Identify and explain a problem area within a subject matter that you have chosen, persuading your reader that this is a serious enough issue to require some kind of change in thought or action.

Purpose: The initial purpose for this writing assignment is to inform our audience about a problem and potential solution(s). The assignment calls for using different rhetorical strategies to create one text. The research essay targets and improves composition skills and critical thinking skills.
Goals:
• Create an academic essay of at least five full pages of text (no more than seven full pages of text).
• Apply MLA formatting to the essay: 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1” margins, last name and page number in the upper right hand corner, and a heading including your name, class, instructor’s name, and date. Also include a title.
• Apply basic composition skills: topic sentences, thesis statement, logical and effective organization, effective integration of sources, transitions, and incorporating appropriate content.
• Understand and apply standard written English. Use appropriate vocabulary and avoid mechanical and grammatical errors.
• Integrate and use 4-7 credible sources (books, journal articles, NC Live, etc.—use our library’s databases).
• Create a works cited page (does not count towards the overall length of the actual essay).

Assignment: This assignment is relatively simple. You will first identify and explain a problem area within a subject matter that you have chosen, persuading your reader that this is a serious enough issue to require some kind of change in thought or action. Then, you should persuade your readers to think a certain way or to take a certain action to correct that problem (i.e. propose solutions to that problem
Sources: Use your sources to reinforce your position. Do not start paragraphs with quotations, and do not end paragraphs with quotations. You should always assume control by using the evidence to support your claims, not writing claims to support your evidence. Your words should always outweigh the quotations. Also, make sure to use attribution to effectively integrate sources. Do not let a quotation act as its own sentence. You must incorporate your research throughout the entire essay. Your research should not be more than five years old.

Note: The following sources will not be accepted:
• Wikipedia.org
• Primary or secondary educational resources (websites, study guides, etc.)
• Dictionary.com
• Book reviews, summaries, etc.
• Any other reference/encyclopedia type sources that are similar to any of the sources listed above.