McDonaldization in America and Around the Globe

McDonaldization in America and Around the Globe
McDonaldization in America and Around the Globe

George Ritzer calls McDonaldization “the process by which the principles of the fast-food restaurant are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as the rest of the world” (1). He claims that McDonaldization affects “not only the restaurant business but also work, health care, travel, leisure, dieting, politics, the family, and virtually every aspect of American society” (1).

Assignment Description:
Select an issue related to the ideas of “McCulture” or “McDonaldization”and present a specific, debatable argument (it should be possible for readers to disagree with your claim).  You are welcome to use claims of value, cause/effect, or policy (problem/solution).

Potential topics include global conformity, American cultural hegemony,McCulture as a threat to creativity, marketing of false ideals, loss of original cultural values, or specifically how the principles that George Ritzer defines as key to McDonaldization—efficiency, calculability, predictability, and use of nonhuman technology—are influencing a specific aspect of American or global society. Please note that the topic you choose for this paper must not overlap in any way with the topic you chose for Essay #3. If you have any doubts about your topic, please check with me.

In order to earn a C or above, your essay should include:
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a minimum of 5 FULL  double-spaced pages (not 4-1/2, or even 4-3/4.  Every available line should be used.)  Do not include a cover page
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12-point Times New Roman font and 1” margins
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an introduction that sets up your argument about the article
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a thesis that makes a specific, debatable claim about the topic you have selected.
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effectively organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences and transitions
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Reference to or example from at least one article from the “McDonaldization” sections of Envision in Depth (can be a summary or paraphrase in your own words and sentence structure, or a brief, correctly integrated direct quotation)
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References to or examples from 2-3 Woodbury library database articles (can be summaries or paraphrases in your own words and sentence structure, or brief, correctly integrated direct quotations).
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References to or examples from 1-2 reliable internet or print sources(can be summaries or paraphrases in your own words and sentence structure, or brief, correctly integrated direct quotations).
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Proper MLA page headers
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Proper MLA in-text citations for all paraphrases and direct quotations
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a conclusion that does not merely restate your thesis but that leaves the reader with further ‘food for thought.’
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a works cited page in correct MLA format (which does NOT count towards your page minimum) since you will be quoting from at least oneEnvision in Depth article and your internet research.

Additional criteria:
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Clear argument or position on the issue you have chosen.
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Demonstrated understanding of analyzing texts, strategies of persuasion, and composing arguments as explained in Ch. 1-3
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Demonstrated understanding of finding and evaluating sources as explained in Ch. 4-5.
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Effective essay structure
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Clear and precise sentence-level rhetoric (grammar and structure)


Tips and Reminders:
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Your method of development will vary depending on which essay topic you choose.
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See “At a Glance” on page 67 and “Strategies of Arrangement” on page 68 (both in Ch. 3) for basic organization options.
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Be sure to back up your comments with specific details from your sources.  In other words, support what you are saying with paraphrases, and quotes from the texts. You will want to consult the information presented in Chapter 7 on “Avoiding Plagiarism and Documenting Sources,” as well as the MLA information posted on Moodle