Unsloved Mysteries

Writing Project 2: Arguments of Fact

What’s the assignment? Your second writing project will be to write what your text characterizes as an “argument of fact.”

Topic : Think of a notable unsolved mystery (e.g., alien sightings, the uses of Area 51) and decide whether the puzzle might be a good topic for a factual argument. 

If possible, link to an online source about whichever mystery you choose.

You might think that we can’t debate facts—and it’s true that we don’t argue about settled or undisputed facts—but facts can be challenged, be it by philosophers who argue that reality is a linguistic construct, or because facts are controversial or challenge settled beliefs.

Arguments of fact are more important today than ever, as we live in a time when politicians and pundits talk about “fake” news, some celebrities believe the earth is flat, and even the important and evolving science of how to deal with the pandemic has been politicized.

You may write about any issue you like (though you will need to get it approved by me).

I’m lost. What can I do? First and foremost, make sure you read Chapter 8 in everything’s an argument. If you look at the sample essays and “projects” page at the end of the chapter, you should get a better idea of what an argument of fact is—and some sense of how to come up with a topic for your paper.

How long should my argument of fact be? 3-3½ pages (about 900 words).

Do I need to do research? Yes. You need to use at least two (2) sources in your paper (and may want/need to use more).

When is my paper due? See the schedule below and the calendar in Blackboard.

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Is there anything else I need to know? Please note the following procedural guidelines—which will apply to all major writing assignments in this class.

· Referrals to the Academic Success Center. If I refer you to the ASC to work with a tutor, you should take your book, the assignment sheet, and your draft (or final paper) with you. You should also have the referral sheet signed by your tutor. You will need to submit the signed referral sheet with your paper.

· Rewrites. You may rewrite and resubmit each paper once; the best grade will be the one that counts. (Please speak with me before beginning a rewrite.)

Here is the rubric I will use to evaluate your argument of fact:

Daily Schedule for Unit 2

Day	Topics	Homework
W (Feb. 10)	Introduce assignment
F (Feb. 12)	Arguments of fact	Begin Chapter 8 in everything’s an argument (in the Unit folder in Blackboard).
M (Feb. 15)	Arguments of fact	Finish Chapter 8 in everything’s an argument (in the Unit folder in Bb). Post to Discussion Forum 5.
W (Feb. 17)	Invention; finding and evaluating sources	Read material on invention in Bb (in the Writing Process folder). Review material on finding and using sources in Bb.
F (Feb. 19)	Organization	Complete the Argument of Fact Worksheet in the Daily Assignments area. Post first page of your draft to DF 6 (showcase).
M (Feb. 22)	Integrating sources	Work on your draft. Read material from They Say, I Say (in texts folder).
W (Feb. 24)	Integrating sources; peer review	Post a portion of your paper that uses a source to DF 7 (showcase).
F (Feb. 26)	Peer review	Post a completed draft of your profile to DF 8 for peer review.
M (Mar. 1)	Editing	Create an account at Grammarly.
W (Mar. 3)		Papers Due