Assignment Overview:

Assignment Overview:

In the “State of the Conversation” Report, you have an opportunity to:

• discuss the main positions related to your guiding question/issue

• describe where the most useful information about your topic can be found

• demonstrate your skills with summary, paraphrase, and direct quotations

• organize and synthesize your material effectively

• adjust your writing to a specific audience

   

  Audience: Assume you are writing to a group of people who are fairly new to your issue and want to learn more so they can participate in intelligent discussions with a wide group of people.

  Length: Approximately 1600-1800 words.

   

  REMEMBER: This is NOT an argumentative essay.

  Your goal is to report the different positions related to your issue.

   

  What to Include in Your “State of the Conversation” Report:

  Build your report using the sections and the headings below.  Suggested lengths are included.

   

  Section 1: Overview of the Issue

  In this section, offer relevant background/introductory information. Explain what issue you’re focusing on, who the issue is important to, and what makes the issue controversial.

  Around 200 words. Introduction to paper and issue

   

  Section 2: Your Specific Guiding Question/Issue

  In this section, clearly announce your specific guiding question/issue and explain why you chose to focus on this particular question. (If you wish to state your personal position on your issue/overtly “take a side,” this is the only place in the report to do that.)

  Around 100 words. You can use “I think” or personal opinion here.

   

  Section 3: Available Materials

              In this section, describe where (in what kinds of sources, in which databases, using which searches, etc.) a researcher is likely to find useful information about your topic. You might also explain the challenges a researcher faces in gathering information about your topic, such as what kinds of sources are not as useful, available, etc. (and why).

              Around 200 words. I looked at MC databases, websites, checked out books, and found academic journal articles.

   

  Section 4: Positions/Groupings

  In this section, carefully explain the various positions/groupings you’ve found in response to your guiding question/issue.

  Important Notes:

• Organize this section carefully. Group information according to key positions (and variations within those positions). Don’t just jump haphazardly from source to source. Use transitions to move from position to position, and/or use subheadings if you wish.

• Include a clear “topic-sentence”-type statement for each major position and for each sub-position.

• Bring in researched material to explain the position. Remember that you will likely draw on multiple sources as you explain each major position. “Frame” your research with sentences that introduce, interpret and explain your sources. Use more than one author from annotated bibs in this part.

• Use direct quotation, summary, and paraphrase to build your own credibility.

• Do not simply organize your material into “two sides”: find distinctions and overlap across the different positions. Show many sides to topic and discuss them… talk about all issues.

  Around 1000 words.

   

  Section 5: Conclusion

  In this section, reiterate the key overall positions you’ve discovered and emphasize the most important concepts/ideas that someone new to your issue must understand. (Again, remember our in-class discussion/example.) Summarize and restate issues.

  Around 200 words.

   

  Section 6: Works Cited

            In this section, compose a traditional works cited page, including only the sources you actually quoted, summarized, or paraphrased in your report. Title Works Cited; it is same as reference