essay

Instructions: 

• 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 reviewedsources 
  • see this video and Ch. 2 of the textbook for more information on what it means for a source to be peer reviewed: http://youtu.be/rOCQZ7QnoN0. 
  • 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 Week 6 quiz, 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.