ESSAY “Rats: Who’s Racing Whom?” ENG024 Name _________________________
Assignment: Carefully read Des Kennedy’s “Rats: Who’s Racing Whom?” and the excerpts from Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. In a well-developed essay, analyze the individual and group characteristics rats that humans share. Do not simply summarize the readings; make connections between rat and human behavior.
- Formulate a thesis whose claim you can demonstrate throughout the paper. The thesis should summarize your overall point.
- Each body paragraph will discuss one characteristic that rats and humans share
- Each body paragraph will include at least one quote from the readings.
- You must include a quote from both readings in your paper.
- The more detail you include in your analysis, the stronger and more convincing your analysis will be.
- Do not do outside research. Rely on what you know and what you have read in “Rats: Who’s Racing Whom?” and the excerpt from The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man.
- You may not use “I” or “you” (or any variation of these) in your essay unless it is in a quotation.
- When you use the exact wording from the reading, you must put it in quotation marks and cite it. If you use an idea from the reading but not the exact words, do not use quotation marks, but still cite it.
- Start by working on the writing process:
Brainstorm your ideas through prewriting strategies.
Using your prewriting material, break your ideas into related items. (These will form your paragraphs.)
Write a word/phrase outline. The main points in your outline will become the topic sentences of your essay. The information underneath each main point is the support for that point.
Write your working thesis here:
Write your topic sentences:
1.
2.
3.
For each of the points above, give specific examples that show these points. Include the page number when your example is from the reading:
1.
2.
3.
We will work on this essay in class, but you are also responsible for working on it out of class. Your essay should be 1 ½ to 3 pages, double spaced, 11- or 12-point type, and standard 1” margins: MLA format. It must have a title that expresses your essay’s subject and point. See the rubric on Blackboard for more directions.
This completed paper is worth 10 points toward the essay’s final grade. Attach it to your essay. Be sure I have check-marked it prior to drafting your essay.
