Final Paper Outline

The end of the class is rapidly approaching and now is a great time to begin working on your Final Paper. This week’s assignment will give you an opportunity to create a detailed outline (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. to establish a structure for your Final Paper. Your outline will be reviewed by your instructor and the feedback provided will help you create a polished final product.

Review the Final Paper instructions in Week 5. Then, view the Sample Outline (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. from the Ashford Writing Center. Be sure to include a concise thesis statement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. at the end of the introduction (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. In addition, for each of the main points (Sections 2 through 5) create a topic sentence that will introduce the main points of that section. Make sure that your main points are supported by information from sources that you have cited in APA format.

Select an environmental issue that interests you from the list below:

• Loss of biodiversity
• Energy
• Solid and hazardous waste
• Public land use
• Climate change
• International environmental policy

Please note that air quality and water issues are not topics for the Final Paper because you wrote a short paper during Week 2, which focuses on one of those two policy areas.

For this week’s assignment, complete the following sections of your outline:

1. Introduction and thesis
   1. Introduce (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. the topic to your reader in a sentence or two.
   2. Include a thesis statement that identifies three environmental challenges/problems associated with your chosen topic and also identifies the policy you are recommending that will effectively and efficiently address these challenges/issues.
2. Environmental challenges/problems
   1. Create a topic sentence that describes a first challenge/problem associated with the selected environmental issue.
   2. Create a topic sentence that describes a second challenge/problem associated with the selected environmental issue.
   3. Create a topic sentence that describes a third challenge/problem associated with the selected environmental issue.
   4. Provide at least one piece of supporting evidence (a quote or paraphrase) that supports all of your claims that the identified challenges/problems are in fact an issue. Be sure to provide an in-text citation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
   5. In a single sentence, explain the meaning of the evidence you added above.
   6. So what? Add a sentence that tells your reader how this evidence supports your topic sentence. Why is this evidence important to share?
3. Direct/indirect environmental values 
   1. Create a topic sentence that describes what direct/indirect environmental values are impacted by the three environmental challenges/problems associated with the issue.
   2. Provide at least one piece of supporting evidence (a quote or paraphrase) that supports your claim that these environmental values are being impacted by your chosen topic. Be sure to provide an in-text citation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
   3. In a single sentence, explain the meaning of the evidence you added above.
   4. So what? Add a sentence that tells your reader how this evidence supports your topic sentence. Why is this evidence important to share?
4. Policy description  
   1. Create a topic sentence that describes a policy that will effectively and efficiently address the selected environmental issue.
   2. Provide at least one piece of supporting evidence (a quote or paraphrase) that supports your claim that this policy will help to address the issue. Be sure to provide an in-text citation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
   3. In a single sentence, explain the meaning of the evidence you added above.
   4. So what? Add a sentence that tells your reader how this evidence supports your topic sentence. Why is this evidence important to share?
5. Policy pros/cons 
   1. Create a topic sentence that describes one social pro and con of implementing the recommended policy.
   2. Create a topic sentence that describes one political pro and con of implementing the recommended policy.
   3. Create a topic sentence that describes one economic pro and con of implementing the recommended policy.
   4. Create a topic sentence that describes one environmental pro and con of implementing the recommended policy.
   5. Provide at least one piece of supporting evidence (a quote or paraphrase) that supports all of your claims that these are in fact pros and cons of implementing the chosen policy. Be sure to provide an in-text citation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
   6. In a single sentence, explain the meaning of the evidence you added above.
   7. So what? Add a sentence that tells your reader how this evidence supports your topic sentences. Why is this evidence important to share?
6. Conclusion
   1. In a sentence or two, conclude (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. by reviewing your main points and overall argument/thesis.

The outline must be two to three pages in length (excluding title page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and reference page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. You must use at least four credible sources (at least two of which must be found in the Ashford University Library) other than the textbook to support your claims. Cite your sources in-text (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and on the reference page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. For additional information regarding APA samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center, located within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar, in your online course.