Length: 350-550 words

This assignment can be revised for a new grade with certain conditions; see the class policies handout. This assignment can be turned in late with penalties; see the class policies handout.

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The authors of Freakonomics describe the inner-workings and defining characteristics of one narcotics-dealing enterprise.

Using evidence from both the reading and The Wire, demonstrate how the structure of the Barksdale drug crew reflects the structure of the Chicago enterprise presented in the reading.

By structure, I mean more than a description of the organization’s hierarchy. Be sure to detail: (1) how the various elements within the organization relate to each other; (2) how they are compensated; and (3) how they are supervised. You will need to detail all three aspects and how those aspects in Barksdale‘s organization mirror those of the Chicago enterprise from the reading.

I’ll grade your essay according to this rubric (ms-word doc delivered to your desktop). You may want to look at it before writing your essay (it also has links to handouts on the various elements and qualities that will help make your essay strong).

WRITING REQUIREMENTS AND TIPS

1. Length: 350-550 words  (about 1.5 – 2.25 pages of 12-point, double-spaced font)

2. You will want to organize around your essay around a concise thesis statement that appears near the beginning of your paper.

3. Be sure to underline your thesis statement (5 points off if you do not).

4. Be sure to have at least 8 direct quotations (4 from the reading, 4 from any episode of The Wire we have watched, including those assigned this week). When citing dialogue or action, be sure to specify the episode and the approximate time into the show (example: episode 4, 27:32). When citing material from the reading–whether in a direct or indirect quotation–be sure to provide the page number (but I don’t need a full citation)

5. When using direct quotations from the reading, be sure to use method 3 or 4 from HW 1 and also be sure to reduce your quotations to ten for fewer words. See here on how to reduce quotations.

6.  When making your arguments, be sure to ground those arguments in specific evidence from the readings and video. Generally, to demonstrate how the show mirrors the reading, you will want to pair a specific from the reading with an example of the same phenomenon or characteristic from The Wire.

7.   Be sure in those paragraphs where you make points from evidence to organize those paragraph in the familiar cl/ev/wa format from HW 1 and that you put a (CL) in front of your paragraph’s claim, an (EV) before the evidence, and a (WA) in front of the warrant.  (Keep in mind (A) not all paragraphs should be in cl/ev/wa format–just those that make a point from evidence. Also keep in mind (B) that the cl/ev/wa format is for organizing individual paragraphs rather than for organizing whole papers. A strong paper will likely have a series of cl/ev/wa paragraphs as well as a number of paragraphs that are not in that format.)  See, for example, the sample outline below.

(You do NOT need to follow this outline; but if you get stuck, it’s a good road map)

 

1. Introduction
   A. Brief background
   B. THESIS: The structure of the Barksdale crew MIRRORS the structure of the Freakonomics‘ narcotics enterprise in three ways: (A), (B), (C)
2. Similarity in structure (A)
   CL: Both drug operations relied heavily on elves to supervise employees within the organization.
   EV: A quotation from the book demonstrating J.T.’s use of elves to supervise employees
   EV: A quotation from The Wire demonstrating the Barksdales’ use of elves to supervise employees.
   WA: (connecting your evidence to this claim)

3. (B)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from The Wire and one from the reading)
WA

4. (C)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from The Wire and one from the reading)
WA

5. (D) (if you have a (D) in your thesis (see above)
CL
EV (2 quotations or other pieces evidence; one from The Wire and one from the reading)
WA

6. A conclusion