Choose a topic that is controversial, researchable, of interest to you, and that once again has a local/regional focus to the State of Florida. Remember, you are hoping to persuade readers to agree with your stance on the topic, therefore the topic should be narrow enough to cover fully in a paper (not a book) and broad enough that others will care about it.

For example:

• Should young Floridians learn a skilled trade rather than pursue a college degree? Why or why not?   
• What steps (if any) should Florida take to halt the mass die-off of manatees?
• In what ways might Florida deal with the escalating energy crisis -- build more nuclear plants? Expand solar panels? Encourage people to drive less/conserve energy? 
• Should Florida get rid of the death penalty?

Find and read at least five academic sources from the EFSC library catalog or databases.  Avoid using dictionaries, encyclopedias, or sources found in the the Opposing Viewpoints in Context database, also. 

• Please note, not using five academic sources meeting these criteria in your final paper will result in a deduction of 50 points from the assignment grade.

Determine which side of the issue you choose to support in your paper.

This decision should be influenced not only by opinion, but also by research.

Write a working thesis

• Write your thesis by creating a single sentence that includes the topic, claims, and key points of your essay. At this point, the thesis a simple thesis statement is not a problem. You can alter it as you continue. 

Draft the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs

• The draft should be a minimum of four paragraphs, including the introduction, two body paragraphs (minimum), and conclusion. Your final paper, including the Works Cited page, should be between 4-7 pages. 
• Be sure to address the entire prompt. One way to do this is to answer one question per body paragraph.
• Also, consider the reading from your MLA handbook while composing your paragraphs.