should parents encourage children to believe in a mythical childhood figure such as santa claus the tooth fairy or the easter bunny

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write an argumentative essay tackling the following question:

Should parents encourage children to believe in a mythical childhood figure such as Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny?

Hints for your specific topic:

I recommend focusing on one mythical childhood figure, i.e. only Santa Claus rather than tackling him and/or the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

You have the power to determine what defines “children,” i.e. what age group, if any, can safely be encouraged to believe.

Thesis/Topic Sentences:

Your thesis statement must take a stance in answer to the question you have been asked. Your thesis statement must also make one strong argumentative claim (think of it as an umbrella that fits what the paper as a whole will argue). Do not attempt a three-point thesis statement; doing so would be a high school move.

Your essay must be at least 5 well-developed paragraphs in length (intro, 3 body, conclusion).

You should have at least three topic sentences (one to open each body paragraph), and each topic sentence must clearly make a claim that helps prove the stated thesis.

Research:

You must use at least 2 sources in your essay. Remember: avoid sketchy sources!

Follow MLA rules to give credit where credit is due! (You don’t want a failing grade!)

  • If you took an idea/information from a source but translated the idea/information completely into your own words, an in-text citation and a Works Cited page citation are both needed.
  • If you took exact words/phrasing from a source, you must put quotation marks around the exact words/phrasing AND include an in-text citation and a Works Cited page citation.
  • Someone should be able to tell, thanks to your proper use of quotation marks and in-text citations, what ideas are yours vs. what ideas/information came from a source vs. what is the exact phrasing from a source.

The first thing I’m going to check is whether or not all of the sources listed on your Works Cited page are clearly cited in the body of the paper. If they aren’t, you will automatically receive a failing grade.

Academic dishonesty of any sort will not be tolerated in this class.