What Does it Mean to be Educated, and Who Decides? Entering a Conversation about Education
What Does it Mean to be Educated, and Who Decides? Entering a Conversation about
Education
In essay #2, you will consider Freire’s ideas alongside those of Mark Edmundson, both
of whom write about educational best practices from different perspectives. You will
synthesize their ideas, teaching your readers what you find most significant. This may
require you to consider how each writer would analyze the other‘s argument. You
might try to identify common ground as well as at what places the writers diverge- You
might also attempt to explain what elements of the issue neither have considered.
Remember that a synthesis requires more than summarizing other scholars’ work;
instead, you will use their work as a basis for your own argumentative thesis. To extend
our metaphor from the first two units, think of your essay as a new statement in the
conversation that Freire and Edmundson have begun.
One way to begin composing this essay is to consider Freire and Edmundson’s
arguments as they apply to collegiate education. Construct an argument based on how
college students (or professors) can apply Freire‘s and Edmundson’s ideas to their
studies. If you like, you may draw from your own experiences, but keep in mind that
both Freire and Edmundson should be directly quoted or paraphrased in your paper.
Your audience is educated peers who have read Freire and Edmundson closely. This
means that you will not need to summarize the content of each essay; rather, draw
from the texts to support your own assertions. You’ll want to consider at all points how
to persuade your readers.
Guidelines for Essay #2
Length/Due Date: approximately BOO-1,000 words
Style/Format: This, as all essays in EN106, should be formatted in a standard scholarly
format- (Most students follow MLA or APA guidelines, which are outlined in Easy
Writer-) No matter what format you follow, be sure to do the following:
0 Use 12 point, Times New Roman font, double-spaced-
0 Use 1-inch margins top, bottom, and sides
0 Although no cover page is needed, you should include your name, my name, the
course number/title, and date at the upper left-hand comer of the manuscript.
References Essay #2 will include formal references to the assigned readings, enough
references to support your thesis. Such references will use quotation or paraphrasing,
and must include in-text citations.
File format: Please submit your essay as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. We formats are
available in most word processors, including Google Docs and Open Office, and will
ensure that your instructor is able to comment on your work
Works Cited/References Because you will be referring to Freire’s and Edmundson‘s
essays, please create an appropriate bibliography.
Titles Include a descriptive title at the beginning of your essay that tips your readers
off to your thesis. Do not format your title with quotation marks, boldface, underlining
or italics- Quotation marks or underlining are only appropriate if the title borrows words
from another source-
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