QUESTION
Research paper
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Where do you stand on the issue of whether public universities and colleges should be free? Write an essay where you present your argument(or position)clearly and support it with evidence in the shape of quotes from scholarly sources. State whether you are in favor or against of free college and why. Do not be on the fence, so to speak, about this issue. |
ENC1102
Dr. Ruiz
Spring 2021
Instructions, Guidelines, and Prompt for Research Paper
Due date: 11:30pm on April 25, 2021
Research:
For this paper you will need a minimum of two (2) peer-reviewed articles, each from a different database. Please do not use or consult any other kind of source. Please DO NOT use Google, Google Scholar or any similar popular search engine to conduct research for this essay. Rely only on the databases provided by the library. This will help you find scholarly sources that are better quality than those that you would find using Google or Google Scholar. When you use a database, remember to check the box that says “peer reviewed” so that you limit your results to scholarly sources.
Instructions:
Develop the following prompt into a two to three (2-3) page paper. If you write 2 pages, the second page needs to be typed all the way through for it to count. Please do not go over 3 pages of content. The Works Cited list does not count as content since it’s only a list of citations. Therefore, it does not count towards the minimum requirement of 2 pages. Remember that the Works Cited list always goes on a new page. Therefore, if you write 2 ½ pages, the Works Cited list would go on page 4 even if you have some space left on page 3.
As usual, every paragraph in your essay must be well developed and must be at least seven (7) sentences long. This includes the introduction and the conclusion. Your paper must be typed and follow MLA format guidelines. Please use a desktop or laptop computer and a word processor to write your essay. Do not use a cellphone or a tablet for this purpose because they are simply not appropriate devices for this kind of writing assignment. Do not use Google Docs because it will mess up your format. Follow the steps of the writing process. Do not skip the revise, proofread, and edit steps.
Please keep in mind that I do not accept late work (see policy on late work section in syllabus for more details). Manage your time effectively so that you can meet the deadline. Give yourself enough time so you can mitigate any computer and/or software related issues that might impede
you from meeting the deadline. Turn in your essay through the “Assignments” section in our Canvas course page. Upload your essay by clicking the “Submit” button. I will only grade essays turned in this way. Do not email me your essay (early or otherwise) or upload files in the comments section because I will not grade them. Remember that Canvas locks assignments on the dot, so give yourself ample time to turn-in your essay.
Your essay must contain a thesis statement that clearly states your argument or position and provides a brief rationale or explanation.
Prompt:
Where do you stand on the issue of whether public universities and colleges should be free? Write an essay where you present your argument (or position) clearly and support it with evidence in the shape of quotes from scholarly sources. State whether you are in favor or against of free college and why. Do not be on the fence, so to speak, about this issue. Choose a side of the debate and be assertive in your answer.
Guidelines:
- Length: Your essay must be two to three (2-3) pages long. If you choose to write two pages, the second page must be typed in its entirety for it to count. Please do not exceed e pages of content. Please remember that the Works Cited list does not count as content.
- Format: The research paper must follow MLA format. See guidelines in your textbook and/or video in Canvas.
- Indent: Each paragraph must be indented.
- Font: Use font Times New Roman size 12 throughout your essay. This includes the running header, heading, and citations.
- Ink: Use black ink throughout your essay. This includes the citations.
- Spacing: Double space the whole document. This includes citations.
- Title: Make sure that your essay has a title and that the title is centered. Your title must be attention-grabbing, interesting, and related to the content of the essay. This means that your title cannot be “Essay #3,” “Research Paper,” “Position Essay” or any title of this nature since they are too ambiguous and none of them are particularly intriguing or engaging. Please do not settle for a title such as “Free College,” either, because this kind of title is overly simplistic. Go beyond. Your title should be informative and give your reader an idea of your main point or argument. Use your imagination! *By the way, the title of your essay does not need quotation marks. I’m using them here to set apart the title examples from the rest of the text.
- Paragraphs: Every paragraph must be well developed. Use examples, facts, details, and evidence in the shape of quotes to develop paragraphs. Every paragraph must be at least
- seven (7) sentences long. Please do not write filler sentences or telegraphic short sentences. Concentrate of fleshing out and thoroughly developing your ideas.
- Structure: Make sure that your essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each part must be developed into at least one paragraph. Remember that the introduction and the conclusion are paragraphs that are part of the essay. Therefore, they must be as well developed as all other paragraphs. o Introduction: Must include your thesis statement or argument. You need to choose a side clearly and with conviction. Being in between or on the fence is not an option. When you formulate your thesis statement, make sure that you develop it thoroughly. It must explain or justify your position. In other words, it must provide a rationale. Observe these examples:
- o Body: The body of an essay is where you develop the thesis statement and provide examples, details, and evidence that support your claims. ▪ Using quotes as evidence to support your claims: I will be using various criteria when grading your essay. One of these will be your ability to synthesize material. This involves your skills in summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting sources. I expect you to be able to utilize all three strategies when engaging with your sources. • Remember to use parenthetical documentation when you summarize, paraphrase, and quote material.
- Quoting: Always follow the quote sandwich method for every single quote in your essay: use a lead-in, quotation marks, and provide parenthetical documentation. Parenthetical documentation must contain the last name of the author and page number and must be located at the end of the sentence, before the final period. If your source is in the shape of a PDF file, provide the page number of the page of the document itself, not the page number of the PDF file. Make sure that you do not end up with comma splices or run-on sentences because of quotes.
- ▪ Remember to use transitions throughout your essay (at least 3, but you can definitely use more) to more your reader smoothly from one idea to the next
- o Conclusion: The conclusion should accentuate the main takeaways or points made in the essay. It can restate the thesis statement in a way that is different from
- Structure: Make sure that your essay has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Each part must be developed into at least one paragraph. Remember that the introduction and the conclusion are paragraphs that are part of the essay. Therefore, they must be as well developed as all other paragraphs. o Introduction: Must include your thesis statement or argument. You need to choose a side clearly and with conviction. Being in between or on the fence is not an option. When you formulate your thesis statement, make sure that you develop it thoroughly. It must explain or justify your position. In other words, it must provide a rationale. Observe these examples:
Incorrect: College should not be free.
(Underdeveloped and weak thesis statement. Does not provide an explanation or rationale.)
Correct: College should not be free because…
(The word “because” signals the beginning of an explanation or rationale. This thesis statement has good potential.)
- that provided in the introduction so that it is rendered new and different for the benefit of the reader. ▪ The Works Cited list always goes on its own separate page. Therefore, if you write 2 ½ pages, the Works Cited list would go on page 4 even if you have some space left on page 3.
- ▪ The name of the page is Works Cited. Just like that. Nothing else.
- ▪ The Works Cited list does not count as part of the required 2-3 pages of content because it’s only a list of citations.
- ▪ Make sure to cite each and every source that you use (summarize, paraphrase, quote, consult, etc) in your essay.
- ▪ Make sure that every source on the Works Cited list is used (summarized, paraphrased, quoted, etc) in your essay.
- ▪ Alphabetize the citations.
- ▪ Make sure to use hanging indent in the citations.
- ▪ Make sure to double space the Works Cited list, just like the rest of the essay.
- ▪ There is a citation template to follow for every kind of source that you can imagine. These templates start on p. 575 of your book. The citation template for an article published in a scholarly journal that was found using a database is on page 578.
- o use of capital letters
- o use of punctuation
- o use of semicolons
- o use of apostrophes ▪ includes use of the possessive case
- o sentence structure ▪ fragments
- ▪ comma splices
- ▪ run-on (or fused) sentences
- • Works Cited list:
- Proofread, revise, and edit your essay before turning it in. Pay attention to grammar in general but particularly to the elements we have covered in class:
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| Subject | Essay Writing | Pages | 11 | Style | APA |
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Answer
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Introduction
Higher learning is very important in individual’s life because it determines the career path that one will take. The institutions of higher learning offer both technical and non-technical trainings that enables them become useful citizens due to their positive impact to the economy. Globally, higher learning education has become very expensive and this has affected the needy students with the ambition of achieving the services of such institutions (Carnoy, 2020). High fees charged by the learning institutions have led to high number of drop outs due to student’s inability to cope with the rising fees. This paper supports the argument that the university and college education should be free with the impacts discussed below.
Free public University and college education offers the opportunity for needy students to pursue their career goals. Majority of the students have been dropping out of school due to the inability to pay the high school fees (Carnoy, 2020). When given the opportunity of learning with little or no pay, the students from the poor backgrounds get the opportunity to achieve their ambitions in the world of academics. Currently, majority of the students in the institution of higher learning rely on loan to facilitate their education expenses, therefore free university and secondary education will be a relieve to many students.
Higher learning institutions are the centers for innovations. When free education is offered to all university and college students, the innovation tends to improve because majority of the intelligent but needy students will get the opportunity to showcase their ability (Trostel, 2015). Improved innovations on technology have positive impacts to various departments in the economy including business, health, transport and infrastructure. Innovation will enable the government to find a solution to various problems facing its economy. For these reasons, I support that education in public universities and colleges should be free.
Quality education in both the university and colleges open ways for employment. When students are equipped with proper skills from the higher learning institutions, they are able to compete in the job market (Trostel, 2015). Some may also be creative enough to start their own businesses thus creating employment opportunity to other citizens. When government introduce free university and college education, the number of individuals qualified for various jobs opportunity will increase because the institution will have high number of people to train and send to the job market. High employment rates increase both the gross domestic product and the income percapita and this is of great importance to the economy.
Lack of education is considered as the root cause of poverty (Carnoy, 2020). Inadequate education can lead to cycle of poverty because individuals may lack the career and occupation to depend on for income. When the government introduce the free University and College education, poverty will reduce because majority of the citizens will be able to attain the higher learning education and be able to depend for themselves thus lowering the dependency ratio. The higher number of the working citizens in any given country create positive impact to the economy because it leads to increase in the gross domestic products.
When the government introduce free university and college education, the number of students joining the higher learning institution will increase (Carnoy, 2020). Rise in the number of individuals joining the learning institutions leads to higher literacy level for a country which is very beneficial for the development of an economy. An economy with low literacy levels always lags behind in terms of development because it becomes reluctant in adapting to the new technologies and innovation.
Furthermore, crime rates tend to reduce when the government introduce free university and college education (Carnoy, 2020). High college fees have led to high number of dropouts due to the inability to afford the expenses, as a result, some individuals get involved in the activities that are not only harmful to them but to the economy too. Increase in crime rate is a security threat and a threat to the economy because it scares away the investors thus interfering with the development of a country. I therefore support free university and college education because it promotes peace and economic stability within a country.
Improved lifestyle is a result of good education. Introduction of free university and college education will increase the number of citizens accessing the relevant information they need for survival. Information on health will enable the citizens to live a healthy lifestyle (Trostel, 2015). When citizens are living a healthy life, the production increases thus a positive impact to the gross domestic product. A country whose citizens experience poor health faces challenges in the production and this affects the economy in a negative way.
In conclusion, free education should be offered in both the public universities and colleges because it will improve the number of individuals accessing the services. It will also reduce the discrimination because the low-income earners will be able to get same services as their rich counterparts. Free university education has been found to reduce the poverty level of a country, reduce the crime rates, increase the literacy level and increase the employment rate and all these are very key for the economic development of a country
References
Carnoy, M. (2020). Cuba’s academic advantage. Stanford University Press.
Trostel, P. A. (2015). It’s not just the money the benefits of college education to individuals and to society.