The idea of the essay should be supported by ideas and quotes from the following PDF: https://www.ias.edu/sites/default/files/library/UsefulnessHarpers.pdf
However, the essay thesis should be the same as the PDF.
A successful essay will do the following:
- Demonstrate careful reading and in-depth understanding of the article
- Formulate a specific, clear, and unified thesis based on your own ideas [NOTE: The thesis should not summarize the article]
- Develop a coherent argument [NOTE: Do not simply answer the guiding questions in the topic one by one; instead, use them as a starting point for your analysis]
- Avoid general or vague comments
- Avoid personal opinion; any claims you make should be supported with evidence from the article
- Show awareness of the complexity of the issue and avoid stating
the obvious or oversimplifying the problem
- Formulate your own position, using the article as a starting point [your main idea cannot simply be some form of “I agree/disagree”]
- Show evidence of in-depth thinking about the topic
- Present a coherent, logical argument
- Have a clear and specific thesis that 1] makes a claim of some kind [not just saying “This paper will examine…”]; 2] is not stating the obvious [it must be possible to disagree with the thesis]; 3] is not a list [e.g., “There are three reasons/factors/characteristics”]; 4] is not too broad; 5] is not merely personal opinion; 6] is not a statement of fact; 7] does not summarize the main idea of the article
- Incorporate relevant and carefully chosen examples from the article as evidence
- Avoid paraphrasing, unless you are confident that you know how to do it to avoid plagiarism
- Type quotations accurately, including capital letters, spaces, and punctuation
- Introduce each quotation clearly and integrate it smoothly into your own sentence
- Explain the significance of each quotation
- Avoid repetition throughout the essay [especially in the conclusion]
- Use correct grammar and spelling, clear phrasing, varied sentence structure, rich vocabulary, and appropriate tone
- The essay should have a tittle
