs to be:
Specific
Debatable
An assertion (not a fact or observation)
Taking a clear position on your topic
Presenting a so-what factor that goes beyond facts
Some statements that aren’t there yet…
My cat is fat.
This is a fact.
Cats give birth to their young and nurse them, making them mammals
This is the definition of ”mammals,” again not debatable.
Companion animals help ease the symptoms of depression
This is closest to being a thesis statement!
Why are cats the best?
This is a question, not a statement
Why do companion animals help ease depression?
Companionship
Caring for someone else helps remind us we deserve care ourselves
Cats are less time-consuming than dogs or other pets
No need to walk them!
Purring and cuddling induces a calming sensation in the body
The physiological reaction in the body is one that can be calming
But they could be expensive?
Answer the question! This is your thesis statement:
Because cats provide companionship, are easy to care for, and have calming characteristics, adopting a cat can be helpful for someone who experiences mental distress, as long as the adopter can afford the costs of the animal’s care.
What will the essay look like?
Because cats provide companionship [body paragraph 1], are easy to care for [body paragraph 2], and have calming characteristics [body paragraph 3], adopting a cat can be helpful for someone who experiences mental distress, as long as the adopter can afford the costs of the animal’s care [body paragraph 4].
Note that the thesis statement is also an outline of the essay itself!
When do you write the thesis statement?
Start by picking a topic
Proceed by researching or thinking through the topic
After re-readings the relevant readings, reading more articles about similar topics, thinking through your own personal experiences, and/or creating your creative piece, you’re ready to begin your thesis statement!
Write your thesis statement before you write your paper…
But after writing the paper, re-read and make sure that your thesis still fits in with the rest of your paper.
It’s possible that your conclusion will be clearer than your introduction, because you write it last!
Refer back to the thesis statement in each body paragraph
This essay about cats needs to always go back to the benefits of adoption for the adopter’s mental health.
Be careful not to get side-tracked!
While there are so many cool things about cats, not all have to do with their effects on mental health.
Happy writing!
You got this
Seriously get going!