I will give you my outline. You need to complete the essay according to the outline I wrote.
Final essay, 6-8 pages (double-spaced): This assignment requires students to develop the ideas expressed in the outline in an essay format. As such, the essay must develop a narrow argument and stay within the prescribed minimum and maximum page limits. (Endnotes, the bibliography, and the title page do not count towards the minimum and maximum page lengths.)
Students are expected to have a minimum of eight academic sources that do not appear in this course. While students may certainly incorporate course materials into their essays, the assigned readings should not be relied on to construct arguments.
With the exception of on-line academic journals, government documents, and reports from international and non-governmental organizations available through the University of Ottawa’s library system, Internet sources cannot be used for this assignment. A penalty of 1.8 marks will be applied to each inappropriate Internet source.
Students are strongly encouraged to regularly liaise with the course instructor about the essay during office hours or through e-mail.
With the exception of on-line academic journals, government documents, and reports from international and non-governmental organizations available through the University of Ottawa’s library system, Internet sources cannot be used for this assignment. A penalty of 1.8 marks will be applied to each inappropriate Internet source.
Students are strongly encouraged to regularly liaise with the course instructor about the essay during office hours or through e-mail.
A penalty of 1.8 marks will be applied to a research essay that is not double-spaced.
The following is used to assess the final essay:
1. Does the paper contain a central research question? (/1 mark)
2. Does the essay clearly state its thesis? (/4 marks)
3. Immediately after the thesis statement, does the essay state how its argument will unfold? E.g., First, the essay will examine X. Second, it will look at Y. Third, the essay will explore Z. (/1 mark)
4. Is the essay well organized, which enables its arguments to flow? (/3 marks)
5. Does the essay demonstrate conceptual understanding and variety? (/5 marks)
6. Does the essay engage with other arguments? Strong essays take arguments seriously, even those they may not necessarily like. (/5 marks)
7. Is evidence provided to support an essay’s arguments? What is the quality of that evidence? (/5 marks)
8. Are arguments properly developed as opposed to being rushed and/or presented as self-evident? (/5 marks)
9. Is the essay free from grammatical and/or spelling errors? Poor grammar and spelling immediately create a negative impression. More important, poor grammar and spelling prevent the clear communication of an essay’s arguments and ideas. (/4 marks)
10. Is the research adequate and relevant? (/1 mark)
11. Did the essay use proper citation and bibliographical form? (/1 mark)