Gender Wage Gap

Generally, what you’re doing: Write an argumentative research paper, synthesizing multiple texts that you have identified on your own. Effective essays will include a clear and sustained thesis with appropriate support drawn from multiple texts (course goal 1), demonstrate an ability to locate and evaluate the appropriateness of outside texts (goal 2), integrate and cite sources effectively (goal 3), and show good control of language (goal 4).
 
 
Specifics of what you’re doing: In a five to seven page paper, you must present a carefully crafted and supported argument on a topic of your choosing. The topic must be a temporally relevant (currently happening/affecting today) issue that is socially, culturally, or politically relevant. Your paper should be supported by research-based evidence, details, and causes; in other words, you should discover, explain, and analyze the main causes of the issue you choose and the effect that this issue has on society or culture today.
 
Your claim, or argument, must be stated concisely and clearly in a thesis statement and must be supported by evidence from your research. Your thesis statement must be arguable.
 
You must have a minimum of eight (8) sources. At least four (4) of these sources must be library, peer-reviewed journal articles/books/other scholarly material. For the remaining four (4) sources, you may choose between internet sources (such as newspaper articles, opinion pieces, or blogs), images (such as infographics, graphs, advertisements, or photojournalism), audio recordings (such as podcasts, radio or otherwise recorded interviews, or appropriate music), and/or videos (such as recorded lectures, TedTalks, documentaries, or appropriate movies). Please note that you are welcome to use library/scholarly sources for all eight (8). If you choose to use opinion pieces, opinionated podcasts or videos, or blogs, please limit to two sources. Your paper must follow MLA standards, and the Works Cited page and in-text citations must be according to MLA guidelines. You must quote directly from the texts chosen. You may also summarize or paraphrase any of your sources as is necessary. You must include a formal outline after the Works Cited page.
 
 
Why you’re doing this: The goal is not to achieve consensus, but to put forth a well-reasoned and well-supported argument that helps your audience move toward understanding, rather than conflict. In order to effectively explain the causes of the issue and the effects the issue has on society, it is necessary to support your claims with evidence from a variety of sources. The tone of this essay should be formal and academic; there will be no acceptable uses of second person, first person, or contractions.