Assignment
Part 1:
1. Post your 1-sentence thesis statement for this topic.
Remember, your thesis statement:
• should give a clear stance for one side in the debate on the topic you've chosen
• should be a declarative statement, NOT a question
• if you're working with a bill you found on GovTrack or with a bill from a state legislature, make sure it directly mentions the bill that you're going to discuss, preferably by H.R. or S. number and title.
2. Give a model in-text citation and work cited entry for 1 peer-reviewed source that you plan to use in this essay.
• You must include either a short quotation and/or paraphrase with the in-text citation.
• Both the in-text citation and works cited entry should be in MLA format.
To earn full credit, the source must be peer-reviewed and correctly cited (though a hanging indent is not necessary).
3. Give a working outline for your essay. Remember, your essay should be divided into an introduction, body (consisting of multiple body paragraphs), and conclusion, and in the body paragraphs, must also include the following elements:
• explanation of your stance on the bill and reasons for it
• explanation of the opposition stance on the bill (or some of its provisions) and reasons
• a discussion of the common ground that the two sides share.
Your outline may be a topic or sentence outline but must be somewhat concrete, containing brief descriptions of supporting points/evidence.
Part 2: Instructions: Rogerian Essay
• The main body of essay should be between 900 and 1000 words, excluding the required annotated bibliography.
• The essay needs to be in MLA format.
• It should include an Annotated Bibliography instead of a works cited list (see the end of this assignment for an example of an Annotated Bibliography)
• You must use at least 5 sources, and at least 3 must be from peer reviewed sources
o see this video and Ch. 2 of the textbook for more information on what it means for a source to be peer reviewed.
o the best way to find peer reviewed sources is to use the databases available through the APUS Library; when you open the Library's main page, click on the "Advanced Search" link at the bottom of the "Articles and Databases" box. On the next page that comes up, make sure to check the "Peer reviewed publications" box before running your search.
Choosing a Topic: You must use the topic you proposed on the Part 1 of these instructions, which must have a specific point of debate, clear public-realm stakes, and a narrow scope. A quick way to accomplish this is to choose a topic from the current bills making their way through the US Congress (see GovTrack.us for the US Congress Bills Tracker) or a state legislature.
Note: Consider your audience as laymen in the field with only general knowledge of your topic.
Organize your essay into the expected sections for an academic essay (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion), and make sure to also include all the elements of Rogerian form (your claim and support, an unbiased discussion of the opposition's claim and support, and a clear discussion of the common ground idea/concern that could bring the two sides together, and help the opposing side see why your stance also serves their concerns).
After you have written your essay, please make sure to revise the content of your essay. Lastly, be sure to edit your essay by checking grammar, format, and smaller technical details. Please make sure your essay is written in third person.
The Annotated Bibliography
An annotated Bibliography (AB) is due with your Rogerian essay. Using the MLA guide, list each source as it will appear on the Works Cited page of your essay. Summarize each source in two or three grammatically-correct sentences, and also state how the source contributed to your project. These short summaries are the "annotations."
The following is a sample of an "annotated bibliography."
Annotated Bibliography
Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1998. Print.
Clark's textbook identifies the major steps to developing a well-researched and well-written argumentative essay. Professional essays are included in the text as models.
Ward, Russ. Logical Argument in the Research Paper. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace, 1997. Print.
Augmenting the steps to writing an argumentative research paper is information about proper documentation. The Toulmin System, an important aspect of a well-planned paper, should be studied carefully.