SPRING 2023 – ENGL 1302 – DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY

Course section number: 1302-031

Name: Aliya Mamedov
Student ID Number: 1002089840
Email Address: axm9842@mavs.uta.edu

Include this page with your finished essay – be sure to upload this completed page along with
your essay onto the Diagnostic Essay Assignment on Canvas by the Deadline of start of class
on Monday, January 23, 2023 (as listed in our syllabus).
TOPIC: Select one of the questions below to answer in an essay that is 300-500 words in
length.
Be sure to use specific details and examples to support your claims in the essay.
1. China has placed a strict time limit for under 18s and their access to video games (1 hour
on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays). Are video games detrimental or an asset to
developing minds?
2. Given how political decisions can have huge consequences (plans to combat global
warming) in later years should the voting age be lowered? (Currently in the UK there
are talks of lowering the voting age to 16).
Your essay needs to include:
A thesis (a claim)
Ideas you develop with specific details that support your claim / thesis (NOT necessarily
citing quotes from books from the library; you can include personal experiences or
articles from newspapers, etc.) I’m not expecting a detailed bibliography at this stage.
Well-constructed sentences that stay on topic and further your argument
Variety to your sentences
Clear writing that is well-structured and grammatically correct (in spelling, word choice /
usage, and punctuation)
Unity in your paragraphs (ensuring that topics are together)
Coherent writing (where each section logically moves to the next section)
Have you taken and passed ENGL 1301 before taking this class? Yes or No
Please list any other college-level English classes you have taken previously: Just 1301
 Diagnostic Essay

Over the last couple of years, voting has become increasingly more popular, especially
amongst the younger generation. More college students are finally taking this decision seriously
and going out to vote. This is mainly because teenagers lack a voice of representation and are
attempting to get one through voting. While I believe it is important for teenagers to vote, I do
not think that lowering the voting age would help our current issues.
Voting should be most important to the younger generation because it affects their future,
however that is not the case. If given the option to vote, many 16 and 17 year olds would simply
not care or know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision. With their maturity
level, they might even pick a candidate as a joke. Another issue would be their lack of
transportation. Not many 16 year olds drive and if they do it is usually in their parents’ car,
which can make it harder for them to go vote. These people also have school responsibilities
which take up most of every weekday.
Another reason I do not believe 16 year olds should be making decisions for the country
is because they do not understand the graveness of some of these issues, such as global warming,
and may not factor that into their decision when electing a candidate. If anything, I think
everyone who wants to vote should be required to take a political science class, so as to inform
the masses about how the government works. While I know global warming is more likely to
affect the younger generations, I still do not think the voting age should be lowered because I do
not believe these people are capable of acting mature and educated enough to make an informed
decision.
While I believe that voting matters and that younger generations need to have their voices
heard, I do not think the voting age needs to be lowered. If it were to, we would need to increase
awareness on many different global issues that could harm our future and educate the public so
that they understand how to vote and how to decide on who to vote for.