King Synthesis Essay
Have we achieved
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Dream?
Due Thursday, February 7th
Task: Considering several of the pieces we have read in this
unit, evaluate the progress Americans have made towards realizing the dream
expressed in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech. Consider not only the
lives of African Americans before and after the Civil Rights movement of the
1960s, but also the scope of King’s dream: is his dream big enough? Is his
dream even worth pursuing? Support your thesis with direct quotations from
multiple texts (a minimum of three sources from class, plus two additional
credible sources), properly formatted in MLA style.
Typed. Double Spaced. Twelve point. No blank lines between
paragraphs, except to indicate a major shift in tone or setting. Four – seven
pages. Don’t forget a title.
Required:
·
Underline and label three different rhetorical
strategies, each employed with a specific effect in mind
·
Two synthesis paragraphs
·
Three classroom sources plus a minimum of two,
credible outside sources
·
Properly formatted Works Cited Page
Suggested: End with a plan of action for the future.
Audience: 1) The editor of a nationally published magazine.
2) The well-educated readers of that magazine. 3) Yourself.
Purpose: 1) To explore contemporary issues of race and
gender through the lens of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “Dream.” 2) To
evaluate the current state of race and gender relations in America or the world
at large. 3) To suggest a plan of action for the future.
How to approach this paper:
·
Develop an opinion on this subject.
·
Gather evidence (from our texts and from
research) to support your opinion. This is an argument; therefore, personal experience is valid evidence and
first person is an acceptable POV.
·
Create clear, defensible topic sentences.
·
Draft paragraphs with two quotations to support
your topic sentences.
·
Draft paragraphs with an eye towards ethos,
pathos, and logos.
·
Proofread to ensure your quotations are properly
formatted and cited. For this essay, “you will need to include the author’s
name in your parenthetical citation” (Kline 1).
·
Create your Works Cited page.
