Professor Sarah Hastings
English Composition I
ESSAY #3: FINAL PAPER
For this final paper, you will write a researched argument considering the role of technology in our lives.
What are the long-term effects of living in a technological world? How is technology beneficial or harmful?
What ethical and social questions do emerging technologies force us to ask? You will select an area to focus
your inquiry; this could be a form of technology (social media, self-driving cars, etc.) or a particular type of
social impact (decreased in-person socialization, medical advancements, ethical questions that stem from
technological changes, etc.)
Possible topics include:
• Social Media (e.g. Has social media changed our relationships in a good or bad way?; Have
texting and social media damaged our ability to communicate in person?)
• Information technologies (e.g. Is technology changing the way we read?; Is Google affecting the
attention span of young people?)
• Education technologies (e.g. Is using technology in college classrooms a good or bad idea?;
How is digital learning going to change schools and education?)
• Biomedical advances (e.g. What is the best way to use the technologies of genetic engineering to
help humans?; How will big data and bioinformatics change biology?)
• Technology and/in the workplace (e.g. How large a role should social profiles have in hiring
and other decisions?; How are technologies changing the way people interact in the
workplace?)
• Global/political technology (e.g. What are the implications of ever-increasing globalization
through technology to the global economy?; Should drones be used in modern warfare?; How
does social media influence activism, protest, revolution, etc.?)
• Privacy concerns (e.g. Should there be more regulations on social media privacy?; Since opensource is becoming more of a trend in computer science, how can computer programmers be
able to protect a device?)
• Other technological issues (e.g. How will self-driving cars impact us?; Is addiction to technology
something we should worry about?; What is machine learning? How important is it?; What
are the uses and benefits of virtual reality technologies?)
Write an essay arguing that technology is a positive or a negative force in our lives. Use specific examples
from the texts to prove your points.
You might consider using one of these sources as a starting point for your research:
(eLearning)
• “The Instagram Stars of High School Basketball” Taylor Lorenz
• “Our Minds Can Be Hijacked” Paul Lewis
• “Who Was She? A DNA Test Only Opened New Mysteries” Libby Copeland
• “Why I Dumped My iPhone — And Why I’m Not Going Back” Sam Graham-Felsen
• “If You Doubt That Social Media Has Changed the World, Take a Look at Ukraine” Greg Satell
• [Possible others—see eLearning]
(They Say/I Say)
• “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Nicholas Carr
• “Smarter Than You Think” Clive Thompson
• “How I Learned to Love Snapchat” Jenna Wortham
• “No Need To Call” Sherry Turkle
Professor Sarah Hastings
English Composition I
***All topics require you to use source material create your main argument – your thesis.
Focus your argument on demonstrating your point by using examples from the texts you’ve
chosen.***
Research Requirements:
You must use at least 4 sources. One of these sources must be scholarly and all of them must be reliable
and valuable. Consider looking for literary criticism to help you analyze and understand the literature
you have chosen. You may also find sources that provide useful information relevant to your topic.
Below is a checklist to assist you with sources:
______ #1 Outside Source – Scholarly
______ #2 Outside Source
______ #3 Outside Source
______ #4 Outside Source
______ #5 Class Source (optional, from list above)
______ #6 Outside Source (optional)
Writing Requirements:
Since this is effectively your final paper for this class, I will be expecting you to use some of the techniques
we read about in the textbook and practiced in class:
• Summarizing others’ perspectives
• Acknowledging opposing viewpoints
• Quote sandwiches
• Connecting the components of your argument
Due Dates See the syllabus & eLearning for all due dates.
Length 5-6 pages (all of page 5 should be covered in writing), 1” margins
Font Times New Roman Font, size 12
Spacing Double spaced, eliminate extra spaces between paragraphs (Right-click on the document
before you begin typing. Select “Paragraph” and under the “Spacing” category make sure
both “Before” and “After” are set to zero)
Heading • This paper will use a standard MLA header. See eLearning for examples/instructions.
• Include a title (centered) at the beginning of the essay and last name with running page
numbers (use Insert ! Page Number ! Top of Page ! Upper Right option)
Format MLA formatting (see eLearning and your textbook for help)
• Follow all MLA formatting protocols for this essay (spacing, margins, etc).
• Be sure to include an MLA-formatted Works Cited page at the end of the essay.
Professor Sarah Hastings
English Composition I
Writing Guide:
Be sure to use the instruction and advice from our textbook as you work on creating your drafts. Not only is this
information useful, I will be expecting to see you use these techniques, and the material we’ve discussed in class,
in your final drafts.
Paragraph 1: Introduction (you may want more than one paragraph)
• Hook: Get your reader interested in your topic (1- sentences)
• Background: Explain any complicated topics and introduce any texts that will be particularly central to
your discussion (in these cases, each text gets its own sentence with the author, title, and one sentence
summary)
• Thesis statement: One to two sentences arguing a point you will demonstrate throughout the body of your
essay in response to the assignment topic
Paragraphs 2 – 14: Body Paragraphs (number depends on your essay)
• Topic Sentence: One argument proving your thesis using one or more of the texts you’ve chosen
• Approximately 4-12 sentences: Evidence from the texts, your experience, or other sources that proves the
argument for this paragraph and explanation/ analysis of that evidence
• Concluding Sentence: Do NOT introduce the argument for the next paragraph; instead, explain how the
evidence you introduced in this paragraph helps prove the thesis
Final Paragraph: Conclusion
• Approximately 6 – 10 sentences: Explain how the arguments from the body paragraphs prove your thesis,
what your arguments might mean altogether, or how those arguments are connected to each other, and
why your thesis is important
• Concluding Sentence: End memorably
