Week 5 – Final Argumentative Essay
Global Societal Problem, Argument and Solution
societal problem from the following list: adult illiteracy, funding for General
Education vs STEM in primary and secondary schools, minimum wage, oceans
desertification, overcoming the digital divide, refugee (escaping persecution,
war, or death) crises, species extinctions (modern), tax havens, Transatlantic
Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), universal statement of human rights
(pick one), airport security, or wealth disparity. Review this GEN499 Sample
Final Paper Guide for additional guidance on the expectations of this
assignment.
Reflect: Based on the topic that you have chosen, you will
need to use critical thinking skills to thoroughly understand how this topic
can be a global societal problem and determine some logical solution(s) to the
problem.
Write: This Final Argumentative Essay will present research
relating the critical thinker to the modern, globalized world. In this
assignment, you need to address the following items in separate sections with
new headings for each:
Identify the global societal problem within the introductory
paragraph and conclude with a thesis statement that states your proposed
solution(s) to the problem. For guidance on how to construct a good
introduction paragraph, please review the Introduction Paragraph Guideline from
theAshford Writing Center.
Describe background information on how that problem
developed or came into existence. Show why this is a societal problem, and
provide perspectives from multiple disciplines or populations so that you fully
represent what different parts of society have to say about this issue.
Construct an argument supporting your proposed solution(s).
Be sure to consider multiple disciplines or populations so that your solution
shows that multiple parts of society will benefit from this solution. Provide
evidence from multiple scholarly sources as evidence that your proposed
solution is viable.
Interpret statistical data from at least three,
peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Do this by discussing the validity,
reliability, and any biases; identifying the strengths and weaknesses of these
sources; and pointing out limitations of current research and attempting to indicate
areas for future research. You may even use visual representations such as
graphs or charts to explain statistics from sources. Evaluate the ethical
outcomes that result from your solution. Be sure to provide at least one
positive ethical outcome as well as at least one negative ethical outcome that
could result from your solution, and explain at least two ethical issues
related to each of those outcomes. It’s important to consider all of society.
Develop a conclusion as the last paragraph(s) of the essay,
starting with rephrasing your thesis statement and then presenting the major
points of the topic and how they support your argument. For guidance on how to
write a good conclusion paragraph, please review the Conclusion Paragraph
Guideline from the Ashford Writing Center.
The Final Argumentative Essay
Must be 3,300 – 3,900 words in length (approximately between
10 – 12 pages; excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according
toAPA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Running header with page numbers
Must include in-text citations from at least 10 scholarly
sources. Be sure to integrate your research rather than simply inserting it.
Must document all sources in APA style as outlined here and
here.
Must have no more than 15% quoted material in the body of
your essay based on the Turnitin report. Reference list will be excluded from
the Turnitin originality score.
Must include a separate reference page that is formatted
according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Source Document Requirements:
Multimedia sources (such as videos) may be used, but no more
than two such sources may be used. If multimedia sources are used, they must be
authored and distributed by credible sources, such as universities, law
schools, medical schools, or professors, or found in the Ashford University
Library.
Government sources may be used, but no more than two such
sources may be used. Examples include whitehouse.gov, state.gov, usa.gov,
cdc.gov, etc. These websites can be used to make a stronger point about your
proposed soluation within the argument.
Where print documents are used for source materials, those
must be peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles, and academically published
books. Popular media sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television and radio
shows, etc.) must not be used. Materials from advocacy groups (e.g.,
Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, etc.) must
not be used.
Sites such as ProCon.org and Wikipedia must not be used.
Religious texts must not be used.
