Option A: Op-Ed | Custom PHD Thesis

Option A: Op-Ed
Write an opinion-editorial piece taking a clear, well-evidenced position in a current social debate pertaining to food (e.g. fast food labor strikes, school lunch nutrition, GMO labeling, SNAP, junk food taxes, etc.). An effective op-ed is persuasive, timely, and well-supported, reflecting a familiarity with and sensitivity to the historical origins and potential implications of an ongoing debate. Your op-ed must speak directly to an issue or event that is currently significant in public, political, or media discourse.
Your essay must be approx. 700-800 words (roughly three double-spaced pages), be submitted as a Word document (no PDFs, please!), and use 1-inch margins and 12-pt font. Include a useful title that indicates your subject and analytical angle. (“GMO Labeling,” for example, is not an adequate title.) Make sure to proofread your work (or, better yet, ask someone else to proofread it for you). Papers laden with obvious grammatical errors or typos will be penalized by at least 1/3 of a letter-grade deduction. If you have questions or concerns about this policy, I am happy to discuss it with you via email or in person.

Each student must submit a short essay by 11:59 pm on F Jul 11. You may choose from the options below. Feel free to approach the topic from a creative vantage, so long as you demonstrate critical thinking and root your work in credible sources. This is not an “opinion” piece, per se, but an analytical exercise requiring you to use course readings and films as the basis for your own argument or claim. Essays must reference at least two assigned or recommended sources and at least two outside sources. Be sure to include a Works Cited page with complete citation information for all references.

Essays must be 700-800 words (approx. 3 double-spaced pages) and should be proofread and polished. Careless spelling or grammatical mistakes will negatively affect your essay grade. Given the nature of the specific topic you choose, however, a conversational tone or voice might be appropriate.

Example: Michelle Obama on junk food and childhood obesity http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/opinion/michelle-obama-on-attempts-to-roll-back-healthy-reforms.html

Option B: Political Testimony
You have been called before the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Congress, or a state or local lawmaking body to testify as an expert on a food-related matter currently being debated (e.g. fast food labor strikes, school lunch nutrition, GMO labeling, SNAP, junk food taxes, etc.). Write a short speech or brief testimony taking a clear, well-supported position on the matter being decided. In addition to your testimony, you must include a brief biographical statement (max. 50 words) explaining your background, constituency, expertise, etc. (Obviously a pharmacist working for a corporate food or diet company will offer a very different viewpoint on a given issue than an independent farmer in Iowa, a fast food union organizer in Boston, or an elementary school cafeteria manager in San Francisco.) Be sure to explain the matter under discussion, and what is at stake in the outcome.

Option C: Film Review
Write a review of one of the required or recommended films. Offer an engaging (lively!) summary of the film’s content and message, assessing its merits and shortcomings. An effective film review must include a summary of the film’s content and themes. What issues does it reflect upon or raise? Does it reveal a progressive or a conservative agenda? Which voices tell the story and which are left out? Who should watch the film, and who (individuals, groups, or companies) might question or oppose its argument(s)? In addition to commenting on the social messages of the film, be sure to reflect on its effectiveness in conveying those messages. Is the film interesting? Is it an important film to watch? What, if anything, would make it stronger or more persuasive? Remember, your task is not to explain whether or not you personally like the film, but to offer information to others who might be interested in seeing it. Try to be objective and fair to the creators and subjects of the documentary. You may review any film listed on the syllabus, including “recommended” ones.

Example: Review of Food, Inc. (2008) http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/movies/12food.html?_r=0

Option D: Outside the Box
If you would like to take a different approach to this assignment, please let me know via email by M Jul 7 so we can discuss your idea. You must have prior approval to choose this option.

FORMATTING AND SUBMISSION

Your essay must be approx. 700-800 words (roughly three double-spaced pages), be submitted as a Word document (no PDFs, please!), and use 1-inch margins and 12-pt font. Include a useful title that indicates your subject and analytical angle. (“GMO Labeling,” for example, is not an adequate title.) Make sure to proofread your work (or, better yet, ask someone else to proofread it for you). Papers laden with obvious grammatical errors or typos will be penalized by at least 1/3 of a letter-grade deduction. If you have questions or concerns about this policy, I am happy to discuss it with you via email or in person.

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