Research Project: The $15 Minimum Wage in Effect

Overview:
For your final research project, you are tasked with investigating the debate over a national $15/hour minimum wage. Using Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed as a foundation, you will create a compelling presentation for or against raising the minimum wage, specifically exploring its effects on workers in either the cleaning services, retail, and restaurant industries—you will focus only one.

Directions:

1. Choose one of the following industries highlighted in a section in Ehrenreich’s book to focus on: cleaning services, retail, or restaurant.
2. You must choose a specific worker or workers highlighted from that particular section (e.g. Melissa from Wal-Mart in Minneapolis). This person will become the “face” of your presentation. Explore the challenged this person or persons face as a part of the “low-skilled” labor force. Also, this person can have composite elements, meaning he, she, or they can be representative of workers in that industry. 
3. Investigate the current debate over a $15 minimum wage. Who is for it? Who is against it? How realistically is it to happen nationally? In those places that do have it, how has it worked out? Illustrate both sides fairly. 
4. Based on your research, take a position for or against a $15 minimum wage.
5. Apply this position to the economic realities facing your selected worker or workers. In other words, illustrate why a $15 minimum wage would help OR hurt them. This must include at least two concessions.

You have the choice of doing your research project alone OR with one partner. If you choose to work alone, there is no need to notify me. If you would like to work with a partner and have one, let me know in the comments section below no later than April 8. If you would like a partner, but do not have one, also use the comments section below to see if anyone else is looking to pair up.

Solo presentation outline (12 slides, plus a works cited):

1. Introduction (one slide)
2. Introducing ___________________ [e.g. “Introducing Marge, a Maid from Maine] (three slides) 
3. The Debate Over a $15 Minimum Wage (four slides)
4. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Help OR Hurt ___________________ (three slides)
5. Conclusion (one slide)
6. Works cited (one slide)

Two-person presentation outline (16 slides, plus a works cited):

1. Introduction (one slide)
2. Introducing ___________________ [e.g. “Introducing Marge, a Maid from Maine] (three slides)
3. The Debate Over a $15 Minimum Wage (five slides)
4. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Help ___________________ (three slides)
5. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Hurt ___________________ (three slides) 
6. Conclusion (one slide)
7. Works cited (one slide)

Your presentation must:

• Have a cohesive design, including illustrations—how does the overall design support the goal?
• Fairly contextualize the $15 minimum wage debate
• Persuasively illustrate a pro or against position on the $15 minimum wage debate (with solid rationale). Additionally, it must include at least two concessions.
• Have clean spelling an grammar

Due: Fri 5.8 (via Canvas)