Topic Selection Worksheet
Complete Parts A through D below.
Part A: Topic Selection
Select a topic for your Week 5 Final Argument Paper using the following steps:
• Review the Discipline Specific Resources for Rhetoric and Research.
• Click on anydisciplinethat interests you.
o Each page has a description of the importance of rhetoric and research to degree programs and professional careers within that discipline.
o The topics for you to choose from are below the "Importance of Rhetoric and Research" paragraph. Each topic has a link to an associated resource from the University Library to learn more about the topic.
• Choose one topic from the list of topics under one of the disciplines. Please note the "Accessibility" area on the right is not one of the topics.
Respond to the following questions in 25-50 words total.
o What is your selected topic?
o Why is this topic appropriate for an argument paper?
Part B: Forming Your Position to Develop Your Argument
Respond to the following questions using the topic you selected.
1. What is your position related to your topic? (25-50 words total)
2. What are three reasons why you have this position about this topic? (25-50 words total)
a.
b.
c.
3. Do you believe research will support your reasons for this position?What will you do if you cannot locate research to support your reasons for your position? (25-50 words total)
Part C: Drafting Your Thesis Statement
Create a rough draft of your thesis statement using your position and reasons for your position. Your thesis statement will serve as the claim in your argument.
Thesis Statement:
Part D: Components of an Argument
Arguments can be easily misunderstood and misinterpreted. There may be times when we do not fully evaluate arguments before forming our response to them, and our response may have been different if we fully understood what was being argued. Argument evaluation is important in everyday life to help you communicate effectively with others and to form your own arguments.
Selectone article from any of the themes on theArticle List.
Read the article, and respondto the following:
1. Provide an APA formatted reference of the article you selected.You may use the Reference and Citation Generatorfor assistance.
2. In 25-50 words, indicate the author's claim.
3. In 25-50 words, indicate what evidence or research is provided to support the author's claim.
Topic Selection Worksheet
The first step of the writing process in this course is to select a topic for your Final Argument Paper, which is due in Week 5. Topic selection is a foundation for the rest of the assignments in this course, and each assignment builds upon the previous week's assignment.
This week, you select a topic, determine your position and reasons for that position, draft a thesis statement, and identify the main components of an argument. In Week 2, you have the opportunity to further revise your thesis to ensure that it serves as a solid foundation for your argument.
Review the Discipline Specific Resources for Rhetoric and Research. Topics below
Complete the Topic Selection Worksheet.
Humanities & Sciences: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
Rhetoric dates back to ancient Greece and the great philosophers of the day: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Rhetorical messages are designed to persuade, i.e., attempting to influence how one thinks, believes, or behaves. As students, you will learn how to construct rhetorical messages, both written and oral, that effectively reach your target audience. As consumers of the media, you will learn how to critically evaluate these messages and challenge how they influence society. Critical to building an effective rhetorical message is research.
Research allows you to identify credible and academic source material that can be used to build and support your arguments. Without research to support your position, you have nothing but opinion that can be easily dismissed by your audience, i.e., an ineffective message.
Rhetoric is used by researchers in the fields of Math and Science to help expand upon current ideas and frame logical arguments for or against certain positions. Scientific research provides an outlet for researchers to share their findings. People need an understanding of basic scientific principles to help one develop their own conclusions, based upon current research technique.
Information Systems & Technology: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
Rhetoric at its core is the study of how messages are given and received. From that research we learn how to communicate better in different contexts that call for differing communication styles and strategies.
No longer are IT folks behind closed doors. They are out communicating within the organization, asking the right questions to get the right information so the business can thrive. Rhetoric and research improve communication skills and open minds.
Social Sciences: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
Most individuals who study social sciences are interested in helping others. Mastery of language is needed to be an effective helper. As a helping professional, you must be able to use your verbal and/or written skills to be persuasive when competing for limited resources, helping others to overcome obstacles, and in navigating complex systems of support.
In addition to being persuasive, you must approach your efforts from the stance of a scientist practitioner. In other words, the decisions you make In relation to others should be based on research. Research provides a means for you to make best-practice decisions in your helping efforts. While intuition may be beneficial in your work, intuition that is informed by research provides protection for you and the people you serve.
Education: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
Rhetoric is the study of writing and speaking well; it is how you convey your message persuasively. Research is an essential part of rhetoric since your message will be more persuasive if it is properly researched. Who is your target audience and what are their needs; what are the sides to the issue; what are the vested interests of your stakeholders?
Teachers are actively engaging in rhetoric and research daily in a variety of ways, including curriculum decisions, engaging students and parents, collaborating with colleagues, and more. Imagine you are preparing your agenda for Open House as a first-year teacher. What factors should you consider? What types of verbal and written communications will you send to your parents? Why is your message delivery important? It is critical that you know how to successfully research and write for your future career as a teacher.
Health Services Administration: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
As a healthcare administrator, it is likely that students will be asked by their employers to gather research about a specific topic, and they must be able to identify dependable research. Furthermore, they may be called upon to provide an analysis of the research collected, and it will benefit students if they are aware of methods used to assess data.
Finally, healthcare administrator roles differ between employers, but common tasks, such as financial reporting, reporting to stakeholders, project management, quality assurance, staffing, training and development, HR compliance, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, etc., are all ways research is used in healthcare.
Business: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
In an aggressive marketplace, research and rhetoric skills are in high demand in maintaining an organization's advantage. Students who are able to conduct relevant research on business trends, new products, and competitors are in demand. Once research is completed, the ability to present the findings successfully helps companies develop strategic plans to stay ahead of the competition.
Security & Criminal Justice: ENG/200: Rhetoric and Research
• Business
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Humanities & Sciences
• Information Systems & Technology
• Security & Criminal Justice
• Social Sciences
Importance of Rhetoric and Research to Your Degree Program and Professional Career
Research is important in the field of security because it allows us to verify best practices and their effectiveness in the industry. Collecting data both through surveys and interviews will grant practitioners the ability to adjust to current trends and shift resources as needed.