Individualist Generation      

The Extended Critical Response builds on the previous skills you have already acquired. It aims at reinforcing your summary skills and responding critically to an argument using at least three articles and your own ideas. To achieve this purpose, you should enter into a constructive dialogue with other thinkers through their writings in order to produce a complex response.

Prompt

In her article entitled “The Evidence for Generation Me and Against Generation We,” published in the Journal of Emerging Adulthood in 2013, Dr. Jean M. Twenge argues that millenneals are an individualistic generation.  Based on empirical evidence, she contends that millennials’ individualism, grounded in the materialistic values they hold, has made the today’s young narcissists and apathetic about social and community problems and politics.

To what extent do you agree with Twenge’s claim that millennials are an individualistic generation?

You may agree, disagree or partly agree and partly disagree with Twenge’s views. You will argue your position by drawing from your own ideas, knowledge and experience and from at least 3 of the following sources:

 

Foster, Brook Lea. “The Persistent Myth of the Narcissistic Millennial.” the-persistent-myth-of-the-narcissistic-millennial/382565/.

Hingston, Sandy. “How Millennials Are Ruining the Workforce.” Philadelphia. Philadelphia, www.phillymag.com/news/2016/01/08/ boomers –millen

nials-workforce/.

Kelley, Raina. “Generation Me.” Newsweek 27 Apr. 2009: 48. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 28 Aug. 2016.

Stein, Joel. “Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation.” Time. U.S. ed. Time.com,

Tenenhaus, Sam. “Generation Nice: The Millennials are Generation Nice.” New York Times. U.S. ed. New York Times, nytimes.com /20 14 /08/17/ fashion/ the- millennials-are-generation-nice.html.

Introduction

• Identify Twenge’s article ( title, author, date, publication)
• Summarize the main idea and the main points of Twenge’s article in a few sentences
• Introduce the debate. Offer an overview of the sources you will be using to support your response to his argument.
• Formulate your thesis, the “I say.” State whether you agree, disagree, or both with Twenge’s claim. To choose the appropriate template, please refer to They Say/I Say.

Main body

• Open each paragraph with a clear topic sentence in which you will state one of Twenge’s points, as well as whether you agree or disagree with it. The rest of the paragraph will explain why you agree, disagree, or both with the author’s point.
• Provide enough evidence to be convincing. Explain why the collected evidence supports the thesis. Quote, summarize, or paraphrase carefully. Refer to the Scott Foresman Handbook for Writers (pp. 628-632) and They Say/I Say (pp. 42-50) for how to frame quotations.

Conclusion

Wrap up what you have already discussed in your essay by restating your topic and your thesis, and explain the “so what.” Refer to They Say/I Say, Chapter 7.

Things to Consider for Writing

• Your audience will mainly consist of Deree students and instructors whose opinion on the issue under discussion may vary significantly. Your purpose is to convince readers.
• Read the main source and make a list of the points which you will respond to.
• Read the sources we have already discussed and identify the points that support your response.
• Use any prewriting technique to come up with satisfactory examples from your experience.
• Formulate your thesis.
• Draw an outline to organize your ideas.

You must complete all stages of the assignment in order to receive a letter grade. This means that you should submit: 1) any prewriting technique, 2) outline, 3) the First Draft and 4) Works Cited page.

Citation & Format: MLA  style.

Length: 1000-1200 words