Essay Assignment

Write a four paragraph essay on the following topic: Is a college education still the best way to
ensure social mobility, or is Americas love affair with higher education unjustified?
In addition to writing a short introduction and a short conclusion to this 2-page essay, you will
also include two body paragraphs. In each body paragraph, you will address one point or
argument made by the authors of the articles you have read or you will address one point
or argument made by one of the debaters on NPR. That is, you will draw evidence from the
articles you have been assigned or from the debate you watched on NPR. (Of course, you may
use more than one quotation for each point you wish to make, but you are not required to do so.)
Then, you will either support this evidence or refute it, depending on your thesis. There are two
ways you can use evidence. You may choose strong evidence for your position and demonstrate,
through deductive or inductive reasoning, why the evidence is strong and your thesis is correct.
Or you can choose weak evidence from the opposing argument and demonstrate, through
deductive or inductive reasoning, why the evidence is weak and your thesis is correct. (This
second approach is more difficult.) You must use deductive reasoning in one body paragraph
and inductive reasoning in the other. You may use any of the five deductive syllogistic models
and any of the five inductive models we studied. Your essay will have a clear introduction with
an unambiguous thesis sentence; organized body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, valid
evidence, and adequate support for evidence; and an engaging conclusion. Use MLA style
throughout from essay format to citation methods to the Works Cited page. Use Purdues OWL
page or a grammar handbook with MLA guidelines to craft a Works Cited page. You can find
these articles youve read for this section online (google them), and use those online sources to
craft Works Cited entries.
Use this template as a general guide not as a strict rulebook.
Introduction: A basic introduction will include an engaging title, a creative lure to entice
the reader to keep reading, an explanation of the topic of the essay, and a thesis sentence. A
thesis sentence is a clear statement of the writers opinion on a debatable topic.
LURE: Maybe you can start with three words that come to mind when you think of higher
education in America. Or perhaps you can start with a metaphor/simile: America is like a giant
turtle. Like a turtle, it .. If you have a great quote about acquiring a college education, use it.
TOPIC: Mention that your essay will in discuss higher education. You may want to mention titles
of specific sources you will use in your essay. Capitalize titles of articles in your essay and place
each title in quotation marks. Italicize the title of the debate. Make sure you transition from the
lure to the topic smoothly. Dont end your beautiful metaphor about turtles, then jump into the
topic: and this is the heart of America, the heart of a turtle. Anyway, Joe Blow wrote this
essay called. That transition is so rough. Transition smoothly.
THESIS: What is your opinion on the question posed to you? Your thesis will be a sentence that
answers the question posed above. Your answer will be clear and concise.

Body paragraph: Each body paragraph will begin with a topic sentence, include some
evidence from the primary text, explain that evidence using deductive or inductive
reasoning, and support the thesis sentence.
TOPIC SENTENCE: This sentence is a promise. You are promising your reader a paragraph
about X. Deliver on that promise. Stick to one idea per paragraph. One problem is
that__________.
EVIDENCE: Pick the best evidence from the essay to support this point. Be sure to cite it
correctly: XXXXXXXXXXXXX (Smith 23).
SUPPORT EVIDENCE: This is the difficult part (and the longest part) of this process. You will
need to explain why this evidence is accurate or suggestive. Why should we believe these
claims? Can you show why this idea has merit? This is where you will use deductive reasoning
or inductive reasoning (one body paragraph will use deductive reasoning, and the other will use
inductive reasoning). You may use any of the deductive or inductive models we discussed in
class.
THESIS SUPPORT: How exactly does your argument support your thesis?

Body paragraph: Each body paragraph will begin with a topic sentence, include some
evidence from the primary text, explain that evidence using deductive or inductive
reasoning, and support the thesis sentence.
TOPIC SENTENCE: This sentence is a promise. You are promising your reader a paragraph
about X. Deliver on that promise. Stick to one idea per paragraph. In addition to the problem of
X is the realization that__________. (See how this topic transitions from the previous topic?)
EVIDENCE: Pick the best evidence from the essay to support this point. Be sure to cite it
correctly: XXXXXXXXXXXXX (Jones 13).
SUPPORT EVIDENCE: This is the difficult part (and the longest part) of this process. You will
need to explain why this evidence is accurate or suggestive. Why should we believe these
claims? Can you show why this idea has merit? This is where you will use deductive reasoning
or inductive reasoning (one body paragraph will use deductive reasoning, and the other will use
inductive reasoning). You may use any of the deductive or inductive models we discussed in
class.
THESIS SUPPORT: How exactly does your argument support your thesis?

Conclusion: A conclusion is not a repetition of the introduction. Instead, it provides readers

with a sense of closure. What should we take away from your essay? That is, a good conclusion
does not restate the problem, it answers the question: Where do we go from here?