Essay 3: Food Culture in America

Introduction:

You can generate these [research] questions by responding to the rhetorical situation provided by your assignment and by considering what interests you the most about the topic. Even if your whole class is writing on the same topic, each person will present a different argument or approach to the issue . . . The way you make a research project your own is by developing powerful research questions. –Alfano and O’Brien

. . . a stroll down the street will bring food culture in to sharp focus, from the rampant spread of Jamba Juices, Starbucks, and McDonald’s into the empty nooks and crannies of our consumer spaces to the rise of specialty markets like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Food provides more than just sustenance; it increasingly has come to shape and mediate our understanding of ourselves and our culture. –Alfano and O’Brien

Assignment Description:

Select an issue related to ‘food culture’ and present a specific, debatable argument (it should be possible for readers to disagree with your claim). You are welcome to use claims of value, cause/effect, or policy (problem/solution).

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Potential topics include the fast food industry, childhood obesity, corn and/or high fructose corn syrup, organic food, biotechnology, the cattle industry, etc. Make sure that your topic falls under ‘food culture’ and not some other issue category (such as women and body image, for example). If you have any doubts about your topic being related to ‘food culture,’ please check with me.

In order to earn a C or above, your essay should include:

a minimum of 6 FULL double-spaced pages (not 3 and ½, or even 3 and ¾. Every available line should be used) Do not include a cover page.
12-point Times New Roman font and 1” margins.
a thesis that makes a specific, debatable claim about the ‘food culture’ topic you have selected.
effectively organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences and transitions
Reference to or example from at least one article from the “You Are What You Eat” section of Envision in Depth (can be a summary or paraphrase in your own words and sentence structure, or a brief, correctly integrated direct quotation)
References to or examples from no more than two COC database articles (can be summaries or paraphrases in your own words and sentence structure, or brief, correctly integrated direct quotations).
Proper MLA page headers
Proper MLA in-text citations for all paraphrases and direct quotations
a conclusion that does not merely restate your thesis but that leaves the reader with further ‘food for thought.’
a works cited page in correct MLA format (which does NOT count towards your page minimum) since you will be quoting from at least one Envision in Depth article and your internet research.

Additional criteria:

Clear argument or position on the ‘food culture’ issue you have chosen.
Demonstrated understanding of analyzing texts, strategies of persuasion, and composing arguments as explained in Ch. 1-3
Demonstrated understanding of finding and evaluating sources as explained in Ch. 4-5.
Effective essay structure
Clear and precise sentence-level rhetoric (grammar and structure)

Tips and Reminders:
Your method of development will vary depending on which essay topic you choose.
See “Strategies of Arrangement” on page 85 (both in Ch. 3) for basic organization options.
Be sure to back up your comments with specific details from a text we’ve discussed in class and from your Internet research. In other words, support what you are saying with paraphrases, and quotes from the texts. You will want to consult the information presented in Chapter 7 on “Avoiding Plagiarism and Documenting Sources,” as well as the MLA handout distributed in class.

Assignment Steps and Due Dates:

All assignment steps should be typed in a word processing program and saved to a place you can easily find them.

Essay 3: Food Culture in America

Final Draft (150 points):
Your final draft should be the result of careful, multiple revisions informed by feedback from me and from your peers. Take care to ‘put your best foot forward’ not only in terms of accuracy and presentation, but also in terms of planning ahead and avoiding any last minute problems with transportation, printers, etc. If you are late to class with your essay, points will be deducted from your final score.

Directions for submitting your final draft:

Upload your essay to turnitin.com