Prof. Rockwood: English 101               

Staged Persuasive Essay Supported by Library Research

Thesis & Sources Due Week 4 (minimum of three quality sources obtained from the library and NOT the internet. You may, of course, add more sources later. NOTE: You MUST use the library for this assignment. Papers not incorporating library research will not receive a passing grade)
First Draft Due Week 6
Final Draft Due Week 8

(See syllabus for exact dates)

Assignment:

You are a prominent attorney and have been invited to host a TED Talk to argue one side of an important but debated issue you are passionate about. Your audience is diverse with a range of political viewpoints. Your objective is to convince your audience that your side of the debate has the stronger argument, and that national policy would be best served by adopting your position.

You will support your thesis using at least three (3) quality sources obtained from the library which must be integrated into your written presentation. We will be learning about how to evaluate sources later in the course.

These sources should be cited using MLA citation style.

You should choose a topic you are interested in and would like to learn more about. I have suggested some topics below, but you may choose your own topic with my approval.

As a final note, better arguments explore both sides and are respectful of those with opposing points of view. One of the most powerful ways to debate is to acknowledge the validity of the other side’s best arguments and to respectfully refute them with facts and logic.

We will explore what makes good versus questionable sources and the basics of rhetoric in future classes. In the meantime, students should look at the sample argument paper in Rules for Writers. Students should also go to my website: www.rockwoodenglish.com where I have put links to research paper writing lessons and examples.

Objectives/Evaluation Criteria:

The objective of this assignment is to give you the step-by-step experience of researching and writing an argument paper that incorporates library research to help support its thesis.

When evaluating your papers, I will be looking for the following:

You have researched your topic using the library and demonstrate that you have learned more about your topic through your research (perhaps by examining multiple perspectives or perspectives that contradict your thesis)

You have integrated your research into your paper to help support your thesis in a meaningful way (NOTE: This is a requirement. Papers which do not incorporate library research will receive a failing grade)
You have presented a well-organized, well-written paper that offers good support of your thesis
You have explored opposing arguments and have effectively (and respectfully) refuted them using facts and logic
You have cited your sources using MLA citation style

Guidelines:

Your paper will be 5 pages minimum, double-spaced using 12-point type with 1” margins. You may write more if you wish.  The Works Cited page does not count toward the page total. You may include pictures and other graphics; however these will also not count toward the page total. I want to see at least 5 pages of your writing (double-spaced).
Properly cited quotations will count toward the page total, and I expect you to use quotations from your sources in your papers (we will discuss how to properly integrate quotations in a later class). I do not, however, want to see papers that consist mostly of quotations with very little of your own writing.
You should follow MLA style as described in Rules for Writers.
You should use at least 3 high quality sources found in the library (or by using the library website) – not the internet. As mentioned earlier, using the library is a requirement for this assignment. I highly recommend asking the librarians for help finding sources as librarians tend to be pretty good at this.
You must have a Works Cited page at the end of your paper
You should follow all the conventions of good writing we have discussed in this class

Some Suggested Topics:

Below are some suggested topics. You may take one of these or you may choose your own topic with my approval. I do not care which side of the debate you take – there are no right or wrong answers – but I do care that you argue your side well.

Should we get rid of the Electoral College and choose our president by popular vote – or should we keep the current system to maintain the rights of less populated states and assure national participation in our presidential elections?
Is gun control a good idea or a bad idea? (If arguing for gun control, how much should there be & how would it work? If arguing against gun control, how can we better deal with gun-related violence?)
Should we ban tobacco as an unreasonably dangerous product, or should people be free to smoke if they wish? 
The death penalty: good or bad policy? 
Should school uniforms be required in public schools or do such requirements infringe on students’ freedom of expression? 
Do all students need to go to college, or should some choose an alternate path?
Should the government cancel all student loans or should students take responsibility for the debt they incurred? 
Should healthcare be guaranteed as a right or is it a privilege that must be earned? If arguing that healthcare is a right, how much are we entitled to? If arguing that healthcare is a privilege, what should happen to the sick or injured who cannot afford it?
Should the government require child immunizations for serious diseases or should this be a matter of parental choice?
Should big tech companies like Google and Facebook be more regulated or broken up – or would this only stifle their ability to innovate, thus harming consumers and the economy?
**YOUR OWN TOPIC: Please OK this with me first. Again, please choose a subject you are interested in and would like to learn more about.

Grading Rubric

Although I grade your papers holistically, I will consider the following:

1. Does your introduction effectively present your thesis while evoking reader interest? Does your introduction give the reader an idea of the main arguments you will make to support your thesis?

2. Have you supplied good reasons to support your thesis? Is your argument logical or have you committed rhetorical mistakes?

3. Are opposing or alternative views adequately and fairly explored? Are your responses to the opposing views effective?

4. Is your essay well organized into a unified whole? Are there good transitions? Do paragraphs have topic sentences? Do paragraphs explore only one topic?

5. Is your language style effective? Is your language well chosen for the intended audience? Is your tone appropriate?

6. Are your sentences well-constructed? Is your paper carefully edited?

7. Have you done adequate library research demonstrating a thorough exploration of your topic? Have you incorporated that research into your paper as evidence to support your thesis? Have you properly cited your research using MLA citation style?