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[RobHardo]

Got a typed paper due? Want some help with any grammar or spellings? Well post your papers here!

I have a five paragraph essay I must write in AP English(one of our easiest assignments) on what I would do if I found a magic bottle with a genie who grants three wishes. The drawback is the teacher says it has to be in a third person perspective(yick).

I don't have the essay with me at this moment, but when I get home from the football game tonight I will put up a paragraph or two, seeing as it is not finished.

[happy_doughnut]

Hmm, so homework help, eh? I think this is cool.

I know that writing essays are one of the most dreaded things for some stoonts. I frankly this they are pretty hard because they have limitations and requirements which you must meet and sometimes meeting them can be a very dificult thing, indeed.

I would post my essays, since I have one due just about every week. However, I don't really think anyone would want to read my lengthy, boring and often confusing essays.

Most of what I do isn't creative writing, mind you. Most is stuff has to do with research and a hint of personal opinion, so it may not be too fun to read.

I'll be glad to look at some, though, seeing as how my prof. is turning us into grammar nazis.

[Chara]

Heh, yea, I have just about a 1 page essay due every week also. Right now I am supposed to be writing about anything I want, as long as its controversial. I would write about how the magical puppies are our true God, and we have been living a lie for all these years, but... I dont think that will go to well with her.

I could easily write a 10 page paper on the dumbest of things.

[merylsilverburg]

Like Mena, my papers are usually personal opinion and research blended into one. Right now, I'm doing a cosmetic surgery argument and I have to type up my progress report (<--this is where I turn in part of my paper to my instructor so he can see how we're doing so far). So, I have to finish the progress report for this Monday. And like Mena, I don't think people would appreciate reading my long and boring paper...I'm estimating that this paper would be about 15 pages long. (My last paper was 11 pages long).

[merylsilverburg]

Sorry for double-posting, but man...I actually need some help with my paper (wow, this thread was created just in time! ).

Okay, it's like 6:30 AM here and either I'm tired outta my mind or just being stupid, but I need help with understanding my instructor's direction for how he wants the Introduction to be written:

I'm writing an argument paper on cosmetic enhancements and I'm against it...these are the questions he wants us to establish before writing any part of our paper:

Question 1: State as clearly as possible what is at stake in your argument.

My answer (which is all blabber; I'll fix it up when I type the intro): People are losing sight of themselves because we are basing everything on our looks. People are becoming artificial and not accepting the natural beauty/what you were born with.

Question 2: Why does this have significance and importance?

My answer: Because people no longer rely on themselves to gain confidence or self-esteem or rely on their personality/hard work to get a job…just as long as you’re pretty, you can get anywhere or feel “good” about yourself…which is all false happiness anyway. And people who are naturally beautiful are now considered plain because they can’t live up to the expectations of plastic beauty. So, those people will get surgery to be at a standard of beauty which was spawned from artificial beauty.

*The following questions are the ones I'm confused about*

Question 3: Clarify what controversies are associated with this topic. What are the relevances?

Okay..now...here...I don't know if I'm supposed to write what my arguments are (which is vanity or your self-worth is based on your appearence, all the beauty is illusions, and that these enhancements don't last forever) or if I'm supposed to write my support (which are health risks, financial problems, media influence, culture clash, enhancements doesn't neccessarily help with confidence/self-esteem, and ehancements can make a person attractive, but it's all illusions). Only reason why I'm confused is because of the 4th question...

Question 4: Establish the context that gives your topic significance, importance, and relevance.

So...what am I supposed to write for Questions 3 and 4? I don't quite understand Question 4....

Oh, if anyone can help me, I'd be so thankful!

[happy_doughnut]

Ah, you know what, meryl? When I read your first post... and then your second post... I laughed. You're so fannay.

Anyways, onto your questions.

I must say that I'm slightly confused. Are these questions supposed to be answered in your introduction or is this a separate exercise?

In my english class we spent quite a while on introductions and how to write good, proficient ones. I have a handout, so I'll list the points (I'm not entirely certain, but I think we probably have the same english class level, so his may help you out):

++ Qualities of a Stimulating Introduction

• Establishes a context
• Engages the reader's interest
• Suggests the importance of your subject
• Implies your own competence to deal with the material
• Indicates your purpose with a purpose indicator:
  A. Statement of purpose or
  B. Thesis - Sufficiently narrow and with a sharp focus, or
  C. Controlling Question... in which case your thesis will be in the conclusion
• Option: Forecasts your organization, if the paper is complicated

These are, according to my prof., the things an introduction should have in them to make it good.

As for your questions, here's what I think:

1. I think you got this one. I think that before this you are to state your arguement and your position. Then you follow up by telling the readers what exactly is at stake.

2. I think this questions follows up the first one. Your answers also seem to complement each other on these 2 questions. I think that after answering the first one by stating the things that are at risk, you need to state why these things are important. Since this is a position paper, when you take a side you're going to be arguing about why this should or shouldn't be, so naturally, you need to explain why this argument in itself is significant and why the things you mentioned as being "at stake" are significant/important, as well.

3. Hmm. Actually, if I were doing this, for this question I would state my arguments as well as opposing arguments. Aren't you supposed to address opposing arguments in your paper, too? I think that here you are suppposed to state the controversies of this topic. Like, why some are in favor of cosmetics surgery and why others are against it and what controversies these create. For example:

I'm doing a paper on global warming. The controversies I would state that are associated with this topic are that there are people that think that the earth is on the brink of a gigantic climate change and there are others that think that the earth is actually cooling down.

I think that you're just supposed to write about the disputes, both the pros and the cons and explain why these arguments are relevant (their relations to the matter at hand and their importance/significance).

4. I think this question is a summary. I think that here you are supposed to tell why this topic is an important issue overall; why it is significant that we know about this; why this is relevant to people.

I think that here you are supposed to present parts of your discourse that will allow you to explain "why" your topic is a significant, important and relelvant one to the people AND present data/fats/cases/controversies to "show" your "why's."

Overall, I think that you're supposed to state your argument and position; explain why your topic is significant and important and give reasons why; give your arguments as well as oppsoing ones and explain why they are relevant to your subject; and just establish these grounds so that the reader will know why your subject (and position) is significant, important, and relevant, no?

Anyway, that's what I think... If this were my assignment, this is how I would answer these questions.

Sorry for the late reply. I hope this gets to you in time, and most importantly, helps you out at least a little bit.

Good luck, meryl!