The final paper is a research paper in which you will choose a short story from one of the anthologies and write about it critically. You must choose a story that has not been assigned for reading during the course.
While the discussion in your paper can certainly incorporate course readings (and in fact, this is essential!), it is not sufficient to focus solely on works assigned in the class; you must also consult scholarly articles on your topic (the MLA – Modern Language Association – is a database I recommend). Paper length is 8 pp (8 is the minimum not including annotated bibliography) and they must be double-spaced in 12 point Times Roman font with standard margins.

The short story to be critically written about is “One More Lesson” by Judith Ortiz Cofer

The other short story to be incorporated is “Always Running” by Luis J Rodriguez (This is one of the stories read in class)

Both of these short stories can be found in “Going Where I’m Coming From – Memoirs of American Youth” A Multicultural Anthology Edited by Anne Mazer
I did a research proposal and the teacher advised me to make the main focus on education and the way that immigrant children navigate the education system. Be sure to address the author’s message, title significance, etc.

At least 6 other sources (scholarly journal articles found in MLA databases like Pro Quest and others) need to be used and an annotated bibliography is required.

I will upload the original proposal but remember to make the main focus on education and the way immigrant children navigate the education system in America. Be sure to address the authors message and the significance of the title of the story, etc.

*pages for the research paper and the other 2 pages for an annotated bibliography. Please use US English and proper grammar spelling and punctuations. Sources should be easily found on a MLA database.

Research Paper Proposal
Currently, the 41 million immigrants in the United States (US) represent 13.1% of the
general population. The children of immigrants represent 12% of the population, and this makes
immigration a central demographic element of the American population. The incorporation of
immigrants and their children into the US system remains a pressing question for social and
political life, especially in areas of socioeconomic mobility. Since the mid-1990s, the US
immigration policy has been more punitive towards the undocumented immigrants, and this
hampers their social and economic mobility. In the short story, “One More Lesson,” Judith Ortiz
Cofer provides a glimpse of a life of an immigrant child and the experiences faced in order to
survive in a country where the laws are punitive. For example, immigrants are engaged in
exploitive labor because of their race and ethnicity. Both prejudice and racism are experienced
by immigrants’ parents, children, and youths, and negatively affects upward social and economic
mobility. The rate of upward social and economic mobility that immigrants experienced in the
twentieth century is not currently the same.
The upward mobility of immigrants’ children appears to be impeded than their
counterparts of the general population. Thus, the majority of immigrant children and youths
share similar characteristics, including low levels of educational attainment and employment.
The similarities in characteristics have been explained by different youths and individuals from
different minority cultural backgrounds. The objective of the research paper is to explore the
challenges faced by immigrants’ youths in the US in reference to social and economic mobility.
The research paper will cover youth culture, what are the challenges that younger generations
face. Immigrant youths in the US experience various challenges compared to the general
population with regard to social and economic mobility.