Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Poverty: Who is Responsible?

In a well constructed essay, discuss poverty from the point of view from one of the positions outlined below. Develop arguments for and against each position. If you were the government in power, how would you deal with the problem of poverty?

Your essay should be 500 to 1000 words in length and contain a thesis as well as citations for any documentation you use to support your arguments.

Position A:

“Poverty is the result of personal inadequacies. The poor are responsible for their own condition. Some people are poor because they likeit that way – bums and homeless people have chosen poverty as a way of life and have decided not to work. They see it as easier to live off social welfare plans than to get a job. Poor people who are middle-aged or elderly started with the same opportunities as everyone else. They could have worked harder to increase their skills and income, but instead they frittered away their lives. Why should society support them or be concerned about them?”

Position B:

“Poverty is the result of social forces beyond the comtrol of the individual. These forces include racial, religious, and gender-related prejudice; regional disparity; unequal opportunities for education and the learning of employable skills; and rapid technological change that has made some skills redundant. Other people are poor because disease or accident has left them unable to work. The poor are not responsible for their own condition – they are victims. Society should be responsible for them.”

Marking Rubric:

4 Paper

    I have taken a clear stand on an issue and I fully support it with appropriate factual information documented correctly in my Bibliography and within my essay using Parenthetical Documentation.
    I have chosen numerous specific details that more than adequately support my stand and have documented my sources correctly.
    I have an organization that is logical and does not jump around with clear transitions flowing from introduction, to body, to conclusion.
    I make good word choices to help influence the reader to agree with me.
    I have proofread several times for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  There are few errors in my paper (less than 6).

3 Paper

    I have taken a clear stand and I give it some support. The information is presented clearly and documented correctly in my Bibliography and within my essay using Parenthetical Documentation.
    I have chosen enough specific details to support my stand and have documented my sources correctly.
    I have an organization that is logical but it strays a little with a few breaks in flow from introduction, to body, to conclusion. .
    I make some good word choices to help influence the reader to agree with me; however, there are some overused or vague words such as “get,” “really,” etc.
    I have proofread several times for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  There are errors in my paper (less than 12).

2 Paper

    I have taken a stand but I may not have made my position very clear. I tried to support it with some details, but I may not have done a very good job. The details may not be the best ones I could have chosen or they might not even support my stand.  I have some trouble with documenting my sources correctly in my Bibliography and also within my essay using Parenthetical Documentation.
    There are some details but they are too general or may not really help to explain my position.
    I tried to have an organization but I did not do a good job with it and it tends to jump around. There is no clear introduction or conclusion.
    I did not use good word choices to help influence the reader to agree with me.
    I have proofread only once for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  There are many errors in my paper (13 - 20).

1 Paper

    I did not take a stand on the issue. I presented some information but it still is not clear how I stand on the issue.  I have very few sources and have not documented information correctly in my Bibliographyor within my essay using Parenthetical Documentation.
    I have little or no details. My paper is mostly vague opinions.
    I have no real organization. There is no clear introduction, body, or conclusion.
    I did not use any word choices to help influence the reader to agree with me. My words choices are vague.
    I did not proofread my paper.  There are more than 20 errors.