Content Editing Checklist- Constitutional Issues: Voting Rights

1) Does your title clearly communicate the issue you picked and which side you are arguing?

2) Does your intro paragraph include the following 3 parts?

· Hook: Share a shocking or moving quote, fact, anecdote

· Connection: Link hook to essay topic

· Thesis: Follow the formula- Even though X, there is Y because of reason A and reason B

(H) Twenty years ago, LCHS has a surge in violent gang activity with baseball caps being the marker for the two rival gangs that resulted in a shooting here on campus. It made perfect sense why the school board swiftly banned all hats on campus. (C) Luckily today, LC has not seen any significant gang activity in several years, making LC a safe and enjoyable place to live. (T) Even though, banning hats works well to ensure safety in schools where gang activity is present, here in LC we should end the hat ban policy because students want the opportunity to express themselves through new hat fashions and to encourage school spirit by wearing their LC team hats.

3) Do your historical and current day paragraphs include the following 2 parts?

· Relevant Constitutional Amendments? (these are in your research packet)

· Current debate occurring now in America about this issue? (“In the 2012 election…”)

4) Do your X: counter-claim paragraphs have multiple, specific cited examples?

· Evidence: Names of people, organizations, statistics, percentages, expert quotes

· Sources: According to… , In a study by… , says…. a professor from…

5) Do your A: strongest claim paragraphs have multiple, specific cited examples?

· Evidence: Names of people, organizations, statistics, percentages, expert quotes

· Sources: According to… , In a study by… , says…. a professor from…

6) Do your B: second strongest claim paragraphs have multiple, specific cited examples?

· Evidence: Names of people, organizations, statistics, percentages, expert quotes

· Sources: According to… , In a study by… , “...” says…. a professor from…

7) Does your conclusion paragraph include the 3 parts?

· Broad statement: connect to American values

· Restate thesis: should… , shouldn’t…

· Call to action: moving forward, next step

(B) Schools not only teach math, reading, and writing, but also values like individual expression. (R) Wearing hats are simply part of one’s individual expression, which is why LCHS should lift the hat ban policy. (C) By doing so, we will show the community that we value the uniqueness of each student, while still maintaining our focus on high academic standards.

8) Do each of your 8 cited sources have a brief annotation that answers these three questions:

· Who is the author, what are they doing, what type of source is it?

· What information does this source cover

· What did you learn, how did this help your understanding of the issue

Smith, in his in-depth magazine article, explains how culturally Americans have become more casual in their attire in the last 30 years, citing many examples of items, like wearing jeans to work, that used to be considered inappropriate are now much more accepted. I learned that hats used to be very taboo to wear inside, but now hats are becoming commonplace from grocery stores to churches.