WORTH: 6% of semester grade
CAN THIS BE TURNED IN LATE?: NO
BE
SURE TO FOLLOW THE FILE-NAMING CONVENTIONS FOR THIS COURSE
(5% penalty if you do not).
All files should be saved on your computer
as: your last name, followed by an underscore ("_"),
followed by the first two letters of your first name, followed
by an underscore ("_"), followed
by the assignment number. So if a student named Saddam Hussein
were to submit assignment number 24, the file name would
be:
hussein_sa_24.doc
THIS
IS ASSIGNMENT 24
Length: 550 - 800 words
The authors of Freakonomics describe the inner-workings and defining characteristics of one narcotics-dealing enterprise.
In this essay, demonstrate how the structure of the Barksdale drug crew reflects the structure of the Chicago enterprise presented in the analysis in the reading.
By structure, we mean more than a description of the organization's hierarchy. Be sure to detail how the various elements within the organization relate to each other, how they are compensated, how they are supervised, and what all of this means for upward mobility within the organization.
You will want to organize around your essay around a concise thesis statement that appears near the beginning of your paper. UNDERLINE YOUR THESIS STATEMENT (points off if you do not).
Be sure to have at least 8 direct quotations (4 from the reading, 4 from any episode of The Wire we have watched, including those assigned this week). When citing dialogue or action, be sure to specify the episode and the aproximate time into the show (example: episode 4, 27:32). Be sure to keep your direct quotations to 10 or fewer words. See here on how to reduce quotations.
In any paragraph in which you present evidence, be sure to employ the familiar claim/evidence/warrant pattern. Remember, of course, that the introduction of your essay will NOT present evidence and so will not use the claim/evidence/warrant structure.
1) You must have a clear thesis statement within the first two paragraphs of this paper (and preferably in the first paragraph). (-5% pts if you don't)
2) You must underline your thesis statement (-5% pts if you don't)
3) You must have at least eight points of evidence, with at least four from the reading and at least four coming from The Wire(-15% pts if you don't). Your evidence should be in the form of direct quotations of no more than 10 words. (see here for how to reduce quotations)
The remaining 2 pieces of evidence can come from either of the readings or the films. DO NOT USE OUTSIDE EVIDENCE!
YOUR PAPER, HOWEVER, MIGHT EASILY HAVE MORE THAN EIGHT PIECES OF EVIDENCE.
4) Identify all pages from the reading in any format you want (e.g. (Santopietror, p. 71) and time-stamp (e.g. "46:13") from the series.
5) In paragraphs that present evidence, you must identify your claims by placing a (CL) before them; your points of evidence by placing an (EV) before them; and your warrants by placing a (WA) before them (-5% pts if you don't)
6) You must integrate your direct quotations using either METHOD 3 OR METHOD 4 FROM THE EXPLANATION OF HOW TO INTEGRATE QUOTATIONS (-10% IF YOU DO NOT)
I. Introduction
A. Brief background (2 or 3 sentences)
B. THESIS: The structure of the Barksdale crew MIRRORS the structure of the Freakonomics' narcotics enterprise in four ways: (A), (B), (C), and (D).
II. Similarity in structure (A)
transition from previous paragraph (how to write a transition (longer explanation; shorter explanation)
CL: Both drug operations relied heavily on elves to supervise employees within the organization.
EV: quotation(s) from the book demonstrating J.T.'s use of elves to supervise employees (remember to integrate your quotation(s))
EV: quotation(s) from The Wire demonstrating the Barksdales' use of elves to supervise employees. (remember to integrate your quotation(s))
WA: (connecting your evidence to this claim)
III. (B)
transition from previous paragraph (how to write a transition (longer explanation; shorter explanation)
CL
EV (2+ quotations) (remember to integrate your quotation(s))
WA
IV. (C)
transition from previous paragraph (how to write a transition (longer explanation; shorter explanation)
CL
EV (2+ quotations) (remember to integrate your quotation(s))
WA
V. (D)
transition from previous paragraph (how to write a transition (longer explanation; shorter explanation)
CL
EV (2+ quotations) (remember to integrate your quotation(s))
WA
VI. A conclusion (how to write a conclusion)
GRADING RUBRIC
I will be grading your essays using this rubric (delivered as a microsoft word .doc to your desktop)
You might want to look over the rubric before starting to write the paper so that you know my expectations in advance of writing the paper.