Causal Analysis

12/3/21, 9:01 PM Causal Analysis Final Draft

https://eagleonline.hccs.edu/courses/170568/assignments/3186360#submit 1/3

Causal Analysis Final Draft

Due Oct 4 by 11:59pm Points 100 Submitting a file upload

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Causal Analysis Essay

For this essay, you will select a problem that affects Houston – one that you want to see solved. Pick any problem you wish - as long as it relates to Houston. You will work with this problem all semester. You will write about this problem in Modules 2 and 3. You will use this problem for the Persuasive Letters assignment and the Final Presentation - among other assignments. Choose wisely.

Before you suggest ways to solve this problem in future assignments, and before you convince others to help you solve this problem in future assignments, you will first investigate the causes of this problem. This essay will discuss the primary causes of the problem you have selected - thus its name: Causal Analysis Essay.

Please note that you will likely have to heavily research this topic because most of you have little to no idea about how this problem started or the causes that lead to its creation. So, your essay will be filled with citations (https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html) . If you write even one paragraph that doesn’t include a source, you are likely not writing this essay correctly.

I suggest you follow this basic outline.

Introduction: Introduce the topic, assuming the readers do not know the writing prompt. Make sure your introduction grabs the readers’ attention. Use at least one introduction strategy (https://cmsw.mit.edu/writing-and-communication- center/resources/writers/introduction-strategies/) . Invest your readers in the problem. Make them care about it. End the introduction by stating your thesis statement, which should include a forecasting statement (sub-divisions) (https://clas.uiowa.edu/history/teaching-and-writing-center/guides/argumentation) . Make sure your reasons for holding your position are clear. A basic thesis statement could look like: [X Problem] is a troublesome problem in Houston caused primarily by [Cause 1], [Cause 2], [Cause 3], and [Cause 4]. Every cause you will discuss in the essay should be listed in your thesis statement in the order that they will appear in the body of the essay. The number of causes is up to you.

Body Paragraphs: Each of the reasons introduced in your first paragraph should now be placed in a separate paragraph or paragraphs and supported with details and examples. Follow the MEAL PLAN for each body paragraph. ANALYZE and EXPLAIN. Use evidence, examples, direct quotations, events, and people to support your paragraphs.

Conclusion: End your piece in a strong and interesting way. Sum up your main argument, but also include a strong conclusion strategy. You might want to predict what the future holds if the problem you are examining is not fixed. What are the implications of the problem if it is ignored, for instance?

Works Cited: Make sure to cite all of your sources, even those you do not directly quote in your essay. Information and ideas must be cited as well. You must have at least five credible, reliable, scholarly, and trustworthy sources (https://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow/credibility.cfm) . If you include even one source that is not credible, you will not earn credit for the sources portion of the rubric.

Let me be clear — this part of the assignment is non-negotiable: papers without research or citations will be returned – ungraded. If you don’t have the required number of credible sources (https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/c.php? g=175122&p=1154072) , I won’t grade the essay. If you use unreliable sources, such as Wikipedia, Study.com, and so on, I will not grade your essay.

Length: You should write at least 3,000 words.

Let me be clear — this part of the assignment is non-negotiable: papers short of the length requirement will be returned ungraded.

12/3/21, 9:01 PM Causal Analysis Final Draft

https://eagleonline.hccs.edu/courses/170568/assignments/3186360#submit 2/3

Causal Analysis Final Draft

Before you turn in this assignment, read this page carefully.

Grading Criteria

An "A" essay meets all of the above criteria, reads fluently to an adult reader, is cohesive (all ideas come together logically), is unified (each paragraph focuses on one idea), and persuasively presents textural references that support your case. An “A” essay is excellent, overall.

A "B" essay generally meets all of the above criteria successfully, but may contain limited adult literacy errors that impede the clarity of the content for the reader. It may lack cohesiveness in some parts of the essay, paragraphs may lack unity, has some flawed logical elements, and does not present as persuasive an argument as an A paper.

A "C" essay does not meet one of these criteria: the essays do not include an accurate MLA works cited list, lack unified paragraphs, include inaccurate in-text citations, lack logical connections between ideas, or provides limited persuasive arguments that supports your case.

A "D" essay does not demonstrate these assessment criteria: in addition to the flaws in a C paper, a paper that receives a grade of D contains significant adult literacy errors that detract from the reader's understanding of the content, lack an MLA works cited list, lack in-text citations, lack development to the minimum required word counts, do not provide persuasive arguments that supports your case.

An "F" paper lacks development, accuracy, logic, and readability. In addition, any plagiarism that appears in an essay will result in a grade of F on the assignment (if it is the first offense) and a grade of F in the course if the second.

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12/3/21, 9:01 PM Causal Analysis Final Draft

https://eagleonline.hccs.edu/courses/170568/assignments/3186360#submit 3/3

Total Points: 100

Criteria Ratings Pts

15 pts

15 pts

20 pts

15 pts

20 pts

15 pts

Summary and Signal Phrases

Summarizes main ideas and significant examples, and presents them accurately. Uses appropriate summarization strategies, including leaving out personal opinion in the summary. Provides appropriate background to summary (author, title, text’s focus). Signal phrases are used correctly and effectively. Signal phrases should be used to introduce information gathered from an outside source, whether you quote, summarize, or paraphrase the source. Effective use of quotations and source information requires that you include quotations and source information in your paper in a way that allows the reader to understand the relevance of the quoted or summarized material to your own argument. You should never drop a quotation or source information into your paper unannounced and apparently unrelated to the ideas around it. The quotation or source information must always be embedded into one of your own sentences. A common way to do this is to use a ‘signal phrase’ that incorporates the quotation or source information smoothly into your writing and, just as importantly, provides context for the material. Very often a signal phrase will also name the author or title of the material, thus serving at once to include the quotation or source information smoothly and to attribute the idea to its source.

15 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks

Focus

The essay has a specific focus that is previewed in the thesis statement, and the body paragraphs follow the plan set forth by the thesis statement. The body paragraphs develop, support, defend, and prove the thesis statement. The essay has unity because it does not stray from the thesis statement, and each main point previewed by the thesis statement is developed well in the body of the essay.

15 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks

MEAL Plan and Organization

The essay and paragraphs are coherent and logically organized. Each paragraph has a main idea, evidence, and analysis. The writer gives detailed and thorough support, evidence, and reasons for claims and generalizations. Each subdivision from the thesis statement is described and explained in the body of the essay. Effective paragraphing is a central skill in academic writing, and grasping the general form of a paragraph provides a good foundation for strong writing. One way to envision a body paragraph is as a “complete MEAL,” with the components being the paragraph’s Main idea, Evidence, Analysis, and Link back to the larger claim.

20 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks

MLA Format

Appropriate format is followed, including correctly formatted MLA in-text citations and works cited citations. MLA manuscript format is followed.

15 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks

Plagiarism

Outside source material is properly summarized, directly quoted, and paraphrased. Plagiarism does not exist. The requisite number of sources is provided. Each source is credible. Each source is appropriate for an academic argument.

20 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks

Language, Grammar, Etc.

The language is clear and fluent. Sentence structure is appropriate and varied. The language is clear and fluent. Sentence structure is appropriate and varied. Errors are infrequent and do not interfere with comprehension. Conventions of capitalization, punctuation, spelling, format, syntax, and titles are excellent. Formatting is consistent. The submission appears to have been proofread with care multiple times. Spell-check software appears to be utilized.

15 to >0.0 pts Full Marks

0 pts No Marks