Assignment  In an essay that synthesizes at least five sources, develop a position expressing the adversity racial injustice causes, as well as the best means of coping with that adversity.  Racial injustice causes… Best means of coping…

 Develop your own position! (your argument, your opinion, your perception of the problem, your answer to the question)  Provide an informed view of an issue that reflects the complexities of the issue  Use sources to establish your credibility as one worthy of expressing a position

 References to sources should enrich, but not be the basis of, student’s position / argument  Student’s position / argument is central; sources support  Therefore, balance use of sources with your own analysis, explanation…BUT focus on YOUR ideas

 YOUR reasons, ideas, thinking should guide the paper (topic sentences…)  Your explanation relies on sources for depth, credibility, support (ethos, pathos, logos)  Summarize, paraphrase and quote accurately from sources  Don’t forget to cite

1. Develop list of “big questions” the topic raises and makes us think about 2. Determine patterns amongst sources – which ones work together, which contrast? 3. Determine your position; carefully write it out 4. Determine the sources you’ll use to support your position, and to balance your position

1. Once your position is written (thesis), plan body paragraphs (write topic sentences and list sources) 2. Remember: do not merely summarize source per paragraph – blend, mesh ideas from different sources 3. Each paragraph should have 2 -5 sources “dialoguing at once” with YOU as the central voice. The points YOU make – should be supported by sources.

 For example, King says…  Similarly, Baldwin says…  Hayden agrees that…  Yet, Hurston feels…  On the other hand, Baldwin points out…  According to Cullen…  Hughes suggests many possibilities in his poem “Harlem”…

 Play  Poems: go online to a poetry web site (poets.org; poemhunter.com) OR google the poem – write entry as a “Page on a Web Site” (see MLA The Owl Works Cited Electronic Sources if necessary); or find the poem in a book in the library  Essays: Works Cited entry method – “A Work in an Anthology, Reference or Collection” – ◦ 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology editor Samuel Cohen Bedford/St. Martins Boston/New York 

 Imagine a conversation about the controversial issue, with a number of people all expressing their viewpoints  Each source is a person in the conversation  You enter the conversation and express your thoughts, your stance… your ___________________

1. Is thesis YOUR POSITION? 2. Are topic sentences and next 1-2 sentences of body paragraphs YOUR OWN WORDS… YOUR DEVELOPMENT OF THESIS…YOUR EXPLANATION OF IDEA 3. Are sources introduced into “conversation” after expressing YOUR OWN IDEA at beginning of body paragraph… 4. Each paragraph should have 2 -5 sources “dialoguing at once” with YOU as the central voice. The points YOU make – should be supported by sources. 5. Remember: do not merely summarize source per paragraph – blend, mesh ideas from different sources

  Check out this useful link for: ◦ Formatting paper ◦ Incorporating quotations ◦ Writing Works Cited ◦ Formatting Works Cited ◦ MORE!