Anxiety in College

Reading: Jan Hoffman, “Anxious Students Strain College Mental Health Centers.” The New York Times. May 17, 2015. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com. (See: Course Materials)
Title of Project: “Anxiety in College: Causes, Effects, & Solutions”
Format: 4-5 pages typed. Essay III/20%.
MLA: Incorporate several sentences from Hoffman into your essay as reference points for your argument.

Organizational & Developmental Guide to the Hoffman Reader-Response Essay

Introduction: What is Hoffman’s main idea (cite in-text references)? Do you agree or disagree with her thesis? Form your own thesis on the subject of student anxiety in college. Include, here, a dictionary definition of anxiety and say whether it corresponds to your own understanding of college-related stress. You will need to cite the dictionary definition you are quoting in your 1st paragraph. One definition reads as follows: Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary describes anxiety as,”a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind, usually over an impending or anticipated ill” (“anxiety,” 93). Notice that this is a mixed form of quotation. The student introduces the quote, quotes it word-for-word (directly), and includes the correct citation. For our current project Essay III/20%), I ask whether you agree with this basic meaning and if you can relate it, specifically to what college students experience. Finally, on the Works Cited or last page of the essay, the student alphabetically lists all sources h/she has referenced. In the example I give here, the appropriate citation which is of a print copy reads as follows: “Anxiety.” Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, 1986. Electronic and print articles have many variations in the MLA system. Examples are listed in the BMCC Library Guide (Class Materials), the Purdue Owl University Writing link, or the internet links in Part 3 below. Since you will often use electronic sources, you need to become familiar with the way it is done.
The Body of the paper:

Part 1 (1-2 pages): Write about the causes of college-related stress and illustrate it with your own experience or knowledge. What are the perceived causes of this stress? These causes are manifold: the subjects taught, the instructors, the rules and requirements of the institution, its environment, the cost of tuition, the lack of institutional support. Factors outside the college can be considered, generally: students’ personal situations & feelings, such as related to family and finances. It could be the student’s own emotional or physical health, matters pertaining to learning only; issues pertaining to non-English speakers. For each cause, try to explain fully and give an example.

Part 2 (1-2 pages): Write about the effects of college-related stress on students generally. What do students’ go through and how does it affect them?. Consider your own feelings about being in college, your expectations, what you have experienced so far at BMCC. You can examine your thinking and how it is affected by your duties and responsibilities. You can write the most about your own experiences and academic prospects.

Part 3 (1 pages): Offer detailed solutions, generally, for the problem of college-related stress, addressing each of the causes/effects that you mentioned in parts 2 & 3. Then write about your strategy: how will manage all of your requirements and everything else you must do. If you need to expand further at any point, reanalyze one or two of the stressful challenges you may have written about in Topic List #2. For research formats in other academic disciplines (e. g., APA, AMA, and others), go to: www.citethisforme.com; or to: www.citationmachine.net