The goal of the semester paper is to have you research and write an argument about an issue that matters to you. That issue should arise from a community to which you belong, and, ideally, your essay should allow you to contribute to the dialogue about that issue in your community.
In order to facilitate your increased competence in writing persuasively, the semester paper will be broken down into four interrelated parts, each part devoted to answering an essential question about your issue. When completed, your semester paper will be approximately 10-12 pages and include a separate Works Cited page.
No final papers will be accepted that have not moved through this drafting process. You must secure instructor approval to change the issue of your researched argument, and you will be required to submit a new version of this assignment as well as Parts One and Two.
Process for Part 3
Your task for this third part is to write a 3-4 page paper (typed, double-spaced, with MLA citation and a separate Works Cited page) in which you get into the substance of your argument by evaluating what is at the heart of your controversy. It is in this part of your draft that you put forth your opinion regarding the issue in an attempt to persuade your reader about its nature. Listed below are some questions for you to consider. Answering those questions will help you clarify what it is you're actually arguing about.
• What makes it a good or bad thing?
• Should it be sought or avoided?
• Is it right or wrong?
• Is it better or worse than something else?
• Is it more or less desirable than any alternative?
As you structure your argument, it will likely be helpful to review the structure of argument (Chapters 1 and 7) described in our textbook, Practical Argument.
In this paper, you should not explain how the problem can be solved; you should not argue for a particular course of action. That will come in Part 4.
You will have to continue your research for this paper, and you should include specific references within your paper that you have found thus far that you think are important to understanding and defining your issue.
Evaluation
This is considered part of a longer paper, so this writing task is a draft (which counts for credit). My expectation is that this draft has been thoughtfully researched and composed (and proofread). Your paper will be deemed Exemplary, Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory
based on how well and how fully you address the aspects of the paper noted above. Because you will revise this paper and incorporate it into the final semester paper, my comments will not be corrections but revision directions and suggestions.