Argument: Local Topic
What current controversies are going on where you live? For your second essay, you should choose one specific controversial issue related to your city, county, or state that you care about and write a well-constructed argument. Your argument should utilize some of the methods we’ve discussed this semester and should be supported by evidence and research.
Examples of topics chosen by other students:
Stray animals, Tulare county teen pregnancy rates, local skateboarding restrictions, city COVID regulations, speed limits, CA car regulations/laws, city noise ordinances, police brutality in Fresno, COS parking lot expansion, bus pass prices, vandalism (whose job is clean up?), loitering laws, public intoxication laws, littering, identity theft/local scams, etc.
Requirements:
– Choose one local topic that you care about.
– Decide what your specific argument is. Where do you stand on this issue?
– Support your argument and your claims using the evidence and information you found during your research.
– Acknowledge an opposing argument at some point in your essay, and respond with a counterargument.
– Write 4-6 pages in MLA format (not counting the Works Cited page), double-spaced, with one-inch margins using 12-point Times New Roman font. You should also have a thoughtful title.
– You must use at least three reliable sources.
Suggestions:
– Use a few pre-writing techniques to get going. Try freewriting, brainstorming, and/or writing a list or outline.
– Make sure you do enough research, and that your sources are reliable! (No Wikipedia or “quote.com” sources)
