Brisbane State High The Banality of Evil Essay
English 1A Hybrid
Essay #2 Assignment Sheet
The second essay in English 1A this term will be an 7 page (6 full pages of text + a Works Cited page = 7 pages total) Argumentative Synthesis essay based on one of the topic choices below . Your Argumentative Synthesis must use The Lucifer Effect AND at least THREE OUTSIDE SOURCES of your own research to support your argument.
Topic choices for Essay Two (choose only one):
1. The Evil of Inaction: Is it more evil to do nothing to stop a bad situation or act? Discuss the evil of inaction (or doing “nothing”) in relation to the ideas in The Lucifer Effect and other situations. Please explore other, current or historical, examples outside of what is mentioned in the text.
2. Banality of Evil: It is said that the great evils are generally not executed by fanatics or “bad” people, but rather by ordinary people who accepted a premise and participated with the view that their actions were normal. Discuss the banality (or normalcy) of evil in relation to the ideas in The Lucifer Effect and other situations. Please explore other, current or historical, examples outside of what is mentioned in the text.
About the Research:
You’ll need to include quotes from The Lucifer Effect and find at least 3 outside sources to quote from. Note that all research should be deemed from reliable and factual sources of information (such as from the Chabot Library Databases). Research may include: books (only non-fiction), periodicals, interviews, documentaries, materials from an online database, and reputable websites (Wikipedia is not a reliable source). Also, be cautious of the inclusion of “.com” in the URL of a website. Instead, try using the Chabot Library databases to obtain reviewed, scholarly articles.
Your essay must include at least two quotes from The Lucifer Effect and at least two quotes from each of your THREE outside sources/ research. Note that the provided websites or information from our course site do not count as outside sources, though you can use them in addition to your own research.
Your essay should include a Works Cited page AND in-text citations for sources:
Note that an MLA formatted Works Cited page listing all sources is required for this essay. Please view the resources for in our course site for information.
The quotes should be used to support your own points, not to summarize the source. Make sure to introduce the sources and authors before you start referencing them.
The sources must be cited using correct MLA format, including a Works Cited page and in-text citations. Examples of in-text citations: Zimbardo states, “quote would go here” (56). OR “quote would go here” (Zimbardo 56). Note that the in-text citation is really important as it will match the entry for that source on the Works Cited page.
Some important things to note about writing a formal argument essay:
Avoid personal opinion in a formal writing (such as this essay).
Avoid conversational language, such as referring to the reader directly, or using the first-person “I” or “you.”
Try to develop ideas fully without simply summarizing what happened in the sources.
Focus on the concept/thesis for your discussion. Your essay should use the sources to prove your thesis, while providing your own analysis to link ideas.
Remember to discuss quotes or summary with your own analysis of how it supports the thesis. Use the PIE formula – Point (topic sentence, Illustration (quote or information from source), Explanation (explain how the quote is important to support your thesis.)
The essay is an Argumentative Synthesis. Please review the information in the Canvas Modules area for details on writing an Argumentative Synthesis.
Your claims should stem from, and be supported by, your sources. Therefore, the topic should provide you room for discussion and critical thinking. Too broad of a topic will not have an argument; too narrow of a claim will not be an effective argumentative essay.
This essay should be written and formatted according to MLA guidelines, which includes:
Typed, double-spaced
12-point font, Times New Roman
1-inch margins on all sides
Your last name and page number in the right header of each page
A unique title for your essay, centered at the top of the first page (12-point font)
Your first and last name, the course title (English 1A), instructor’s last name, and the essay due date should be placed in the top left of the first page.
In-text citations and a Works Cited page listing all sources. Chabot Library’s MLA Handout is available at http://www.chabotcollege.edu/library/documents/ChabotMLAWorksCited.pdf or in the “Links” in our course site.
Please also include Engl1A, your last name, and Essay2 in the file name. Example: Engl1A_Smith_Essay2.
From Me: If possible, please use the story of the “holocaust killin
