[Rainbowgirl]

So, I'm upgrading my English 12 mark because I was 3 points away from qualifying for the university course I plan to take. My teacher has generously cut 2/3 of the course work away since I got such a good mark on the provincial exam when I wrote it 8 years ago. Unfortunately, one of the parts she kept in was the research essay and I, admittedly, SUCK at them.

I have been trying to figure out how to write this for a MONTH, and I keep drawing a big ol' blank which is making me really frustrated.

The topic I was given was: "People around the globe are impacted by individual choices consumers make."

That's a very broad topic, so I narrowed it to something I am interested in: Fair trade. I narrowed it further to fair trade chocolate (love chocolate).

So far, I've free-written some points, but I can't seem to figure out an 'objective' or how to piece them all together (with citations!).

I have:

Cocoa And Farmers
Where is coca mostly grown? (Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire)
How many people depend on cocoa as their livelihood? (40-50 million people)
What are the living conditions like for farmers not affiliated with FairTrade? (Oftentimes poverty-stricken, unable to provide education or healthcare to their families, etc.)
How many children on cocoa farms attend school? (In Cote d'Ivoire, 34% of children on cocoa farms attend school in comparison to 64% of children who do not work on cocoa farms. More children who work on cocoa farms go to school than in Cote d'Ivoire.)

Cocoa Economics
What is the yearly cocoa crop worth? (2009/2010was estimated at $10.5 billion).
What percentage of the price consumers pay goes to cocoa farmers? (Current rates are 6% in comparison with 16% in the 1980s).
How many companies dominate the chocolate industry? (Currently there are 9 companies; 3 'grinders' and 6 confectioneries including Mars, Hershey, Nestle, Cadbury, and Ferrero).
What causes fluctation in the cost of cocoa? (Cocoa trees are very susceptible to disease as well as climate changes. They are very expensive to replace once they become old, or if they happen to die. Increase in consumer demand from China and India also affect prices.)

Consumer Impact
What can consumers do to impact the lives of farmers in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire? (Purchase fair trade certified produces, petition companies like Hershey to become fair trade, petition local cafes and stores to use or carry more fair trade products).
How does fair trade effect farmers? (Fair trade provides adequate living wages, projects with the co-op are funded by the Fair trade premiums, including health care and education buildings. Fair trade helps reduce child labor and slave labor. Helps adults become more educated. Reduces the use of some insecticides and pesticides. Offers a minimum price for cocoa to protect farmers during an economic downturn, and helps replace cocoa trees that are diseased, dead, dying, or otherwise unable to continue producing.)

That all looks great, and I know where I can get citations for many of those points. I know how to add them into an essay. I know the certain style you have to write the essay in.

But I can't seem to get my brain to click it all together! It's like Lego blocks right now, I can see them, I can see what I want to build, but I can't figure out how to start!

Help??!

I need an objective. Is an objective something like this "How does fair trade in the chocolate industry positively affect farmers in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire"? Or is it "How can consumers in 'rich' nations positively affect cocoa farmers through Fair Trade"?

I'm so lost.
Oh. So. Terribly. Lost!

P.S - I do NOT want someone to write it for me. I need to do this on my own, but I would like some help figuring out how to go about it. I know it sounds.. weird but really, I do not want someone to just write it for me lol Maybe..suggestions on where to go with it and stuff like that?

[pnkrckpixikat]

They both work but given your actual prompt asks about consumers I would recommend the second option since you actively mention consumers in the topic. Though since Idk what sort of length you are looking for I may recommend broadening it out to include not only positively effect the cocoa farmers but how not following fair trade could negatively effect them. You could also include how if consumers convinced the large companies to buy only fair trade how non-fair trade farmers would be effected.

so maybe " "How can consumers in 'rich' nations affect cocoa farmers through Fair Trade" "

If you need to pad it out even further you could include how consumers pushing use of fair trade chocolate would affect the cost of manufacturing the chocolate so it could effect the price chocolate in the stores, or it could effect the wages of the workers in the factories,

[Porthardygurl]

I just finished 1st year english and my last essay was a research essay..so lets see if i can help you with what i just learned. ( i got an a+ in my course by the way)

First things first..You need to figure out your main point. What is the point you want to get across to your reader? From what i read..it sounds like you are trying to get across that "Fair trade is a positive opportunity for growth in third world countries". (this is just an example)

So if your point is that its positive for countries..now you need to get your sub-headings down...

So first paragraph: Introduction-In this paragraph you will explain what your essay is about..what are you researching..what are you presenting to the reader.

Then you have main body #1 - Now you need a sub-heading here...If your objective is to prove through research that fair trade is a positive opportunity, then you need to find 3 specific facts that point towards it. So you need 1 main specific fact for #1 For example: Fair trade provides "economic growth for the community"...Now you should be giving three points to hold up this heading.. For example " It provides an income to struggling famililes" - This is where quotes and citations come in handy..cause you can cite your sources as to where you are pointing this out..What have you read..?? Because, obviously you didnt come up with the idea yourself, someone else obviously did..and so therefore you need to cite the author.

Okay..so after 3 points in the #1 paragraph...you would then move on to make another subtopic for #2 and #3.. citing and providing quotes and information that would point towards why this is a positive thing. While i know there is negativity...and you can point these things out, you are taking the stance that this is good..and so therefore, you want to put a spin on it..So if you say "such and such is negative"...then following that, you should say "however....." and turn that around..because essentially what you are doing is convincing the reader of your opinion that "fair trade is an positive opportunity for growth in third world countries".

So now you should be down to your final paragraph "the conclusion" Most importantly "do not say "in conclusion"... when you start off your conclusion paragraph..The final paragraph is used to "say what you said, re-state what you said and then give a final word on it" For example: Fair trade is providing equal opportunity for economic growth in third world countries. As you can see..they are benefiting in this way and the outcome is providing....."

The end.

I hope this helps...So just remember this easy format:

Intro: > Topic sentence stating your objective.
> Include at least 3 points of what you will be covering in the following paragraphs.
> Include what useage or stats(cite authors names or books)

Main body #1 - Topic sentence
- 3 main statistics or points about the topic sentence
cite at least 1 or more quotes or stats proving said "points"

Main body #2 Topic Sentence
Another 3 main points
At least 1 or more citations proving your 3 main points

Main Body #3 Same as above 1# 2#...
3 main points
1 or more citations


Conclusion: State what you told them already in the above paragraphs
Tell them what you learned(informally..dont say " I learned")
And draw to a close


Dont forget to write a bibliography and cite and quote properly..Write your essay 1nce in rough..edit and have someone else edit if you can...and then move onto your final copy.

[Porthardygurl]

Ps...make sure that when you write your topic sentence..that your 3 main points connect to that topic sentence...


For example ...dont write " Fair trade provides an income for struggling families" as your topic sentence and then write as your point "Research says that fair trade provides jobs OR fair trade puts food on the table.." While these are valid thoughts..you need to be specific..For instance: Why does it put food on the table? How does it provide jobs? What is a benefit to them of having a job in fair trade?
Make it all relevent and stay on topic.

Good luck and hope this helped a little.