1. “Price Tag for the American Dream”
Writing Application

2. Opening Activity: Prompt Analysis
Copy down the following prompt and determine the TASK, AUDIENCE, and PURPOSE (TAP):
PROMPT: Your history project is about the American Dream. You have been asked to write an informational essay about how the concept of the American Dream has changed over time. Your essay should be based on the ideas and concepts found in “Price Tag for the American Dream.”
In a single sentence, write a controlling idea that “answers” the prompt.
Over time, the American Dream has changed drastically due to the increasing cost of living, making it seem just too far out of reach for the average being.

3. Evidence Selection(Thurs./Fri.)
When selecting evidence consider the following questions:
Is this relevant?
Is this credible?
Independently, find THREE pieces of evidence from “Price Tag for the American Dream” that BEST support your controlling idea. (Write them down on your paper.)
Collaboration aspect: Find a partner and share your pieces of evidence. Verbally explain how/why your evidence is more effective.

4. Elaboration(Thurs./Fri.)
When elaborating upon evidence or providing commentary, it is essential to consider the following questions:
Why is this important for my point?
How does this relate to the overarching claim / controlling idea?
NOTE: This does NOT mean to simply elaborate after your evidence by saying, “This is important because…” or “This supports my claim by…” ***We will review some more effective transitional devices next week.

5. Types of Elaboration TYPE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE Explanation
Explain the evidence provided. (Often used when a direct quote is given or to give context.)
Evidence: The great dress debate of 2015 serves as a prime example of how the brain misinterprets color.
Elaboration: This whole ordeal involved the posting of a picture—a picture in which a dress was not clearly seen as either blue and black, or white and gold. Different people saw the dress as a different color. But why?...
Evaluation
Evaluate the evidence based on other facts in the passages.
Evidence: A recent study concluded that our awareness of time, as well as our memory of the trip greatly impacts our brain’s notion of time.
Elaboration: However, our brain’s inability to accurately estimate time illustrates one of the human flaws that create unique experiences for each individual.
Definition
Defining concept or idea to help your reader better understand the evidence.
Evidence: Our brains can often skew the concept of time, as in the case of the “return trip effect.”
Elaboration: This phenomenon involves the act of going somewhere new and coming back again, where the journey, for whatever reason, seems to take longer on the initial trip than on the return.

6. Types of Elaboration TYPE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE Analyze (Compare)
Provide a comparison to the evidence.
Evidence: Chief ophthalmologist John J. Guehl III conveys the idea that “we are bombarded by so many sensations that if you perceived all of them, you’d go nuts.”
Elaboration: Our hearing works in a similar fashion, such as in the case of a mother being able to make out the sound of her baby in a room full of noise. Whether with sight or with sound, our brain only seems to recognize certain details.
Analyze (Prediction)
Analyze the evidence and make a prediction based on evidence in the text.
Evidence: Professor Smith stated, “Our brain takes information from the world through our eyes then uses context to try to figure out what’s going on.”
Elaboration: If our brain just fills in the blanks, who knows whether such guesses are valid or not. Even more so, whether this tricking of the mind occurs in other scenarios.
Analyze (Cause/Effect Relationships)
Analyze the evidence to show a likely cause and effect relationship.
Elaboration: Therefore, what one person perceives can vary greatly from another, creating an entirely different experience depending on what details one’s brain deems important.

7. Commentary Practice(Mon.)
For each of the THREE pieces of evidence found in “Price Tag for the American Dream,” determine the best type of elaboration to use and provide commentary to show how/why the evidence is significant.
Example: “The Milliman Medical Index pegged annual health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses at $9,144.”
Should you define? Evaluate? Explain? Analyze?
How/why does this relate to your point/controlling idea?
*Elaboration/Commentary: ?
*Elaboration/Commentary: (Analyze) While $9,000 might seem fairly reasonable, consider the individuals with severe medical conditions, whether due to physical or mental illness. Consider the size of a family, one larger than the family included in this survey. More importantly, consider how even the cost for health insurance and medical expenses is cutting into the median household’s income of $51,000, according to Howard R. Gold’s analysis in “Price Tag for the American Dream.” Even for the average family, living a healthy, comfortable life--as once promised by the American dream--seems more of a fading idea from the past than an attainable feat in modern times.

8. Peer Review(Mon.)
After completing your elaboration and commentary, exchange papers with a peer.
Provide comments of feedback.
Does the commentary connect to their controlling idea? (How/Why?)
How could the elaboration improve?

9. Integrating Evidence(Tues./WED.)
Consider the following when integrating evidence into your writing:
What should I include?
How much do I need to illustrate my point?
NON-EXAMPLE:
Another widely known effect that many people have is the “return-trip effect.” This is based on time and how we think or estimate how much time has passed based on travel and destination. “A study done by researchers from Japan uncovered interesting results. They split participants for the study into two groups and put them in a dimly lit room to watch a 20-minute movie. The movie showed a cameraman walking around a city and recording his journey. Some of the people in both groups were asked to tell the researchers every time they thought three minutes had passed. The purpose of the study was to see how humans estimate times in two ways. The first was to see how we estimate time when we are trying to be aware of it. The second purpose of the study was to see how we think of time when we reflect back on a period that has already passed.” (Source 2, paragraph 3 & 5) Based on our context and what we’re paying attention to determines our awareness.

10. Integrating Evidence(Tues./WED.)
DIRECT QUOTE
Example: Matthew A. Smith, professor of ophthalmology and neuroscience, helped clarify this situation, stating, “Our brain takes information from the world through our eyes then uses context to try to figure out what’s going on” (Source 1, paragraph 7).
PARAPHRASE
Example: According to various studies analyzed in Source 2, the return-trip involves the act of going somewhere new and coming back again, where the journey, for whatever reason, seems to take longer on the way there than on the way back.
SIGNAL PHRASE
Example: John J. Guehl III, describes this idea as “a kind of optical illusion,” where our brain “figures out the important parts… and factors out and ignores the rest” (Source 1, paragraph 9).

11. Proper Citation of Sources(Tues./WED.)
Whether a direct quote, a paraphrasing of information, or a signal phrase, you MUST reference your sources! Consider the following:
Author’s name
Title of article/passage
Source number
Here are some acceptable options:
In Source __, the author says, “_____________.”
…“_____________” (Source __, paragraph __).
The author of (“name of article or passage”) states, “_____________.”
In (“name of article or passage”), (name of author) claims, “_____________.”
According to the author in Source __, “_____________.”
<<< PREFERRED OPTIONS
*Citations can get “clunky” when extremely long and repetitive.

12. Proper Citation of Sources(Tues./WED.)
*NOTE: A copied quotation or a reference to a person or entity within the text without attribution to the actual source does not count as a citation.
So, what if the author is referencing another author, person, or quote?
Source 1 indicates, “‘We don’t take a perfect photo. We have limited information and use context to figure out what’s going on.’” <<< Less favorable option…
During an interview with Professor Smith, he stated, “We don’t take a perfect photo. We have limited information and use context to figure out what’s going on” (Source 1).
So, what if the author is referencing another study, survey, statistic, etc.?
According to the a poll by the Brookings Institution in 2008, the American dream is harder to achieve (Source 1).

13. Transitional Devices(Tues./WED.)
Not only is the purpose of transitional devices to help the flow, but also to show…
Agreement / Addition / Similarity
Contrast / Limitation / Opposition
Cause / Condition / Purpose
Example / Support / Emphasis
Effect / Consequence / Result
Conclusion / Summary / Restatement
Check out this website for a lengthy list of options!

14. Transitional Devices(Tues./WED.)
AAAWWUBBIS
WAITED
After
While
Although As
In spite of
When
Though
Even though
Until
Despite
Because
Before If
Since
(WAITED Words can be useful for addressing the counterclaim in argumentative writing.)

15. American Dream Mini-Essay
Taking all of these guidelines and strategies into consideration, as well as your practice application(s), write an informative essay about how the American Dream has changed over time.
Introduction
Start broad with context, leading into the specifics of your controlling idea.
Body
Develop your point with evidence and commentary that show how / why it all relates to your controlling idea.
Conclusion
Wrap it up, leaving your audience with some closing words about the subject.