As has been discussed in class all semester, essays ultimately work to persuade a reader, to prove to the skeptic or ideal reader that the thesis statement is true. This particular project calls for the student to choose a contemporary issue of some controversy or significance, to take a stand on the issue, and to write an essay defending that position. Logic, appeals to authority, appeals to emotion, and refuting the opposition are all approaches that are useful in the art of persuasion.
A writer or speaker, unless s/he is a noted expert in a respective field, must often rely on research (authority) in order to substantiate claims. For this reason, and because it is always helpful to become better acquainted with the college’s library, there will be a research component to this assignment. Students must incorporate at least two outside sources into the paper and document them in MLA format. (This goes for quoting, paraphrasing, and statistics.) Also, no more than one Internet site may be used; therefore, at least one source must be print format (newspapers, magazines, academic journals, or books are acceptable). Finally, essays from the textbook or readings for class do not count as one of the two required sources.
This project should follow the format specifics noted in the course syllabus (4-5 pages, 12 point Times New Roman font, typed, double-spaced, paginated, etc.)
The project topic is relatively open. Students may expand upon the ideas presented in the unit’s readings or develop their own. Think locally and globally here and be creative. Students may not write about the following overdone topics:
abortion
gun control
legalization of drugs
gay marriage
adjusting the drinking age
the death penalty
obesity
steroids in sports
texting and driving
paying student athletes
stem cell research
Instead, seek issues that do not automatically foster cultural consensus or necessarily have easy answers, and learn a bit more about them. In a year that has yielded discourse on politics, guns, race, the media, economics, and class, American society offers no shortage of potential subjects.
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