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!"#"$!%& PAPER/012345-*6 7 8! 9::;; 7 Spring 2017

Paper Requirements

Over the past several weeks,you have developed a varietyof critical thinking and writingskills. Youve learned how towrite with specificity, how toread, analyze, integrate, andcite sources, and how to craft

an organized, focused,developed argument framed byacademic concepts .Throughout these tasks, you'veexamined a variety ofarguments about the conceptof "happiness," including some emerging from psychology,brain science, religion,government, education, andpopular culture. This essay willdraw from all of the knowledge

capacities and skills listedabove and will also orient youto the realm of independentresearch. You will gain adeeper understanding of asubtopic related to our coursetheme and will make a focusedargument to a specificaudience that draws from yourresearch and analysis.

You may choose any topicyou like that somehowengages our course theme(we will spend some timeexploring topic ideas inclass). Be sure to stayfocused on what arguments

you can make to particularstakeholders, rather thansimply "reporting" orsummarizing the existingdebate. You could, forexample, considerproposing a solution to aproblem. Another optionwould be to offer a rebuttal to a prevalent perspective.Yet another option would beto critique an existing policyor practice in light ofsomething you learn. Youcould offer a causalanalysis of a trend/phenomenon you identify;and, of course, you couldperform a rhetoricalanalysis of a text or artifactthat relates to our theme.

To support your research and drafting,you will be asked to complete severalsmaller tasks. Most importantly, you willbe required to turn in a researchproposal and exploratory draft earlyin your research process. You will alsocompile an annotated bibliography toorganize your research. We will talkmore about these in class.

! Address a topic of interest to you,while also engaging a concept or scholarly conversation relevant tothe course "happiness" theme.

! Present a clearly articulated, well-reasoned, focused argument to aspecific , persuadable audienc e

! Develop key points withexamples, evidence, and analysis

! Anticipate and respond to possiblecounterarguments

! Integrate at least six crediblesources

! Follow MLA format and citationguidelines

! Be 7-9 pages in length.

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Other Required Work

PAPER DUE: April 7

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INVENTING A TOPIC There are many strategies for finding a viable topic, but one of the best approaches is to ask questionsabout communities and texts that are of interest to you and how those interests might relate to some ofthe discussions we've had this semester. Here are some examples (not exhaustive!) :

Education/Campus What steps could the University of Notre Dame take to increase the well-being of first-year

students? To what extent might meditation be valuable as part of the training for student athletes? In what ways does education promote (or combat) hedonism? Are home-schooled students "happier" than their public school counterparts? Why or why not?

Identity/Community In what ways do current conversations about "happiness" reflect problematic assumptions about

race, class, gender, sexuality, or ability? Under what conditions is a person more likely to practice altruism? To what extent can those

conditions be recreated within a community that needs more unity?

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

AUDIENCE/PURPOSE (40 points): The paper makes a clear, focused argument to a specific,persuadable audience. The paper reflects what's at stake for readers and avoids drifting awayfrom its intended purpose. The paper keeps an argumentative stance, avoiding mere research"report ing " or summar izing of what's already known . The paper adopts an appropriate tone foracademic readers.

ORGANIZATION (40 points): The paper offers a clear "road map" for readers, signaling whatreaders can expect from the essay. Paragraphs are organized around distinct main ideas andare arranged in a way that reflects a progression of logical thought. Smooth transitions guidereaders seamlessly through the logic of the argument.

DEVELOPMENT (40 points): The paper addresses all necessary pieces of the argument,

providing relevant context and points of debate to frame the thesis . All claims are supported withrelevant evidence and analysis, with an effective balance between source material and thewriter's independent thought.

CLARITY (40 points) : The sentence-level prose is generally free of mechanical errors and typos.Sentences are varied in structure and length, with attention to precise word choice. The languageis easy to follow, with all important terms and concepts clearly defined.

CONVENTIONS (40 points): The paper follows the current MLA 2016 format and citationguidelines, using appropriate in-text citations and a properly formatted Works Cited page. Sourcematerial is integrated responsibly and seamlessly throughout, taking into account theexpectations of academic audiences.

Popular Culture/Entertainment What might the rise in "anti-hero" television shows reflect about societal happiness and well-being? What does the organic food industry want us to believe about the connection between food and

happiness? To what extent are those claims sound, problematic, or incomplete?