Education Inequality

Please read and follow the instruction carefully: The history of higher education is complex and the result of economics, student migration, policies, and efforts to limit or create access to institutions. Write an essay detailing what you believe to be the purpose of higher education. Things to Consider: How and why were universities created? What was the purpose of minority serving institutions? How should institutions support students? How should they support faculty and staff? Your educational journey Your peers’ educational journey Education inequality Systemic racism Student activism Student narratives Parameters: Explicitly state and underline your thesis statement. Everything following your thesis statement must clearly work to support it. Your paper must be correctly formatted according to MLA or APA standards. Your paper must be between 1300 and 1600 words in length and double spaced. (The header and the work cited page does not include in the word count.) You must properly integrate a minimum of 6 class sources (i.e. lectures, readings, etc.) At least 3 of your 6 sources should come from the course readings. There is no limit on how many outside the classroom sources can be incorporated into your paper. Include the word count of the entirety of your essay in the footer Writing a Persuasive Essay: Step 1: Outline your argument Step 2: Introduce your argument (what is the purpose of higher education? Step 3: Support your conclusions Step 4: Consider your objections Step 5: Conclude your argument Step 6: Cite your sources and create your bibliography Step 7: Proofread your essay Thesis Tips: A thesis statement should not contain two conflicting ideas. If two ideas are in conflict, it is impossible to support them both. A thesis statement should never be so broad that it’s difficult to discuss all of the relevant information. A thesis statement is an assertion that requires evidence and support, not a universally agreed-upon fact or an observation. A thesis is the main idea, not the title. It must be a complete sentence that expresses in some detail what claim you plan to support. A thesis statement has one main point rather than several main points. More than one point may be too difficult for the reader to understand and the writer to support. A thesis statement is narrow, rather than broad. If the thesis statement is sufficiently narrow, it can be fully supported. Persuasive Essay Outline: Introduction paragraph: Get the reader’s attention by using a “hook”. Pull your audience in! Anecdote, fact, something interesting to start essay Provide some brief background information about the direction of your topic. Explain what the topic is and why it is controversial or important to you. For example, if the focus of your essay is on the economic benefits of higher education, provide me with some background about how higher education impacts economics conditions. If your essay is about diversity, provide me with some background information about diversity as it relates to higher education. Thesis or focus statement – don’t forget to underline (Typically included as the last sentence of your introduction paragraph). This is a sentence stating your opinion about the topic and will be proven in the rest of your essay with at least 3 strong reasons and support. See Week 10 presentation for thesis guidelines Body Paragraphs (At minimum, you should have 3 body paragraphs): 1st Body Paragraph: First argument or reason to support your position Topic sentence explaining your first reason (see notes below on topic sentences)  Provide support/evidence to prove your first reason. Bring in facts, data, examples, etc. from the course reading. Be sure to correctly utilize in-text citations (MLA/APA) and rephrase quotations. 2nd Body Paragraph: Second argument or reason to support your position. Topic sentence explaining your second reason.  Provide support/evidence to prove your second reason. Bring in facts, data, examples, etc. from the course reading 3rd Body Paragraph: Counter argument and third reason to support position. (A counter argument paragraph is optional, however highly recommended, so that the reader will know you have considered another point of view and have a rebuttal to it.) State what the other side believes or may argue Example: Some may argue _______________ Challenge their argument with your third reason and provide support. Give support such as facts, data, examples, etc. explaining why your argument is stronger than the counter argument Conclusion Paragraph: Sum up your main points and 3 (or more) reasons. Restate your thesis.  Final words: last comments or call to action. Encourage the reader to agree with you. Bibliography/References Page Required Citations: You must properly integrate a minimum of 6 class sources (i.e. lectures, readings, discussions section meetings, videos, etc.) At least 3 of your 6 sources should come from the course readings. There is no limit on how many outside the classroom sources can be incorporated into your paper. Utilizing quotes: Step One: Introduce the quotation, paraphrasing in your own words is highly encouraged. Cite correctly. Step Two: Explain what the author is arguing in the quotation. (The author should agree with how you sum up the quotation – this will help you establish credibility, by demonstrating that you do know what the author is saying even if you don’t agree.) Step Three: State the implications of the quotation for your own argument. (What do you make of the author’s argument?) Topic Sentences: A topic sentence should encapsulate and organize an entire paragraph. When creating a topic sentence, ask yourself what’s going on in your paragraph.  Why have you chosen to include the information you have? Why is the paragraph important in the context of your argument or thesis statement?  What point are you trying to make?  It should be noted that relating your topic sentences to your thesis can help strengthen the coherence of your essay. Use a topic sentence to show how your paragraph contributes to the development of your argument by moving it that one extra step forward.