Remember to review
the information on the Writing Assignments web page

You must have at least three full pages for the essay to be acceptable, at least four full pages if you are trying for an "A" or "B" grade.

Be sure to state your thesis clearly in the introduction.

Be sure to support your statements with evidence from your sources.

You must use at least one direct quote from each of your sources, and you do want to use parenthetical citations.

Be sure to use correct MLA manuscript format.

You must include a current-MLA-format Works Cited page.

things do not need to be the way they always have been

Your last couple of weeks of readings were on upcycling and alternative housing, and you explored, in your short assignments, some research materials on the topics and some of the key trends in the fields. For this first paper, you are going to build on one of those two assignments. Now you are certainly welcome to use entirely new material for the paper (and you actually might if you've discovered some very compelling new and different information since you wrote your discussions, but it really does make sense to use some of what you have already done in your pre-writing assignments as a starting point and expand on it here.

Directions: Choose one of the following topics and write an essay of three to five pages in length. Papers must be at least three full pages to try to earn a "C"; papers must be at least four full pages to try to earn a higher score.

Regardless of length, papers must use a minimum of three research sources. You are welcome to include material from one of our class readings, but the other two must be new sources (possibly from your pre-writing assignments, but probably new ones that fit the requirements of this essay). You must quote directly from each source; each direct quotaton must be followed by a parenthetical citation; you must have correct, MLA-format Works Cited entries (on a separate Works Cited page) for each as well.

  1. Give an overview of the repurposing/upcycling trend, and how it is being used in homes. Don’t try to cover all of repurposing; that would require a book. The opening of your paper might borrow from some of the massive clutter description you detailed in your discussion, and that could lead into a thesis on why repurposing or upcycling makes sense. Another possiblity for your opening is to refer to an idea from one of our class readings on Too Much Stuff and expand on that idea with some real-world examples. It would make sense to quote/document a passage from the article then.

    Following your opening (and using a transition) give some background on repurposing in general. Look up (use quote and document your research sources) some early historical examples of recycling/repurposing. Then establish why the movement took off in such a huge way in the 21st century (think about ecology, economy, creativity, preservation of memories--anything that makes this movement make sense. This part of your essay would probably be a couple of paragraphs.

    Then limit the main part of your paper (probably two or three paragraphs) to a detailed look at how repurposing or upcycling can be applied to one or two specific areas such as household items or even larger projects. Be sure you give several detailed, concrete (actual) examples that illustrate this trend. What are the advantages of this repurposing or upcycling? What impact might it have on an individual or the environment? How is this a way to express practicality and/or creativity? Does it fill the needs some have for nostalgia? for avoiding the guilt of throwing away someone else's treasures?

    Also add pictures; pictures make your essay clearer and more interesting. But they don’t take the place of words; you still need three to five full pages of text.

  2. Give an overview of the alternative housing trend. Don’t try to cover all of the options; that would require a book. Your opening might include some reflections on what makes a house feel like a home which could lead into a thesis on how housing designs do not need to be conventional/traditional to satisfy these psychological needs. Another approach for an opening is to describe someone in a very unconventional housing situation (a daily activity in an undersea house, a person moving from a composting toilet to wash his/her hands in a sink with well-supplied water heated by solar panels, or some other very distinctive situation.

    The next couple of paragraphs (following a transition) should give some background on the movement, how it has historical roots (be sure to find some specific examples from your research sources), why it seems so practical in the 21st century. And list as many options as you like to show the range of possibilities. Unusual examples are generally more interesting than fairly common ones (so an undersea house would draw more attention than a more-common tiny house).

    Then limit the remainder of your essay (probably two or three paragraphs) to a closer exploration of one or two of those options. Describe those with lots of detailed, concrete (actual) examples. What are some of the challenges with this kind of alternative housing? advantages (to the individual and the environment)? clever ways to overcome buidling and size obstacles? special ways to make the place feel like a home? You might even look at this in terms of the values that are represented by such housing.

    Also add pictures; pictures make your essay clearer and more interesting. But they don’t take the place of words; you still need three to five full pages of text.