Wuhuarou Eng essay 1 Assignment | Online Homework Help
MUST read the two attached reading before writing the essay.
-Clever Title Will Go Here-
Think Before You Write . . . All the philosophers and sages tell us that individuals are rare. Yet the curious thing is that virtually all people consider themselves individuals (or special, unique, one of a kind, different etc). Have you ever asked yourself whether or not you were an individual? I mean, what does it mean to be an individual anyway? Is it just being someone who goes against social norms, dresses differently, sets herself apart from the crowd? Is that what it takes to be an individual? Or could this kind of person just be following the norms within a similar crowd? When I was a teenager (in the 1980s), there was no such thing as Hot Topic at the mall, where I could buy band t-shirts and studded leather belts or pink hair dye if I wanted to. My friends and I went to the concerts for the shirts, and we had to go to thrift stores and sift through racks of clothes to find worn, ripped jeans and vintage flannel shirts. We drove to San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury for Doc Marten boots, which you can now buy at Nordstrom or Amazon.com. It took more effort to locate these items back then, but does that make the effort any more individualistic? Because despite what I might consider a more uniquely fashioned rebellion back then, one that couldn’t be bought at a corporate chain store like Hot Topic, we still dressed alike and shared similar tastes within our friend group. We were still influenced by music, television, magazines, and our peers. Were we individuals? Or were we just following cool trends and banning together? The sages and philosophers would argue that true individuality is rare because each of us seeks a tribe to belong to, and once we find our tribe, we conform to its social norms and expectations in order to be accepted. This is a good thing, for sure, but this is not how innovation and new ideas emerge. Social and technological progress and effective problem solving depends on individual thinkers who are creative, decisive, who use their initiative and trust their instincts. However, in our current climate, so much of our communication takes place within our social media networks, where we are less likely to encounter alternative points of view and where any dissention from the tribe might cause us to be canceled!
| Your Writing Assignment . . . In 1000 words, draw upon the Gladwell and Ruggiero readings (see attachment) to define what it means to be a creative, independent thinker—in other words, explain what is required to think for yourself.
l Present specific criteria to support your thesis and then use your paper to illustrate and explain your reasoning with storytelling elements and support from the readings and your own life. l As you conclude, reflect on what obstacles get in the way of good/creative thinking. l Use MLA documentation to give credit to your quoted sources and provide a works cited list. Note: you must use Ruggiero Chapters 1-4 and Malcolm Gladwell’s ideas in Blink along with your own knowledge and life experiences to develop and illustrate the criteria used in your definition. ² General definitions that make no references to the readings will NO credit, because I’m looking for evidence you’ve developed some intellectual/academic knowledge from the reading and are able to incorporate those scholarly voices into your discussion. |
General assessment criteria for college-level essays
If you are hoping for an A, your paper will be tightly focused, with a precise thesis and main ideas. It will make thoughtful, intelligent connections with the assigned readings and course materials. The ideas will be well-developed (presented, explained, supported by logic and vivid, detailed evidence, connected to thesis) and executed with finesse. There’s an intelligent depth and sophistication to an A paper, a magic storytelling quality that makes it seem creative and effortless while at the same time demonstrating a deep engagement and understanding with the course materials.
If you are hoping for a B, your paper will be focused with a precise thesis and main ideas. It will make effective connections with the assigned readings and course materials. The ideas will be well-developed (presented, explained, supported by logic and evidence, connected to thesis) and presented clearly to the reader with minimal grammatical errors. Usually, the B paper is very good but it does not shine in the same way an A paper does. There’s less magic on display.
A C paper is usually less precise, less clear. The thesis may be broad or general. There may be an occasional or superficial reference to the reading or no mention of the reading at all. Because the thesis is unclear, the ideas tend to be disorganized. When a paragraph discusses more than one idea, those ideas are less developed. A C paper usually stems from foggy thinking. A C writer tends to also lack command of grammar, vocabulary or punctuation rules or may not be a careful proofreader.
A writer with significant weakness in English grammar tends to struggle with communication, even if the paper has a thesis and is organized. When your language skills undermine and cloud your thinking, the reader gets confused and the overall effectiveness of your communication suffers. If you know you need help with English language and grammar, try to bring your writing to a tutor before it is due to get help.
