BPSC 021 - Fall 2020
farha-1999
EssayPrompt_101520.docx.pdf
BPSC 021 - Fall 2020 Guidelines for successful essay writing
General Instructions Prompt (excerpt from syllabus):
“start with a paragraph that summarizes the book that you chose. Then write one or more paragraphs that thoughtfully link some part of the content of that book to any topic presented in lecture. Don’t make us guess. Be explicit about how the lecture topic and the book interrelate. Give sufficient detail. Write a thoughtful concluding paragraph.”
Formatting: Arial (11 pt) or Times New Roman (12 pt), single-spaced with 1” margins. Maximum 2 pages (excluding bibliography). Citations: Include both in-text and full citations (bibliography). The formatting of in-text citations and bibliography is up to you - but make sure I would be able to figure out from which lecture and from which page of the reading you are getting the information. All ideas/facts/theories that you did not come up with yourself must be cited! For example:
“During the last century, world population increased from1.5 to 6.1 billion1.” “The heat wave that occurred in 2010 decreased the Russia’s grain harvest by 40%
(Brown, 91).” Statements that are common knowledge do not require a citation. For example:
“The world population is increasing. In some parts of the world, people are starving.” “Climate change is occurring. Climate change affects agriculture in many ways.”
Tips on coming up with ideas and structuring your essay
● Begin early. As you read, take note of pages that you find interesting or worth discussing.
● Try to look at the bigger picture. Recall ideas you heard about from class and try to think about ideas from multiple perspectives (consumer, grower/farmer, industry, lawmaker, world...etc). Agriculture, food, and sustainability are interconnected with social, political, economical, biological, ecological, historical..etc. issues. Find a starting point and brainstorm off of that.
● Your first paragraph should be a brief summary of the book you choose (as stated in the prompt). Don’t get too caught up on specific details - try to capture the overall message that the author is trying to convey. The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should be your thesis (What topic/issue/idea from the books sparked your interest? How has it been affected by ABC? How does it affect ABC?).
● Subsequent paragraphs should be supporting your thesis by providing evidence from your readings and lectures. Citations are key here.
● Merely stating that the same material was presented in the class/book is not answering the prompt! Think about how the information presented in each complement one another.
● You may use information derived from external sources (but make sure it is a peer-reviewed or well established source; and don’t forget to cite!) or personal anecdotes.
● End with a strong concluding paragraph summarizing your thesis, key supporting evidence, and your thoughts. This is not a scientific paper - therefore you are free to express your opinion. Make sure you explain your reasoning well.
⎯ Essay is late (<2 hr - 5 pts, 2 - 47 hrs - 15 pts, >48 hrs - no grade)
⎯ Essay does not follow formatting instructions (max. 3 pts)
⎯ Essay is missing in-text citations or bibliography and/or misuses citations (max. 5 pts)
⎯ No clear introduction paragraph; clear that student did not read book (5 pts)
⎯ No clearly stated thesis (2 pts)
⎯ Missing supporting evidence - connection to lecture is missing or weak (max. 5 pts)
⎯ Excessive grammatical mistakes and/or typos (max. 5 pts)
⎯ Incorrect/false statements (max. 5 pts)
⎯ Conclusion is vague (max. 5 pts)
⎯ BONUS (max grade is still 50 pts): student displays creativity in incorporating external
sources or personal anecdotes, or in providing insightful original commentary. (max. +
5pts)
⎯ Plagiarism (no grade)
Total out of 50 pts:
