Video Introduction to this Assignment Jim Roth’s Website

Four-Article (websites) Write-an-Essay Assignment

Directions: Choose one of the four articles below and write a short (five paragraph) essay in response to the Essay Prompt that accompanies the respective article. In your essay, occasionally, and when appropriate, blend in words from the article. Also, please be sure to acknowledge the borrowed (blended) words by using correct MLA or APA documentation style (your choice). Finally, please include the Works Cited page information (MLA) or the References page information (APA) at the end of your essay.

You might find the following videos helpful for a review of basic essay structure:

What's an Essay?  The “Pitfalls of Technology" example

The Milkshake Essay with its Essay Planning Sheet

Developing Specific Examples

Please consider using the suggested essay organization below:

Paragraph #1	Introduction and Thesis Sentence	Please click here for advice on writing your introductory paragraph
Paragraph #2	Reason #1	Be sure to develop the body paragraphs
Paragraph #3	Reason #2	Your reader needs to understand your reasons as well as you do
Paragraph #4	Reason #3	Examples work great for body paragraphs
Paragraph #5	Conclusion	Short, but elegant

ARTICLE #1

“Televising Humiliation” by Adam Cohen

Essay Prompt:

Do you believe that the types of shows Cohen discusses in “Televising Humiliation” are appropriate for general network television? If you believe they are appropriate, please give reasons why, and perhaps refer to particular shows to support your opinion.

If you believe these types of shows are not appropriate for general network television, please give reasons why not, and perhaps refer to particular shows to support your opinion.

ARTICLE #2

“Social experiment: Know thy neighbor” by Peter Lovenheim

Essay Prompt:

Write an essay either agreeing or disagreeing with Lovenheim’s methods and conclusions, giving reasons for your opinion.

ARTICLE #3

“How Ignorant Are Americans?” by Andrew Romono

Essay prompts:

Choice one:
In your essay, share with your reader the ways you get most of your news. You might also share how much time you devote each day to being informed to the extent that Romano suggests. Why is or isn’t having this sort of knowledge personally important?

Choice two:

What general categories of knowledge would you recommend Americans become familiar with? For each of your categories, give specific reasons why that category is important.

ARTICLE #4

“Boys Mow Lawns, Girls Do Dishes:

Are Parents Perpetuating the Chore Wars?”

By Sue Shellenbarger

Essay prompts:

Choice one:

Support or refute this thesis: Though gender discrimination should never be encouraged or tolerated, some careers and activities might be better suited for a particular gender.

If you agree with this opinion, please give three examples of careers or activities that would be better suited for a particular gender. For each example, clearly explain why that particular gender would have an advantage or why the opposite gender might be at a disadvantage.

Choice two:

Assuming that Shellenbarger is correct—that parents might unconsciously be imprinting gender roles on their children--what changes in routine, attitude, and behavior would you recommend parents make to avoid this, and, instead, create a home environment that is gender-blind?