Thesis essay related to an issue of importance in current media or literature. The essay is designed to engage students in a research process that investigates a current issue from media that is relevant to cultural competency in Canadian nursing practice
Construct a thesis essay related to an issue of importance in current media or literature.
Engage students in a research process that investigates a current issue from media
that is relevant to cultural competency in Canadian nursing practice and of interest to the student. In week 3
students are expected to participate in a pair and share activity where students have their thesis statement
reviewed by two peers.
Students will write a four-page thesis paper related to cultural competency as a focused extension to a topic of
interest identified from within current media (see examples in the assignment details) or literature. The term
paper will articulate why the selected topic is an issue for nursing that is relevant to cultural competency. This
essay is a persuasive argument that supports/defends a thesis statement reflected in one of the course topics
introduced in the media. The term paper is a scholarly submission based-on the analysis of peer reviewed
academic resources in APA format. Students are to include a minimum number of 8 - 10 references for this
assignment most of which must be peer-reviewed. Quotations, if used, should be limited. Content within
quotations must reinforce your own narrative in order to be considered for grading. The essay should be written
in the third person (Do not use words like I, we, or you in the paper). Content beyond the four pages will not be
read or graded.
Helpful video instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
list=PLs4oKIDq23AeFVEp1oAoG7BKQ128Wlzmf&v=nXanklgcEsY
Process:
A) Selecting an Issue
Students will identify an issue in a current media source (online news website or social media site). Students
are encouraged to look beyond regular news websites to look for controversial expressions of issues related to
culture. For example, viral websites like buzzfeed may discuss an issue that could be used as a foundation for
this assignment.
The issue selected must relate to content from the course and be clearly linked to cultural competency within
the paper. Download or take a ‘screenshot’ of the identified media to include as an Appendix in your paper.
B) Articulating the Issue in the Introduction (Paragraph 1)
⦁ In your first paragraph: Articulate the issue by summarising the media source in a few sentences. Be
accurate, objective and succinct. In this paragraph you are summarizing the article/media and demonstrating
how it identified an issue. This step will require critical thinking about what you have learned in the course.
⦁ Identify the significance and relevance of the issue in a concise and compelling way. Demonstrate a
Canadian Context. Support these statements with scholarly citations. Use current peer-reviewed literature to
succinctly identify the scope, nature and magnitude of the issue. Use credible sources from this point forward
in your essay.
⦁ End the paragraph with a statement of the thesis that will be the focus of the essay.
⦁ Accomplish these points in no more than half a page.
Finish the paragraph with your thesis statement on the issue. Your aim is to write the thesis statement (your
opinion) so that it is clearly worded, concise and controversial. The thesis statement is the most important part
of your essay. A thesis is a proposition put forward and supported by arguments. That means that you need to
take an assertive stance on the identified issue. The thesis is a debatable statement (i.e., there is an opposite
thesis to the one that you have proposed). The thesis statement must be the final sentence of the first
paragraph.
D. Analyzing the Issue (Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4)
Each of the next three paragraphs is a separate argument that supports the thesis. Present a critical analysis
of literature that clearly and logically builds your argument (and therefore supports the thesis). Your goal is to
persuade your course professor that your opinion (thesis statement) is reasonable and well supported
(grounded in evidence).
You must include three paragraphs which describe three different arguments to support the thesis. Each of
these three paragraphs will begin with the thesis statement followed by a “because…” statement that presents
a different argument to directly defend the thesis. After stating your argument, defend it in the rest of the
paragraph by using critical analyses and examples. The arguments may be historical, ethical, legal, social,
cultural or political. However, each argument must be clearly distinct, relevant and directly support your thesis
statement
E. Conclusion/Reinforcement (Paragraph 5)
Sample Solution