Please evaluate (make or challenge a judgment about, or construct a comparison of) one aspect of popular culture.
Popular culture, according to Wikipedia.org, is defined as: “the vernacular (people’s) culture that prevails in any given society. The content of popular culture is determined by the daily interactions, needs and desires, and cultural ‘moments’ that make up the everyday lives of the mainstream. It can include any number of practices, including those pertaining to cooking, clothing, mass media and the many facets of entertainment such as sports and literature.”
Obviously, you have quite a bit of freedom in what you choose to evaluate and how you evaluate it.

Structure:

The essay must have a clear evaluative claim in the first or second paragraph.
The first or second paragraph should include background information on your topic (“define your terms” to make sure the reader understands your subject).
The rest of the body paragraphs need to relate to your topic and defend your judgment. The below “possible topics” have examples of evaluative claims.
Please see “The Wikipedia Game: Boring, Pointless, or Neither?” on p. 235 and “Why We Prize That Magical Mystery Pad” on p. 240 for model essays.
Possible topics: (I have created sample thesis statements for each topic – they are only samples, please don’t feel limited by them. Also, you may not use them, though your thesis may sound similar and have a similar structure).

A popular icon (Lebron James, J.Lo, Brangelina, Lady Gaga, etc.) – Make a judgment about quality: Lady Gaga positively influences young people in America because of her originality and promotion of tolerance through her music.
A music genre (rap, rock, jazz, classical, etc.) – Challenge a judgment: Rap music is often construed as sexist, violent, and materialistically driven; however, not all rap promotes negative messages and its original intent was to reflect a culture.
Current fashion (apparel) – Construct a comparison: Modern trends in fashion range from skimpy to baggy, and despite criticism against such styles, today’s fashion allows much more individuality than in the past.
A current trend in media: superhero movies (DC and Marvel); supernatural TV shows (Supernatural, Sleepy Hollow, The Walking Dead, etc.); social media (Facebook, Instagram, Youtube), etc. Make a judgment: Superhero movies, like Captain America, Batman vs. Superman, and Suicide Squad have a positive impact on society because they offer young people role models even if the heroes aren’t perfect.
Current body trends (tattooing, piercing, mutilation, scarification) – Make a judgment about quality: Just because “everyone” seems to be getting tattooed, doesn’t make it a good idea. More people need to consider the repercussions of this unfortunate body trend.
A current (in the last 25 years) movie (Elysium, Divergent, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Matrix, Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Crash, Hustle & Flow, Gran Torino, Sicko, etc.) – Construct a comparison: While both the Swedish and American movie versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are good, the American version includes better actors, better cinematography, and stays truer to the original novel.
A current (in the last 15 years) television show (South Park, The Walking Dead, Family Guy, The Kardashians, N.C.I.S., Breaking Bad, True Blood, etc.) – Challenge a judgment: Some people view South Park as just a vulgar kids show, but the truth is it reflects modern culture and presents poignant commentary on current events.
A current (in the last 25 years) song (“Born in the USA,” “Proud To Be an American,” “White America,” “Imagine,” “Last Resort,” “Cop Killer,” “Like a Virgin,” etc.) – Make a judgment about quality: Songs like “Born in the USA” and “Proud To Be and American” are two of the best patriotic songs in recent music and American history.
A current practice (rise in “alternative” religions such as Wicca and Cabala; women in traditional and non-traditional roles) – Challenge a judgment: The phrase “Wiccans are just witches” is drastically reductive and miscommunicates the rich religious culture in which Wiccans participate.
A current “culture” (drug culture, gay culture, ethnic culture) – Make a judgment about quality: Methanphetamine use is currently the worst trend in modern society.
You may notice topics overlap once you begin developing your argument. Overlap is totally acceptable, as long as your main focus is clearly established and consistently returned to (topic and concluding sentences).

Specifics:

5-7 pages
Use MLA format: double spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font
Rough draft should be complete (it’s to your benefit), but I will accept partial drafts; all drafts must be typed.
You must use at least 5 sources (4 must be scholarly), and they must be properly incorporated and cited in text and formatted in a Works Cited page (which is not included in the page count).
All of our library databases and books are great for this prompt (Academic OneFile, OmniFile, the Mosaic series); however, you might want to check out Pop Culture Universe (library database) for the most current pop culture sources!