Guidelines:
This essay is a thesis-driven argumentative essay of 1,000 to 1,200 words incorporating at least two authored articles and set up in MLA Style formatting with a Works Cited page. It will be focused on a topic of your choice, using any one of the following types. definition, exemplification, process analysis, cause and effect, casual analysis, or compare/contrast. 
Keep in mind that this an academic essay and not a personal narrative. It is an exercise in how to handle credible information; therefore, you must avoid un-authored websites. It is also an exercise to develop your academic voice, so you need to avoid the use of first person (I), second person (you), and any related pronouns. Also, avoid in my opinion or I think.
Topics and Angles:
Any meaningful topic is appropriate, but you will need to narrow down that topic to a manageable angle. It needs to be an angle that you can cover in the required length of the essay. Here are some topic ideas: sports, weather, body image, music, career versus job, Facebook or any social media, television programs, movies, video games, exercise/body building, college adjustments, books, the arts, marriage, friendships, relationships, politics, child rearing, health, war, globalization, environment, global warming, or climate change. The following site offers more topics for college essays: HYPERLINK "http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/howdoi/topic.html" l "ideas" http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/howdoi/topic.html#ideas. Remember that you may select any topic to your liking. The topic should be interesting to you, and you need to make it engaging to the reader.
Resource(s)
Through Galileo, locate related articles by a credible writer. The articles must reveal the author, and it must contain something of value to your topic/angle, something you can defend or refute in your essay. The articles might also supply general information from which you can build your topic. 
After you have selected a topic and completed a search for resources, you will be able to consider ways to angle your topic in a way that you can manage it. You might need to narrow down your topic or enhance your argument by strengthening your thesis statement. For example, you might decide on the topic of climate change and your article search leads you to a piece on changes in the Artic due to temperature change. That could narrow your topic to Climate Change in the Artic. Based on that article, you might be able to summarize and/or paraphrase enough information to build a strong essay. If you cannot narrow your topic/angle to something manageable, you will need to select a different topic/angle.
*A brief outline that demonstrates the organization of EXAMPLE topic only: 
Introduction:
-the importance of the topic and the angle 
-the thesis statement
-the resource (the article) and how it is being used
Explain climate change
Explain the Artic and its relationship climate change
Explain mercury and its effects on humans and the environment
Conclusion:
-Summary of the essay`s thesis and points
-Encouragement of readers to discover more about the topic
Revision, Editing and Proofreading