The Writing Task: Write a research paper that takes a stand on a current, arguable, social issue and support your position by doing the following things: · Researching the recent history and context of the topic · Using description and evidence, specific examples · Acknowledge and analyze counterarguments (opposing views) · Give careful reasons for your own point of view. You need to analyze the issue and present your position by appealing to credibility/character (ethos), emotions/values (pathos), and logic (logos). This is also called the Rhetorical Triangle, and we will talk about it in class. Advice on Choosing a Topic: Keep in mind that you should choose a subject that you can address to an outside audience. Choose something you can about, but not something you can’t be rational about. You should also choose a subject that you might be able to change, especially if your research leads you to a different conclusion than the one you started with. Don’t choose an issue that you think will be easy because “there are a lot of sources for it”.  Ironically, this can actually hurt your paper because these overdone topics breed inaccurate “wiki” style online sources that clog the first 5 pages on Google. Choose something you truly care about and/or have a personal investment in. This passion and interest will make it easy to write about, even if it is a difficult to research topic. It will also force you to look for quality sources, and provide you with motivation to plan ahead . What is a Social Issue Argument? Social or civic arguments discuss current issues and problems in society, and what can or should be done about them. Social arguments also discuss trends in society, why they are a cause for concern, and possible solutions.  If you have any questions regarding what is or is not a social issue/argument, please email me or meet with me. Essay Structure Introduction: Your introduction should identify your topic, provide necessary background about the issue, interest your reader, and clearly state your position. Thesis (at the end of intro paragraph): Your statement of claim and (briefly) main reasons. Body Paragraphs: Explanation and support of individual argument and connected reasons and assumptions. Show research through use of outside sources that show evidence and support. The body of your argument will also summarize and respond to opposing views, also called counterargument (this is where some of your research will come in—you need to know what the opposing views are) as well as present reasons and evidence in support of your own position.  You need to choose whether to summarize and refute counterarguments/ opposing views before or after you have made your own case, or you can intermix the two. Conclusion: Review of major points, summary of the contribution of this argument to the greater conversation on the topic, a call to action, or possible solutions. Style and Word Choice Always choose your words carefully..

1. The Writing Task:
Write a research paper that takes a stand on
a current, arguable, social issue
and support your position by doing the following things:
·
Researching the recent history and context of the topic
·
Using description and evidence, specific examples
·
Acknowledge and analyze counterarguments (opposing views)
·
Give careful reasons for your own point of view.
You need to analyze the issue and present your position by
appealing to credibility/character (ethos), emotions/values
(pathos), and logic (logos). This is also called the Rhetorical
Triangle, and we will talk about it in class.
Advice on Choosing a Topic:
Keep in mind that you should
choose a subject that you can address to an outside audience.
Choose something you can about, but not something you can’t
be rational about.
You should also choose a subject that you might be able to
change, especially if your research leads you to a different
conclusion than the one you started with.
Don’t choose an issue that you think will be easy because “there
are a lot of sources for it”. Ironically, this can actually
hurt
your paper because these overdone topics breed inaccurate
“wiki” style online sources that clog the first 5 pages on
Google.
Choose something you truly care about and/or have a personal

2. investment in.
This passion and interest will make it easy to write about, even
if it is a difficult to research topic. It will also force you to look
for quality sources, and provide you with motivation to
plan ahead
.
What is a Social Issue Argument?
Social or civic arguments discuss current issues and problems in
society, and what can or should be done about them. Social
arguments also discuss trends in society, why they are a cause
for concern, and possible solutions. If you have any questions
regarding what is or is not a social issue/argument, please email
me or meet with me.
Essay Structure
Introduction:
Your introduction should identify your topic, provide necessary
background about the issue, interest your reader, and clearly
state your position.
Thesis
(at the end of intro paragraph): Your statement of claim and
(briefly) main reasons.
Body Paragraphs:
Explanation and support of individual argument and connected
reasons and assumptions. Show research through use of outside
sources that show evidence and support. The body of your
argument will also summarize and respond to opposing views,
also called counterargument (this is where some of your
research will come in—you need to know what the opposing
views are) as well as present reasons and evidence in support of
your own position. You need to choose whether to summarize
and refute counterarguments/ opposing views before or after
you have made your own case, or you can intermix the two.
Conclusion:
Review of major points, summary of the contribution of this

3. argument to the greater conversation on the topic, a call to
action, or possible solutions.
Style and Word Choice
Always choose your words carefully. Don’t use “academic-
sounding” word unless you are sure you know what they mean.
When in doubt, say it as simply as possible. The essay needs to
avoid using the first person “I” or the second person “you”, but
if you have an example/evidence from personal experience, it’s
entirely appropriate to use “I” only when relating that
experience.
Rough Draft Due: Wednesday, April 22
Final Draft Due: Wednesday, April 29
Format Requirements
Standard Format applies for rough drafts and final drafts: size
12 Times New Roman font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins,
MLA Style. Final draft must be at least 1200 words, which is 4-
5 pages when correctly formatted.
Research Requirements: Always do your research FIRST!
Chapters 15, 16, 17, 18, and 22 in your textbook are an
excellent guide to research and research papers.
You much research your topic thoroughly—understanding the
different sides of the issue and the history of the topic.
This essay must contain
at least
4
different
outside sources
. These sources must be quotations or paraphrase, and they must
be cited correctly. In some rare cases, a source may be another
display of information (for example, picture/graphs/charts).
When in doubt, make time to clear your source with me before

4. you use it.
·
Please note that if you use picture/graphs/charts, your essay
must still reach the required page count
without
the picture/charts/graphs. Including graphs and charts in order
to make your paper look longer is NOT appropriate and will
result in losing points.
Please see the following resources on how to include quotes and
cite your sources correctly:
1.
Chapters 22 and 23 in your textbook
Everyone’s an Author.
2.
The OWL at Purdue on Quoting, Paraphrasing, and
Summarizing
§
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resources/557/01/
The Research Paper MUST have a Works Cited page that
follows MLA format
.
Your works cited page is a separate page at the end of your
essay. It does NOT count toward your minimum of 4-5 pages, it
is
extra
. See page 462 in your textbook for an example.
See these resources for more information:
-
Chapter 24 in your Textbook.
-

5. The OWL at Purdue on Works Cited pages:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resources/557/06
Forbidden Topics
There
are
some forbidden topics for Essay 3.
These topics are NOT forbidden because of any personal
feelings about them, but rather because I have seen
far too many
papers on these topics
. Also, most of them were badly done because these topics tend
to produce a lot of “junk internet sources” out there and that
results in papers that rely on assumptions, hearsay, and lazy
research.
Please try for something more original, fresh, and specific
. This is for your own protection: I don’t want to be
unintentionally prejudiced against your paper before I even read
it, due to an overdone topic.
Abortion
Same-Sex Marriage/Marriage Equality
Legalization of Marijuana/Recreational Drugs
Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide
Childhood Obesity/ The Obesity Epidemic Global
Warming/Climate Change
Violent Media/Violence in Video Games
Government Conspiracy Theories/9-11