Effects Student homelessness leads to higher amounts of student loan debt and contributes to higher drop-out rates. When homeless students struggle with food and housing insecurity, they cannot complete their assignments on time. They fall behind because they are malnourished or sick. Brooke Evans, a homeless student, had to drop out of college because of these obstacles. After dropping out, she could not find a well-paying job so the interest in her student loan increased (Goldrick-Rab and Broton). Since many of these students do not have a college degree, they cannot find a job easily. If homeless students manage to find a job, they will need to allocate money for their student loan payments, which leaves them with less money for other necessities. Some students may use their student loans to pay for cars or other items, which adds to the total amount they must pay back to loan companies. When students drop out of college, they must start paying back their student loans immediately. If they do not do so, their credit score will suffer and they may be denied jobs or housing because of this. College is expensive for most students, but homeless students’ financial obstacles leave them with high student loan debt, trapping them in a cycle of poverty. Society also suffers the consequences of student homelessness. Homeless students are left with few options, so many turn to illegal activities, such as prostitution and drug trafficking, in order to survive on the streets (Wyant). Almost half of homeless youth report trading sex for shelter (“Homelessness, Survival Sex, and Human Trafficking”). This has a significant effect on the community: it means that crime will increase and taxpayers will need to foot the bill for incarceration expenses. Human traffickers and pimps exploit this vulnerable population in order to control prostitution rings and other illegal activities. This could cause large gangs to develop in public areas, making these neighborhoods unsafe. Also, prostitution arrests cost at least $2,000 each, which amounts to $200 million a year in taxpayer money (Becklund). Homeless students who refrain from criminal activities will still have limited employment options. There will be fewer college-educated people to take high-level jobs so the American economy could suffer as a result. It is readily apparent that student homelessness can have dire consequences for American society. Solutions A possible solution to the problem of student homelessness includes creating affordable oncampus housing. Modular units are an inexpensive option that could be implemented at colleges across the state. A specific example of this would be M.A.D.I—a modular living unit that takes only six hours to assemble with three people. The units cost $32k, which is cheaper than the cost of constructing a new apartment building (Rodiovona). An added benefit to this option is that the modules can be moved from place to place. This means that colleges can relocate the structures as needed or add to the units without paying for the high costs of construction. This project can be funded by grants made by alumni or college donors. The college can take additional funds from the federal government. Housing is the biggest expense that college students face. Building inexpensive modular living units would decrease housing costs and thus allow homeless students to have stable housing on campus. Funding and building affordable on-campus housing is the most effective solution for student homelessness. Research Essay Rubric Category Introduction: The paragraph opens with historical information which details the progression and surrounding conversation about the issue OR the paragraph opens with an incisive narrative vignette which explains the problem logically and coherently. The thesis clearly states at least two causes and one effect, which are pertinent and relevant to the issue being discussed. Cause 1: Well-developed points directly support the writer’s claim / position. Supporting examples are concrete and detailed. The paragraph includes quotes and/or paraphrases from research which are fully explained and connected to the main point. Commentary is insightful and original. This section does not merely contain a summarization or paraphrase of research, but contributes to the conversation by adding original ideas which are expertly woven into the paragraph. Transitions guide the reader through all the different sections. The paragraph wraps up with a concluding sentence. Cause 2: Well-developed points directly support the writer’s claim / position. Supporting examples are concrete and detailed. The paragraph includes quotes and/or paraphrases from research which are fully explained and connected to the main point. Commentary is insightful and original. This section does not merely contain a summarization or paraphrase of research, but contributes to the conversation by adding original ideas which are expertly woven into the paragraph. Transitions guide the reader through all the different sections. The paragraph wraps up with a concluding sentence. Effect 1: Well-developed points directly support the writer’s claim / position. Supporting examples are concrete and detailed. The paragraph includes quotes and/or paraphrases from research which are fully explained and connected to the main point. Commentary is insightful and original, including an explanation of both individual and communitywide implications/consequences. Transitions guide the reader through all the different sections. The paragraph wraps up with a concluding sentence. Solution: Well-developed points directly support the writer’s claim / position. Supporting examples are concrete and detailed. The paragraph includes quotes and/or paraphrases from research which are fully explained and connected to the main point. Commentary is insightful and original. The section includes an explanation of the solution, a possible implementation plan, the benefits of this solution, and an explanation of how this solution will mitigate the issue being discussed. Transitions guide the reader through all the different sections. The paragraph wraps up with a concluding sentence. Conclusion: The conclusion restates the thesis statement, includes a brief “reassurance” (i.e. counterargument with refutation), and a call to action OR statement of implications. Works Cited: The paper includes a Works Cited page at the end. All sources are appropriately cited according to MLA format which includes hanging indent, double space, and Times New Roman 12 pt. font. The sources used are reputable and appropriate for an academic research paper. At least four sources are used, including the course textbook. 4 3 2 1 0 Vocabulary Focus & Tone: Essay includes three highlighted vocabulary words from the unit which are appropriately used in context. There are no phrasal verbs and slang terms. The essay does not include the words: “good,” “bad,” “very,” “a lot of.” The tone is polished and academic. Grammar Focus & Prose: Essay includes appropriate in-text citations. There is no use of contractions. Grammar errors do not impede understanding of the text. Prose is polished and error-free. Reading Focus & Analysis: Essay incorporates at least one relevant quote from any of the course readings. Paraphrases and quotations are appropriately introduced, explained, cited, and directly tied to the essay’s points. MLA Format: Paper is formatted according to MLA conventions: 1” margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, double spaced, ½” header, heading, indent, quotations, etc. Research Essay Introduction and Conclusion Introduction California has the highest population of homeless youth in the nation (Au and Hyatt 4). In fact, one in five community college students in California do not have a “fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” (“Survey on Food and Housing Insecurity” 3). Since 2014, “the number of homeless children has jumped 20 percent” (EdSource), and this rate is expected to increase. For students who have grown up homeless, the issue is even more complex. These students are three times more likely to be parents (Au and Hyatt 5), so they have more responsibilities and expenses. Initially, homelessness mainly impacted lower-income families, however, the strain is being felt across socioeconomic statuses. Now, middle-class families are struggling with housing costs and this has affected how much money families can allocate for college expenses (Reed). This may mean that students cannot pay for adequate housing. Student homelessness in California is increasing because of higher living expenses and decreasing public assistance programs. Because of these difficulties, students amass a substantial amount of debt and drop out of college, thus perpetuating a vicious cycle of poverty. Conclusion Student homelessness is a multi-faceted issue with lasting effects. Two major causes of student homelessness include rising living costs and limited public assistance programs. Homelessness negatively impacts students’ chances of completing college and paying their loans. This leads to higher drop-out rates. Homeless student drop-out may resort to illegal means to sustain themselves, including prostitution and drug trafficking. American taxpayers will have to foot the bill for incarceration and rehabilitation programs (Goldrick-Rab and Broton). The issue of student homelessness must be aggressively mitigated. A possible solution includes investing more money into affordable on-campus housing so students can have stable living quarters and reduce their commute time. Ignoring this issue of student homelessness will lead to dire consequences for both students and society in general. Research Essay Outline This is the basic outline for the research essay assignment. The prompt states that you must have a minimum of two causes, one effect, and one solution. You can add more causes, effects, or solutions to your outline. You may also choose to change the organizational pattern. For example, you may want to have your effects at the beginning and the causes at the end. Or you may choose to organize your paper as cause-effect, cause-effect, solution. Feel free to move the paragraphs around as needed. Just make sure that all the paragraphs include the essential elements. I. Background information: (Detail the history of this issue. How long has it been happening? How has is it progressed?) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Thesis statement: (State the two causes and at least one effect here) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ II. Cause 1 (Explain one contributing factor to the issue) Topic sentence: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ a. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ b. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ c. Transition (i.e. “wrap-up” sentence) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ III. Cause 2 (Explain one contributing factor to the issue Topic sentence: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ a. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ b. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ c. Transition (i.e. “wrap-up” sentence) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ IV. Effect 1 (Explain one effect of this issue. You must explain how the issue affects individuals AND society) Topic sentence: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ a. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ b. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ c. Transition (i.e. “wrap-up” sentence) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ V. Solution 1 (Explain a possible solution to this issue. You must explain how this solution could be implemented AND how it would mitigate the issue) Topic sentence: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ a. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ b. Example/evidence/explanation _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ c. Transition (i.e. “wrap-up” sentence) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ VI. Conclusion (Sum up your main points and end with a statement of implications) a. Sum up main points _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ b. End with a statement of implications _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Research Essay Workshop: Writing the “Causes” Section One of the main causes of student homelessness is the rising living expenses in California. The largest expense for most California residents is rent, and reports indicate that rent rates will only increase. According to the Los Angeles Times, “In Los Angeles county, average rents in 2018 are forecast to hit $2,304, up 4% from the previous year” (Khouri). Because college students do not have much work experience or education, they cannot find jobs to cover the rent costs. Typically, college students take jobs in service sectors, like fast food restaurants. These jobs usually pay minimum wage, which is $11 an hour in California. If a student is making minimum wage, she would need to work at least 50 hours a week just to afford a rent payment of $2,300. Chavez, a student at Sac State, could not afford to pay $700-1,200 a month for a dorm room, so he slept in his car (Mello). These stories are not uncommon at California colleges and universities. Students cannot afford the prohibitive cost of rent, so they become homeless or transient. Another factor that exacerbates the issue of student homelessness is child care costs. Homeless students are three times more likely to be parents than housed college students (Au and Hyatt 6). These parents must pay for expensive infant care items, including hospital visits, babysitting, diapers, and baby food. For students without health insurance, these expenses could be even higher. According to a UCSF study, “California women giving birth were charged from $3,296 to $37,227 for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery…For a C-section, women were billed between $8,312 and nearly $71,000” (Fernandez). Paying for these expensive hospitalizations means that homeless students have even less money to buy necessary items. Working college students must also find and pay for child care. According to Child Care Aware, “The average cost of infant care at child care centers in California is $12,068 annually” (14). In fact, infant care is more expensive than college tuition (Child Care Aware 14). It can be assumed that most parents would rather allocate money for child care expenses rather than housing costs. This leaves many young parents without stable housing. These examples illustrate of higher living costs are directly related to the increasing number of homeless youth in California. Effects Student homelessness leads to higher amounts of student loan debt and contributes to higher drop-out rates. When homeless students struggle with food and housing insecurity, they cannot complete their assignments on time. They fall behind because they are malnourished or sick. Brooke Evans, a homeless student, had to drop out of college because of these obstacles. After dropping out, she could not find a well-paying job so the interest in her student loan increased (Goldrick-Rab and Broton). Since many of these students do not have a college degree, they cannot find a job easily. If homeless students manage to find a job, they will need to allocate money for their student loan payments, which leaves them with less money for other necessities. Some students may use their student loans to pay for cars or other items, which adds to the total amount they must pay back to loan companies. When students drop out of college, they must start paying back their student loans immediately. If they do not do so, their credit score will suffer and they may be denied jobs or housing because of this. College is expensive for most students, but homeless students’ financial obstacles leave them with high student loan debt, trapping them in a cycle of poverty. Society also suffers the consequences of student homelessness. Homeless students are left with few options, so many turn to illegal activities, such as prostitution and drug trafficking, in order to survive on the streets (Wyant). Almost half of homeless youth report trading sex for shelter (“Homelessness, Survival Sex, and Human Trafficking”). This has a significant effect on the community: it means that crime will increase and taxpayers will need to foot the bill for incarceration expenses. Human traffickers and pimps exploit this vulnerable population in order to control prostitution rings and other illegal activities. This could cause large gangs to develop in public areas, making these neighborhoods unsafe. Also, prostitution arrests cost at least $2,000 each, which amounts to $200 million a year in taxpayer money (Becklund). Homeless students who refrain from criminal activities will still have limited employment options. There will be fewer college-educated people to take high-level jobs so the American economy could suffer as a result. It is readily apparent that student homelessness can have dire consequences for American society. Solutions A possible solution to the problem of student homelessness includes creating affordable oncampus housing. Modular units are an inexpensive option that could be implemented at colleges across the state. A specific example of this would be M.A.D.I—a modular living unit that takes only six hours to assemble with three people. The units cost $32k, which is cheaper than the cost of constructing a new apartment building (Rodiovona). An added benefit to this option is that the modules can be ...
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