Week 4: Identifying Topics, Using EBSCO and Finding Essay Topics
Week 4 begins preparation for the Week 6 Persuasive Academic Essay. Writing an essay begins with finding topics. This assignment has two parts: Practice Using ESBCO and Selecting Topics. You will create two documents for this assignment and attach both to the grading module Part 1: EBSCO PracticeUse the EBSCO Practices Worksheet. As you complete the assignment, write your answers on the template (it is a Word document).Attach this document when you are submitting your responses to this assignment. Part 2: Preparation for the Week 6 Academic EssayUse the Essay Topic Worksheet
- Read the week 6 assignment instructions
- Decide on three possible topics for the Week 6 essay.
- Use the Essay topic Worksheet The Blacklist (16 Forbidden Topics)
- abortion
- bullying – school, cyber, or otherwise
- cell phones – such as whether they should be allowed in school
- death penalty
- global warming
- gun control/gun issues in general
- immigration – legal or otherwise
- legalization of marijuana or other drugs
- obesity, childhood or otherwise
- religious topics (such as whether or not God exists)
- same-sex marriage, adoption, etc.
- school uniforms
- smoking – such as whether it should be banned
- sports-related topics
- stem cell research
- video games
- ANY OTHER TOPIC WHICH IS TOO BROAD, TOO GENERAL, OR ABOUT WHICH YOU HAVE NOTHING ORIGINAL TO SAY
These topics rarely generate good essays. Mostly, they are overly broad topics, such as those we talked about last week. They are also polarizing topics. If you have strong opinions on them, are you willing to change your mind? If not, don’t expect your readers to change theirs.
