Prof H's Writing Assignment

OUTLINE #1 (Prelude to PAPER #1)

Your OUTLINE (and subsequent ESSAY) should come from ONE of the following topics.

1.     Picking up from our previous discussion AND RELEVANT READINGS, answer the following question:  Is gentrification a benefit or a cancer to urban development?

-OR-

2.     Picking up from our previous discussion AND RELEVANT READINGS, write a critical assessment of Gov. Jindal’s essay, “The End of Race.”  Be sure to be clear whether you do or do not support his argument, and be very clear as where his reasoning is strong/flawed by using support from other articles.

Please review the skills we have gone over in class thus far.  Specifically, I will be looking for strong framing sentences, seamless source integration, and a well-constructed thesis statement.  Your success in both the outline and the paper will heavily depend upon your implementation of these skills.

Grading: 5 points of your final grade

·      2 points: Thesis statement (CONTESTABLE CLAIM + MAPPING OF ARGUMENT)

·      1 point: Framing sentences (clear, argument-based claim that gives context to evidence)

·      1 point: Evidence (relevance and clarity of support + explanation)

·      1 point: Re-integration statement

·      Points may also be deducted for failure to follow directions

Notes:

·      Refer to at least one text as evidence

·      For the OUTLINE, use at least THREE sub-claims. 

·      For the PAPER, use at least 600 words

·      DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A SEPARATE WORKS CITED PAGE (yet), but DO include in-text citations

THIS IS A TEMPLATE OF HOW YOUR OUTLINE SHOULD LOOK.  TAKE NOTE OF THE COMMENTS IN THE MARGINS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Bartholomew McJenkins, Jr.

Professor Hendrickson

Eng 101 – The Black Urban Experience

March 22, 2013

An Analysis of Brooklyn’s Superiority Over the Bronx[JTH1] 

Thesis: No matter the criteria, Brooklyn reigns supreme over the Bronx[JTH2] .  It possesses superior food options, is easier to navigate, and has contributed more to popular culture.[JTH3] 

Framing Sentence #1: Brooklyn’s quality and variety of restaurants towers over the Bronx’s lesser offerings.[JTH4] 

-       A 2012 study finds that Brooklyn has the fastest-growing offering of restaurants in the five boroughs (Zagat).[JTH5] 

-       Brooklyn is home to Junior’s Famous Cheesecake and several other famous eateries

Re – integration: With better food expanding at a faster rate, Brooklyn is by far a better dining      option.

Framing Sentence #2: As many New Yorkers know, traveling in the Bronx is a far less pleasant experience than it is in Brooklyn

-       Trains –  All of them go north and South, in and out of Manhattan, but none go across (unlike Brooklyn), which is inconvenient.

-       Driving – the Cross Bronx Highway, the G.W. Bridge, and the area around Yankee [JTH6] Stadium are nationally recognized for their congestion

-       Walking – The Bronx, known for its hills, is much harder to walk and navigate from place to place

Re-integration:  Whether by metrocard, car, or foot, the Bronx is more difficult to navigate.

Framing Sentence #3: Brooklyn’s contribution to popular culture is unparalleled[JTH7] 

-       Although hip-hop started in the Bronx, Brooklyn took hip-hop music to the next level (e.g. Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z)

-       Brooklyn is the birthplace of several influential celebrities: Michael Jordan, Woody Allen, Carmelo Anthony, Tatyana Ali, Shirley Chisholm, Jimmy Fallon, Barbara Streisand, Jerry Seinfeld

-       Although the Bronx has the Yankees…

o   the Brooklyn Dodgers are one of the most legendary stories in baseball. 

o   the Brooklyn Nets are a symbol of the up-and-coming nature of Brooklyn sports.

Re-integration: The stars simply shine brighter in Brooklyn

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 [JTH1]Your title should do TWO things:

1: state the subject (Brooklyn, Bronx)

2:  state the purpose of the paper (Analyze how and why Brooklyn is better than the Bronx)

 [JTH2]Note how this clearly states a definitive stance.  (Note how it sounds stronger by not saying “I believe” or “in my opinion.”) 

Wrong: “There is a debate over which is better between Brooklyn and the Bronx.”

 [JTH3]Note how I have laid out the reasoning for my claim and have given a sense of where the paper will go

 [JTH4]Just like my thesis, my opening statement to my paragraph makes a claim that demands proof. 

Wrong: “Brooklyn has many different restaurants with delicious food.”

Note that  [JTH5]I am citing my evicence(this time from an internet source, hence the absence of a page #)

 [JTH6]You should be clear about how your evidence will fit into your argument.  Note that you do not have to write full sentences, but they must be clear.

 [JTH7]One framing sentence does not necessarily equal one paragraph.  It simply introduces (and maintains) your subject.  In other words, you may need more than one paragraph to prove this point.