Reality Television and Its Effects on Culture

Dear Students,

This is our last week focused on the Argument Essay (Essay 2 – W4).

Last week, I gave you individualized feedback on your thesis statement (if you posted your thesis statement by Saturday, March 12—I gave three additional days for those who needed extra time).

For most of you, I recommended you make an online appointment with a tutor for help (the Wolfson Reading and Writing Center or MDC/Library Tutoring or Smarthinking).
The links to these excellent resources are on the left course menu.
(To reiterate, getting meaningful feedback is an important step in the process; this is why your working Thesis Statement/Topic Discussion assignment was worth half an essay grade!)
Module 9 – Writing Assignment – ESSAY 2 (the Argument)

Spend this week revising, editing, and finishing your argument essay. It is due by 11:59pm on Thursday, March 24. Keep the following in mind:

Follow the Guided Writing Assignment in Module 9.
Read Points to Consider: Writing an Argument Essay
Read The Closing Paragraph: How to Write a Good Conclusion
A Grading Rubric has been provided for you in Module 9; make sure to read it and use it as a checklist as you revise and edit your paper.
Your essay should be 5-8 paragraphs (600-1000 words).
The body of your essay should incorporate at least one but no more than two quotations from an outside source (to provide supporting evidence for your points).
Note: Direct quotations will not be considered as included in the word count.
Your paper must have an intro (containing your thesis statement at the end); two to four body paragraphs to support your claim; one or two body paragraphs that present the counterargument(s) and your acknowledgment/rebuttal of those counterarguments; and a closing paragraph.
You now know how to write well-structured, well-developed paragraphs! Remember your paragraph-writing skills as you draft the body/supporting paragraphs of your essay. (In other words, each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence expressing the point of the paragraph and contain sufficient specific evidence supporting that point.)
Your paper should be presented in MLA format, so be sure to read and follow the Typed Paper Format sample I posted in Module 9.
Finally, I encourage you to make an appointment (or two…) with the Wolfson Online Writing Center (or another MDC tutoring resource):
Provide them with the assignment (the Guided Writing Assignment–Argument), your topic choice, and your draft.
Ask for feedback on your thesis and the content of your body paragraphs (including addressing the counter-argument).
Ask for help with sentence-level errors.
The link is on the left course menu or here.
Feel free to contact me via Course Messages if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Professor Riley

ESSAY due March 24 (Thursday, 11:59pm)

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Essay #2 (See Module 9 for instructions. Upload your finished essay into the Dropbox located in Module 9; the dropbox will be available on Wednesday, March 23.)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Read your draft carefully before you upload your paper; it should be a polished piece of writing reflecting careful analysis and clear thinking. Furthermore, Blackboard will check your paper to see if it is your own original writing. If you incorporate outside material, make sure to document it. Even with your sources documented, your paper should not be more than 10% similar to an outside source. If your essay is found to be copied (plagiarized) from another source, either wholly or in part, you will receive a zero (0) for this assignment, and you will not be allowed to re-do the essay.

What I did before it’s me the student:
(Topic/Issue: Reality Television and Its Effects on Culture
Thesis Statement: Reality television has become very popular nowadays; nevertheless, it can have detrimental effects and is the source of severe issues in our society. I chose this thesis statement because I think that tv shows cause more harm than good and have some serious effects on mental health since the audience can compare themselves to the actors.
Counter-argument: Reality television can help people cope with some personal matters and help them decrease their feeling of loneliness in some cases. I chose this counter argument because for a small portion of the reality tv shows they try to be real and help audience have a reference and see that all people have issues that they deal with daily.

Explanation/Outline: The topics, language, and habits promoted by most reality television are futile and mainly watched by youth. Does it promote knowledge? How does it affect the new generation and also older ones? Provide some statistics.
Reality tv-shows do not reflect reality and are firmly based on acting and divertissement. What is the goal of reality tv shows? Are not the actors faking it to make more money by creating the buzz and gaining more followers? For example, french tv-shows
However, it can be a source of relaxation and help people identify themselves. The counterargument. What are the favorable outcomes of reality television? Some positive reviews. Can it be a source of inspiration? A small portion of the topics is engaging. )

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