The final essay is a research paper on a topic of your choice.  Be advised that some subjects have been done so much that it's hard to say anything new.  Examples would be the effects of violence in the media, gun control, and the benefits of a healthy diet.  (Essays on creationism or right-to-life issues will not be accepted.)  Choose a topic that is suitable for a college-level essay, not something that's overly simplistic. 

Remember that you will be rendering your own ideas in this essay, so beware of overusing research.  No more than 10% of your paper should be quoted material.  Your essay must have at least four scholarly, academic sources, not Wikipedia or click-bait websites meant to entertain and show advertisements.  Do not use Pro.con.org as one of your sources.

The research paper will be graded on whether it addresses the assignment with a thoughtful and analytical approach,  how well it's organized, the use of support details, and the use of the conventions of standard written English.   

The minimum length is one thousand words in MLA format.  Take care that all your quotations are cited correctly.