This semester you will be writing a series of short essays on a controversial issue; the final research project will be comprised of the work you complete all semester.

Order ready-to-submit essays. No Plagiarism Guarantee!

Note:  All our papers are written from scratch by human writers to ensure authenticity and originality.

This semester you will be writing a series of short essays on a controversial issue; the final research project will be comprised of the work you complete all semester. Therefore, it is important for you to think carefully about the issue you would like to explore. Your issue must be selected from one of the broad categories represented in your textbook, Chapters 15-21 of Perspectives on Argument: 1) issues concerning families and personal relationships, 2) issues concerning modern technology, 3) issues concerning education and learning, 4) issues concerning race, culture, and identity, 5) issues concerning the environment and sustainability, 6) issues concerning privacy and security 7) issues concerning war and peace.

 In "The Reader" portion of your textbook (beginning on page 406) you will find a selection of short essays on these topics. The essays should help you find a focus for your issue question. I encourage you to start reading selections that seem interesting to you so that you can commit to an issue that will be meaningful and interesting to you. You have a couple of weeks to consider before you write your "issue proposal," but once you present your issue, you will be obliged to complete your project on the issue you select.

 For the writing diagnostic, please select any one of the topic categories that seems interesting to you. Write a short two-paragraph response in which you explain why the topic is appealing and identify the current controversies related to that topic. The sample will not be graded, but this diagnostic is mandatory. Please note that you are not locked into the topic you write about for the diagnostic.

STRATEGY

EXAMPLES

Argument papers

Exploratory: Knoepfler, 436.

Rogerian: Jain, 418; James, 472.

Position: Steinberg, 430.

Claims

Fact: Jaschik, 442; Hassani, 476.

Definition: Weiss, 414; Kurzweil, 433.

Cause: Moosa, 412; Carr, 426.

Value: McWilliams, 472.

Language and style

Language that appeals to logic:

Language that appeals to emotion: Smith, 459.

Language that develops ethos: Jain, 418.

Organizational patterns

Claim plus reasons: Steinberg, 430.

Chronological or narrative: Kurzweil, 433.

Compare and contrast:

Problem–solution: Parker, 448.

Proofs: Ethos

Self as authority: Jain, 418.

Proofs: Logos

Sign: Guerra, 411.

Deduction: Smith, 459; James, 472.

Definition: Knoepfler, 436.

Proofs: Pathos

Motives: Kurzweil, 433.

Values: Ojha, 503.

Adaptation to rhetorical situation

Hassler, 417.

Support

Examples: Guerra, 411; Jain, 418; Kurzweil, 433.

Facts: Hassani, 476.

Narration: Jain, 418; Kondo, 460.

Personal examples and narratives: Asma, 480; Pierce, 504.

Images:

Warrants

Smith, 459; Kondo, 460.

Backing for warrants

Schneier, 485.

Introduction to Chapters 15–21 Reading and Writing About Issue Areas

The Reader contains seven chapters that introduce you to broad issue areas that engage modern society: families and personal relationships; technology; school and education; race, culture, and identity; the environment; security and privacy; and war and peace. Essays are then organized under a specific question related to this issue. These essays explore some of the individual perspectives and positions people have taken in regard to these issues. You may expand your information and understanding of these issues by doing additional research and reading in other reliable sources on the Internet, in the library, or elsewhere. Web sites that provide a starting point for further online research appear in the introduction to each chapter.

Purpose of The Reader

The Reader chapters serve three main purposes:

1. Each chapter introduces you to an important issue, helping you build background and provides you with information to quote in your papers.
2. Each chapter provides you with models of different types of arguments and thus gives you a better idea of how argument works in general. Each provides you with examples and strategies for improving your own written arguments. (See Table 1 .)

Table 1 Examples of Argument Strategies in Reader Articles

1. Each chapter helps you invent arguments of your own by providing you with essays that

function as springboards for your own thoughts and reactions.

How to Use the chapters in the Reader

1. Select an issue area that is compelling for you. Understand why it is compelling. Assess your background on it. Anticipate ways to build common ground with those who oppose you.
2. Survey it: Read the titles, read the introductory material, and “The Rhetorical Situation” at the beginning of each chapter, and read the introductions to the articles.
3. Select the specific issue within the each chapter that interests you the most.
4. Read the articles about this issue, and jot down the claim and some of the major support and warrants for each article.
5. Make a map or write a list of all of the smaller issues that you think are related to the issue you have read about. Discover the aspect of the issue that interests you the most. This will be your issue.
6. Understand the perspectives on this issue presented by these articles. You may also want to do outside research. Write an exploratory paper in which you explain at least three perspectives on your issue.
7. Take a position on your issue, and phrase it as a question.
8. State your claim, clarify your purpose, and plan and write an argument paper that presents your position on the issue.

Questions to Help You Read Critically and Analytically

1. What is at issue?
2. What is the claim? What type of claim is it?
3. What is the support?
4. What are the warrants?
5. What are the weaknesses in the argument, and how can I refute them?
6. What are some other perspectives on the issue?
7. Where do I stand now in regard to this issue?

Questions to Help You Read Creatively and Move From Reading to Writing

1. What is my exigence for writing about this topic?
2. What is my general position compared to the author’s?
3. With which specific ideas do I agree or disagree?
4. Do the essays confirm what I think, or do they cause me to change my mind?
5. What original or related ideas occur to me as I read?
6. What original perspective can I take?
7. What type of claim do I want to make?
8. What can I quote, paraphrase, or summarize in my paper?