Signature Assignment

Students will write an essay that is approximately three pages in length.  They will upload this essay into Blackboard.  In this essay, students will use two middle-range theories to discuss and explain a social issue of their choice.

In their essay, students must do each of the following (related to critical thinking):

• Identify a social issue of interest from a recent newspaper article and briefly describe the issue (concept from rubric: inquiry)
• Compare and contrast two middle-range theories that relate to the selected social issue (concept from rubric: analysis)
• Critically evaluate the theories and explain which appears more plausible and why (concept from rubric: synthesis)
• Propose a coherent conclusion about the theories (concept from rubric: product).

Students must also do each of the following (related to communication):

• The essay must be grammatically correct with appropriate word choice, tone, and sentence structure.
• The student should use appropriate sources and documentation.
• The essay should be effectively organized with a logical order overall as well as being well-ordered within each section and having good transitions between sections.
• The essay should begin with an introduction that identifies the social issue and provides a brief outline for the essay.
• The body of the essay should focus on the application and critical examination of the theories to the social issue.
• The essay should end with a conclusion statement.