GET ANSWER – Purpose: In a causal analysis, your focus is on building an argument that one thing causes another thing and then supporting the argument by synthesizing a selection of sources. Remember that an argument possesses two components: 1) it is controversial; and 2) it is debatable. You will then use your sources as support for your argument.
With the generalized theme of this class in mind, “Digital Citizenship,” you will choose a problem that is related to digital citizenship, and then you will make an argument in your thesis that something causes this problem. Now, there are a lot of problems related to digital citizenship, and it is your job to focus on one problem and arguing what its cause may be. You must narrow your topic to focus on a specific problem. For example, “digital security” is way too broad for a topic. Instead, you would have to look for a more narrowed topic, like “hacking people’s online accounts.”
For the body of the essay, you will be creating a synthesis, or a combination of sources. When visualizing a synthesis it is usually best to think about baking a cake. For a cake you take multiple ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, flour, etc.) and you combine the ingredients. Think about the sources for your paper as your ingredients. If you keep all of them separate, then you never reach the desired result. However, if you combine them into one paper, letting them mix freely, then you can have a well-balanced research “cake.” The way you allow them to mix together is by using quotations from two or more different sources in each body paragraph.
Tasks:
- Write an 6-7 page causal analysis (plus a works cited page that does not count toward the minimum page count for the essay) for an academic audience containing a minimum of 6 sources that focuses on your narrowed topic relating to the course theme of “Digital Citizenship.”
- Write for an academic audience (No contractions, no slang, no clichés, no first-person perspective, no second-person perspective).
- The thesis statement should argue that one problem related to digital citizenship has been caused by something.
- Each body paragraph must contain an argumentative topic sentence that clarifies the main idea for that paragraph, and which helps to support the thesis. For each body paragraph, you should use multiple quotations from multiple sources to form a synthesis and to support the topic sentence.
- Each source should only come from credible sources of information. That means you cannot use wiki sources. Also, dictionary and encyclopedia sources are not specific enough for this type of assignment, so do not use those sources.
- Your paper must include a counterarguments section, where you should anticipate objections to your argument and then refute those objections. You must still use quotations from your sources to state the counterargument(s) and to refute the counterargument(s). If you do not refute the counterargument(s), then you run the risk of the audience accepting the counterargument rather than your argument.
- You must provide signal phrases to introduce any material that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized from sources. Furthermore, you should provide in-text citations any time you paraphrase or quote material from sources. All citations should be formatted according to MLA guidelines.
- Format: The essay should be formatted according to MLA guidelines, which are accessile in your textbook or through the Purdue Online WritingLab.
- Grammar and mechanics: Has ability to write using edited American English. Proofread and edit for issues that include, but are not limited to, those regarding spelling and word usage. Subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, run-on sentences, sentence fragments, fused sentences, absence or misuse of apostrophes, and absence or misuse of commas exemplify other problematic issues.