argument essay: improving place
essay topic, purpose, and audience
Topic: Use creativity and research to help improve your school, work, town, or region. It could be that you see a particular problem, or possibly you just have an idea for something new that will better your area. Start by developing a list of ideas or issues that impact you, personally. Don't hesitate to ask for the input of others in the brainstorming process, and I encourage you to delve a bit into the unknown, or to think outside of the box! Is there a problem, or an opportunity? What action needs to be taken to improve your place? What new ideas or proposals can you offer? Before you decide on your specific topic, you may need to do some Internet surfing to ensure that you will be able to support your ideas with research. As you write, you will combine logical explanation with credible, textual evidence (at least two sources from the LCC library online) in order to defend your interesting and arguable claim. For this essay, focus especially on incorporating the rhetorical appeals in your own writing. You should draw the reader in and make them care about your ideas. I will approve your choices and help to ensure that each student selects a different topic.
"Short n' Sweet" Purpose: To discover and defend and interesting, arguable claim (about an idea that would improve your place) with logical and compelling explanations supported by credible, textual evidence.
Audience: Since you are focusing on a real topic that "hits close to home," you could say, I'd like you to write with a specific audience in mind. Don't think of this audience in terms of demographics (certain genders, age groups, occupations, etc.). Rather, consider their frame of mind; where do they currently stand on the issue(s), or how might they be likely to respond? Also, make sure you write to an audience of "change agents": those individuals who actually hold the power to act on your ideas, or at least to further them. In general, write in a formal manner to appeal to an educated audience. Though your audience may be aware of the background and details, be sure to provide adequate re-capping and background to invite all readers into the conversation.
Audience: Since you are focusing on a real topic that "hits close to home," you could say, I'd like you to write with a specific audience in mind. Don't think of this audience in terms of demographics (certain genders, age groups, occupations, etc.). Rather, consider their frame of mind; where do they currently stand on the issue(s), or how might they be likely to respond? Also, make sure you write to an audience of "change agents": those individuals who actually hold the power to act on your ideas, or at least to further them. In general, write in a formal manner to appeal to an educated audience. Though your audience may be aware of the background and details, be sure to provide adequate re-capping and background to invite all readers into the conversation.
extra tips!
When you research for this essay, it may help to think of the sources you discover as people or voices at the table in the Burkean Parlor (read the metaphor below). Your task is to listen to these voices, and to form your own response: what would you say if you were sitting at the table? When you write, bring all of the important voices into conversation with one another in order to weave together an interesting and adequate argument. Note, as well, that you have arrived late, and that the conversation will continue once you depart. The lesson here is that our arguments are but a moment in time; keep your blind spot in check and stay humble.
"Imagine that you enter a parlor. You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is about. In fact, the discussion had already begun long before any of them got there, so that no one present is qualified to retrace for you all the steps that had gone before. You listen for a while, until you decide that you have caught the tenor of the argument; then you put in your oar. Someone answers; you answer him; another comes to your defense; another aligns himself against you, to either the embarrassment or gratification of your opponent, depending upon the quality of your ally's assistance. However, the discussion is interminable. The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart, with the discussion still vigorously in progress." -Kenneth Burke
samples
Coming soon...
information to gather, create, and include
- A catchy introduction, and perhaps a "painting the picture" paragraph right after
- A main claim/ clear position (an idea that would improve your place)
- REASONS/ideas that back up your main claim (break the argument down into parts)
- Support/evidence for each claim: summary, paraphrasing, and quotes from sources
- Explanation for each piece of evidence that connects it back to the sub-claims and main claim
- Necessary background information to help the reader follow along (history, science, definitions, explanations, etc.)
- Acknowledgement of any important opposing views or hesitations (and your response to these)
- Appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos! :) And an overall awareness of an audience
- Constant reminders about why this topic matters
Minimum Requirements
You must meet these minimum requirements in order to receive comments and a grade for your first essay.
- 1,000 words minimum (no more than 1 quote of 4 lines or longer, in MLA style)
- Should be at least 6 developed paragraphs (more than 5 sentences each)
- MLA Works Cited entries must be included at the bottom of the page with matching in-text citations in the body of the essay
- Formal/academic style or voice (eliminate first and second person references- "I" and "you")
- Font and visual layout should increase legibility and meaning
- Include at least one image (properly cited in your Works Cited section- you may use Easy Bib to create your image citations, only: http://www.easybib.com/cite/form/photo. Citations are required for all images that you did not take personally)
- 5 sources minimum, not including your image (you must find 2 credible sources within the library databases) - NO Wikipedia
- Free of plagiarism (copy and paste, substitution, and over-quoting)
description of ExpectationsFor each of the expectations listed to the right, you will receive one of the following ratings:
These expectations are published in Canvas as a rubric, but you need to ignore the point values, which are a Canvas requirement and do not amount to a letter grade. I will determine your overall letter grade considering how you have done for each of the categories, and prioritizing both strengths and weaknesses that are crucial for success in English 101. If you have questions or comments after listening to my comments and viewing your score, please reach out to me. |
publish & submit
Be sure to click on "update" when you've finished your posting your essay on your website (on the page called "Analysis," or whatever you decide to call it). As well, click "publish" to ensure that the most current version of your website is live and accessible. When all of this is complete, you can submit your assignment through Canvas. You'll need to copy and paste your site URL into the submission space. Follow the link below...