The document outlines the assignment for an essay proposing a solution to a significant problem, emphasizing the need for a realistic, fair-minded solution supported by strong arguments. It includes guidelines for drafting, peer reviews, and final submission, as well as tips for structuring the essay and engaging with opposing viewpoints. The essay also highlights a literature review component focused on the influence of patriarchy in marriages, obesity's impact in America, and the importance of utilizing credible sources.

1. Essay #2: Proposing a
Solution
In Class:
For this essay, your task is to propose a realistic, thoughtful
solution to a problem that affects you or someone you know.
This could be a large scale problem (such as profound national
frustration with our electoral system) or a smaller scale
problem (such as a general lack of exciting social life for
students who live on campus). While you might need to provide
some “proof ” that your problem is really a problem, the bulk of
your argument should aim to convince your reader that your
solution is
a very good option for all parties involved.
As you begin drafting in class, your goal should be to produce
2-4 pages of thoughtful prose that:
• briefly introduces your chosen problem and the stakes (why
the problem needs to be addressed)
• proposes a realistic and fair minded solution (it could actually

2. work, and people would likely accept it)
• develops 1-3 supporting points for your argument (research
sources optional for the first draft)
• pays close attention to the basic features as outlined in SMG
Feel free to use the following template for effective structure:
• an intro paragraph that describes your problem and solution
and gives your reader a reason to care
• 1-3 body paragraphs that develop individual points of support
• a brief conclusion that wraps up your argument
First draft requirements:
• To receive full credit for this portion of essay #1, your in-
class draft must be at least one full page.
• Our purpose is not to produce final draft quality writing at this
phase. Just start by getting your ideas on paper, for
now.
Subsequent Drafts:
Now that you have a basic argument on paper, continue to
develop and focus your argument. Feel free to bring this draft
to office hours. Be sure to improve your draft prior to the peer
review workshop, to help you produce a solid final draft.

3. Peer Review Requirements:
Bring three copies for peer-review. This draft should preferably
be a full draft, but must be at least 3-4 pages. If you’re
short of 4-5 full pages, include a well-developed outline for the
rest of your argument.
Final Draft Requirements:
• 4-5 pages of cleanly written, well-organized, lucid, insightful
prose
• 2-4 scholarly or credible sources, with ALL borrowed words
and information appropriately cited.
• MLA format (double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font,
etc.) incl. Works Cited page
• Submit via SafeAssign, and turn in all invention work and
drafts with your final draft
Additional Tips:
• Most any problem you choose can provide options for
effective use of research, though you might need to be
inventive in identifying relevant, useful research sources. I’m
happy to provide suggestions for research, if you like.
• Remember that opposing viewpoints are not just bowling pins
to knock down—your overall solution must account

4. for major potential objections, rather than ignoring them or
hoping your reader won’t notice (for instance, if you
propose to solve climate change by immediately banning all
fossil fuels, your argument would crumble right away
if someone pointed out that such an immediate ban could mean
that hundreds of millions of people would have
little or no access to food, electricity, or even water).
• As you read, think, and research, be willing to listen. Be
willing to (heaven forbid in today’s political climate!)
change your mind. Remember that our democratic and ethical
responsibilities entail a willingness to come to
terms with arguments we might not want to hear.
• Ask yourself throughout the process: Why does my chosen
problem need/deserve attention? In other words, what
is at stake? Is my proposed solution as fair, equitable, and
humane as possible? How can I get the widest possible
audience to care about this issue, problem, and solution?
• Our readings in The Saint Martin’s Guide are not just busy
work; they are models of the kind of writing you’re being
asked to do. Choose one that appeals to you and use that essay
as a model.

5. • If you are not very clear on how to frame your problem and
argue for your solution, visit my office hours, see me
before or after class, and be sure to ask questions in class.
Surname:3
Student's Name:
Professor's Name:
Course:
Date:
How Patriarchy Influences Marriages
The chosen topic for exploration in the literature review is "how
patriarchy influences marriages." The topic is the best to
explore especially coming at a time when there has been a
paradigm shift in the role of women in society today. The
reserve of women is no longer in the kitchen and just taking
care of families as they are breaking the set glass ceilings to
pursue careers thought to be for men. Relatively, as a result of

6. the increased rates of divorce, women are increasingly
becoming the new heads of families. Moreover, women are now
taking part in making decisions in marriages. There is the
likelihood of encountering the idea of the unfair treatment of
women in marriages. Through the exploration of the chick lit
materials, one gets a better perspective of how patriarchy
marriages affect marriages from the standpoint of women who
encounter the effects at most.
Mattebol, Lindkvist and Pedersen et al. (n.p.) voiced the
findings of UNFPA (2014) who denoted women and girls as
highly discriminated by culture especially in a patriarchy
society. The other thing that might stand out is how the
patriarchy system influences the decisions on women's
reproductive health. The author noted that the gender inequity
perspective comes in handy in the explanation of how the
patriarchal culture influences the decisions about women's
productive health. Zielinski (n.p.) denotes the meaning of
marriage as deeply entrenched in patriarchy and gender
inequality such that there is no need to get into marriage if the
man is not willing to ignore all traditional practices in marriage.
The CBE International (n.p.) termed culture and era as some of
the influencers of the patriarchal aspect of marriages.

7. Works Cited
CBE International. "Marriage: Patriarchal, Sacramental or
Covenantal?" 2018. Retrieved from
https://www.cbeinternational.org/resources/article/priscilla-
papers/marriage-patriarchal-sacramental-or-covenantal.
Accessed on 25/10/2018
Mattebol, Magdalena, Lindkvist, Madeleine & Pedersen,
Chrsitina. "The influence of a patriarchal culture on women’s
reproductive decision-making: exploring the perceptions of 15
Nepali healthcare providers." Retrieved from
https://www.rcm.org.uk/learning-and-career/learning-and-
research/ebm-articles/the-influence-of-a-patriarchal-culture-on.
Accessed on 25/10/2-18
Zielinski, Caroline. "First Comes Love, then Comes Marriage.
Not for Me, Thanks." The Daily Telegraph, 15th April 2015.
Retrieved from
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendezview/first-comes-
love-then-comes-marriage-not-for-me-thanks/news-
story/d53ae485a9015c0562b3f054427796f4. Accessed on
25/10/2018

8. Literature Review
Objectives
In academic settings, literature reviews are documents (or
sections of documents) that provide
an overview of the existing conversation on a subject. Generally
speak, the goal of a lit review is
to demonstrate both your own awareness of critical discussions
and to trace patterns or
progressions in those conversations.
You will begin by thinking about topics relating to chick lit and
feminism(s) that interest you.
You’ll want to narrow your topic down—something like “chick
lit” might generate far too many
results in a search, but something more narrow like “Christian

9. chick lit,” “wedding lit,” or “queer
chick lit” will likely give you a much more manageable set of
texts to work with. You can also
focus on reviews of a specific novel or film, either one we’ve
read for class or one you’ve
encountered elsewhere in your reading and viewing.
You will then read at least five and no more than eight credible
sources on your topic—ideally,
these will come from newspapers and magazines rather than
people’s personal blogs. These
should be articles or essays that take a stance on your topic
rather than informational
discussions; the authors should be making arguments, not just
educating readers on definitions
or histories.
Read each of these sources carefully, paying attention to the

10. claims they’re making about your
topic. As you gather your resources, trace larger patterns: do
any claims seem to appear over
and over again? Are there any major disagreements about terms
or claims in the sources
you’ve collected? (You might even find that some sources
respond directly to others that you’ve
read, giving you an explicit sense of conversation between
specific authors.)
Your paper will begin with a brief introduction that identifies
your key question(s) and contexts.
That is, you will explain why you undertook this topic and why
it matters in some larger context
(literary, cultural, historical, geographical, or so on). It will
then briefly summarize each of the
sources you’ve read, but it should not simply be a list of
summaries. Instead, those summaries

11. need to relate to one another and be organized in a thoughtful,
logical way. (Don’t just use
chronological or alphabetical order, in other words.) If you see
the conversation focusing on
three key ideas, organize your summaries around those ideas; if
you see a progression, where
views seem to have changed from one stance to another, follow
that evolution. Finally, you will
offer a brief conclusion about the significance of the patterns or
progressions you’ve identified.
What’s important or notable about them? What could they
signal about the larger context(s) you
discussed in your introduction? What are some gaps you noticed
in the conversation, or what
might be directions that future conversations could follow or
develop?

12. You will submit a proposal with your topic and the results of a
preliminary search—that is,
citations or links for at least 3 sources—by Friday, Sept. 14.
You may be asked to revise your
proposal before approval. I will not grade a finished project
without an approved proposal.
Guidelines
Your literature review must:
• be 4-6 pages in length;
• engage with at least 5 and no more than 8 credible sources on
your topic;
• follow MLA style for document design and citation.
Resources and Reminders
• When choosing a topic, feel free to focus on things related to

13. your major, your future
career, or your personal interests when relevant. You’ll be
doing a fair amount of reading
here, so it’s important that you actually want to know more
about the topic you’ve
chosen.
• If you are struggling to find sources or feel unsure about
whether a source meets the
guidelines for this assignment, email me or come talk to me
about it. I’m happy to offer
feedback or suggestions at any stage of the project.
• Be thoughtful and systematic in your reading—annotate
carefully, develop a system for
marking important ideas, and gather similarities and differences
among articles. Give
yourself plenty of “breadcrumbs”!

14. Zia 2
Aamna Zia
Professor Hunt
English 1B
October 26, 2018
Obesity
Obesity in America is a major health issue that leads to
numerous life-threatening diseases. The consumption of
unhealthy foods combined with the severe lack of proper
physical activity are a few reasons as to why Americans are
some of the most obese people in the world. Fast-food
industries also play a heavy hand in the issue of obesity.
Millions of Americans are easily influenced by television
commercials and social media advertisements of million-dollar
companies such as McDonalds, Taco Bell, Burger King, and
more. Obesity is a disease that millions of people die from
every year as it causes diabetes, heart attacks, high blood
pressure, and stroke. Obesity continues to prevail because
Americans continue to consume unhealthy foods, persistently
over eat, and participate in little physical activity.

15. To begin with, one of the main causes of obesity in America
today is the consumption of fast foods. Americans eat pizza,
cheese burgers, French fries, tacos, and drink Coca-Cola almost
every day which leads them to be on the path of obesity. Most
of these fast food places contain a large amount of fats, sugar,
and carbs which all increase weight much faster than healthier
foods. Several Americans choose to go to fast foods because it
is convenient and cheap. People can always find fast food
restaurants near their homes or have the option of it being
delivered to wherever they are. Fast food restaurants are much
more convenient because it’s a lot more work making food at
home using healthier ingredients. Obesity is a problem
worldwide, but more than half of the people live in America.
Obesity has many health risks such as diabetes which root from
fast foods. An increasing amount of people are developing type
2 diabetes as it occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant
which is very closely linked to obesity. Television
advertisements are a major influence on individuals today.
When children and teens watch television programs they are
exposed to several different advertisements related to food and
beverages. Most food and beverages that are exposed to people
through advertisements are products that are high in fat and
sugar. “About 40% of all the food and beverage ads children
and teens see on TV are for snacks, and there's a growing
amount of snack advertising on social media and mobile phone

16. apps” (Carina Storrs). These snacks include candy, chocolate,
chips, and cookies. The World Health Organization states that
“television advertisements influence children’s food
preferences, purchase requests, and consumption patterns.”
(WHO). Banning television ads promoting junk food can greatly
help reduce obesity rates. This can be possible with government
intervention to put a stop to unhealthy food advertisements. For
example, tobacco companies used to advertise on television and
radios to recommend their products that we no longer see today.
The Food and Drug Administration helped regulate tobacco
products and marketing practices. With the help of our
government we can regulate fast food advertisements as well to
reduce the rates of obesity.
Additionally, overeating has a significant impact on obesity in
America. Overeating can become a comforting mechanism and a
daily pattern. For instance, several people overeat when they get
stressed out which results in them eating unhealthy snacks such
as chocolate bars, candy, chips and cookies. There are very
serious medical issues that need to be addressed regarding
obesity such as high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, heart disease,
and potentially death. “Today, 2.1 billion people – nearly 30%
of the world’s population – are either obese or overweight”
(Murray). Overeating is an eating disorder which is where an
individual is addicted to food that leads to binge eating. People
who suffer from this disorder continue eating even after they

17. are extremely full. Binge eating leads to many health risks and
can even lead to depression. In order to put an end to this,
parents need to control what their kids eat and how much they
are eating. Many parents choose to buy unhealthy products
because they are too lazy to cook healthy foods at home. Some
parents make it seem like that they don’t have a choice over the
foods their kids eat or how much they are eating because their
children demand it or because they can not say “no”. Children
are always watching television, playing video games, or on their
phones for hours just eating unhealthy snacks. Parental control
needs to be put in action because overeating is one of the
leading causes of obesity. Overeating is one of the main
contributing factors to obesity which is a major pubic health
concern.
Obesity is continuing to grow at a phenomenal rate in the
United States and one of the causes is the lack of physical
activity people do. Obesity is cause by eating too much and not
moving enough. If a person does not burn off the energy they
are eating through exercise and physical activity, then the extra
energy will be turned into fat. Lack of physical activity is the
leading cause of obesity in individuals. People have increased
in inactive activities and decreased involvement in physical
activities. Instead of simply taking a walk or eating healthier
foods, people choose to watch television for hours and eat
potato chips. “On average, American adults are watching five

18. hours and four minutes of television per day” (Koblin). The lack
of physical activity obviously leads to obesity and needs to be
addressed to everyone. Keeping active can help people maintain
a healthy weight and even lose weight. It lowers the risks of
diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many more
health issues. People on average need to get at least an hour of
physical activity per day in order to maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity in America continues to grow at an alarming rate which
is causing serious health issues. This problem has become more
common as society today is all about consuming unhealthy fast
foods, overeating, and lack of physical activity.

19. Works Cited
Koblin, John. “How Much Do We Love TV? Let Us Count the
Ways.” The New York Times,The New York Times, 30 June
2016,www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/business/media/nielsen-
survey-media-viewing.html.
Murray, Christopher J.L. “Nearly One-Third of the World's
Population Is Obese or Overweight,New Data Show.” Institute
for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 9 Oct.
2015,www.healthdata.org/news-release/nearly-one-third-
world%E2%80%99s-populationobese-or-overweight-new-data-
show.
Storrs, Carina. “Kids Seeing More Unhealthy Snack Ads, Report
Says.” CNN, Cable NewsNetwork, 2 Nov. 2015,
www.cnn.com/2015/11/02/health/children-snack-
foodadvertising/index.html.
“Restrictions of Food Marketing and Advertisements Aimed at

20. Children.” Food Directions, 6Feb. 2017,
fooddirectionsllc.com/2017/02/06/restrictions-of-food-
marketing-andadvertisements-aimed-at-children/.