Directions
Follow these directions when structuring your paper. The assignment is divided into three parts, each accessing the skills we develop in this class, including an oral presentation. Each of your topics can be vastly different, so parts of the paper may need to be modified.
Preparation
Research your topic by finding and closely read your sources. Create a synthesis prompt where you introduce and define the issue, pose some questions or problems that connect to the issue and write a question that you will later answer or solution that you will provide.
Introduction
Succinctly introduce the reader to the subject, the controversy surrounding it, and end with your thesis, rooted in your sources.
The Thesis
This paper begins with a thesis: your argument. Once you decide on a subject or pose a question to explore, such as “Does language affect the way a person thinks or sees the world?” You find the position by synthesizing and analyzing the sources you select. Everything, therefore, is rooted in your research. You may find sources that argue that language does not affect thought and some may say it does. Your job will be to use the information you gather and then form your own opinion. A thesis for this prompt might be: “The language a person speaks controls the way the world is experienced; including from the way a person sees things visually, and the moods a person feels.”
Research Review (Part 1)
The first part of your paper, approximately 3 pages, will SYNTHESIZE your sources for the reader, who presumably knows little about your topic. Objectively summarize the totality of your sources and provide a complete overview of the work. I strongly recommend structuring the research review by argument rather than summarizing each source, one at a time. This is where you present the background and facts of the issue.
Accept, Reject, or Qualify (Part 2)
Form an ARGUMENT regarding the issue, and support it with evidence from your research. In doing so, you must attempt to find common ground; consider conceding to the opposition in order to find a win/win scenario. Remember, while seeking to qualify this issue, you must clearly select a position.
As part of this include an analysis of the rhetorical strategies of each side. Focus on the specific devices used by each side, analyzing and evaluating the rhetorical use of ethos, logos, and pathos in persuasion. Look for trends in diction, specific appeals, interpretation of data, creation of visual media, or any other tool used to create an argument. Refer specifically to the sources you have selected, referencing them appropriately. You do not need to analyze all of your sources; just reference those representative of the general strategies of each side. In this section you are judging the rhetorical strategies that each side uses—are there biases or fallacies used by either side? Are there especially strong and persuasive arguments made?
This section is approximately 4-5 pages in length.
