read an article then write a position essay about privacy

Argument

Position

Essay

Prompt

English

3000

-

Privacy

You

will

write

a

n

800

minimum

word

position

paper

in

response

to

the

article

by

Daniel

Solove

in

Reading

Critically,

Writing

Well

-

"Why

Privacy

Matters

Even

If

You

Have

Nothing

to

Hide"

on

page

341.

The

essay

must

be

formatted

in

MLA

style

with

appropriate

and

correct

in

-

text

citations

for

all

paraphrasing,

summary

and

quoting,

and

must

include

a

correct

MLA

Works

Cited

List

.

·

You

will

argue

for

or

against

the

position

taken,

agreeing

or

disagreeing

with

Solove,

while

using

the

a

rticle

as

a

source

and

a

reference.

·

In

other

words,

do

you

think

that

if

you

have

"nothing

to

hide",

then

online

privacy

doesn't

matter?

Why

or

why

not?

·

Read

the

article

carefully

to

understand

what

he

is

claiming.

Your

purpose

is

to

convince

your

readers

to

take

your

argument

seriously.

·

Therefore,

you

will

need

to

acknowledge

readers’

opposing

views

as

well

as

any

objections

or

questions

they

might

have.

·

This

is

NOT

a

review

of

Solove

’s

article.

Brainstorming/Pre

-

writing

questions

to

consider:

1.

Do

you

agree

with

the

author’s

estimation

about

onli

ne

privacy

and

information

gathering?

Support

your

answer

with

reasons.

2.

Solove

divides

violations

of

privacy

into

two

types:

Orwellian

and

Kafkaesque.

What

is

the

distinction

between

these

two

violations,

and

why

does

either

of

them

matter?

3.

To

what

extent

should

the

government

have

such

a

significant

power

over

citizens?

Do

you

agree

with

Solove's

assumption

that

a

power

differential

is

reason

to

be

concerned,

or

do

you

look

at

the

situation

differently?

Be

sure

to

read

the

discussion

section

following

the

essay

on

p.

346

-

34

8

for

insights

into

Solove's

rhetorical

and

writing

strategies.

Position

papers

take

on

controversial

issues

that

have

no

obvious

“right”

answer,

no

truth

everyone

accepts,

no

single

authority

everyone

trusts.

Consequently,

simply

ga

thering

information

–

fact

finding

or

expert

sources

–

will

not

settle

these

disputes

because

ultimately

they

are

a

matter

of

opinion

and

judgment.

Although

it

is

not

possible

to

prove

that

a

position

is

right

or

wrong,

it

is

possible

to

convince

others

th

rough

a

well

-

constructed,

reasoned

argument.

You must use and cite the one source from the text, but

no

more

than

three

in

total.

Anything

outside

your

own

experience,

or

that

is

not

considered

common

knowledge,

must

be

cited,

but

your

own

ideas

and

voice

must

clearly

be

heard

in

the

paper,

while

using

the

source

as

evidence

to

support

your

claim.

You

may

NOT

use

Wikipedia

as

a

source,

but

may

use

it

to

see

what

the

conversation

is

about

in

your

topic

(make

sure

to

scroll

to

the

bottom

of

their

page

t

o

see

their

credible

sources).

Be

sure

to

review

how

to

use

quotes,

paraphrasing,

and

summary

effectively,

and

how

to

integrate

evidence

into

a

paper

while

citing

correctly,

both

in

-

text

and

on

correctly

formatted

MLA

Works

Cited

List.

Argument Position Essay Prompt English 3000 - Privacy

You will write an 800 minimum word position paper in response to the article by Daniel Solove

in Reading Critically, Writing Well - "Why Privacy Matters Even If You Have Nothing to Hide" on

page 341.

The essay must be formatted in MLA style with appropriate and correct in-text citations for all

paraphrasing, summary and quoting, and must include a correct MLA Works Cited List.

 You will argue for or against the position taken, agreeing or disagreeing with Solove,

while using the article as a source and a reference.

 In other words, do you think that if you have "nothing to hide", then online privacy doesn't

matter? Why or why not?

 Read the article carefully to understand what he is claiming. Your purpose is to

convince your readers to take your argument seriously.

 Therefore, you will need to acknowledge readers’ opposing views as well as any

objections or questions they might have.

 This is NOT a review of Solove’s article.

Brainstorming/Pre-writing questions to consider:

1. Do you agree with the author’s estimation about online privacy and information

gathering? Support your answer with reasons.

2. Solove divides violations of privacy into two types: Orwellian and Kafkaesque. What is

the distinction between these two violations, and why does either of them matter?

3. To what extent should the government have such a significant power over citizens? Do

you agree with Solove's assumption that a power differential is reason to be concerned,

or do you look at the situation differently?

Be sure to read the discussion section following the essay on p. 346-348 for insights into

Solove's rhetorical and writing strategies.

Position papers take on controversial issues that have no obvious “right” answer, no truth

everyone accepts, no single authority everyone trusts. Consequently, simply gathering

information – fact finding or expert sources – will not settle these disputes because ultimately

they are a matter of opinion and judgment. Although it is not possible to prove that a position is

right or wrong, it is possible to convince others through a well-constructed, reasoned argument.

You must use and cite the one source from the text, but no more than three in

total. Anything outside your own experience, or that is not considered common knowledge,

must be cited, but your own ideas and voice must clearly be heard in the paper, while using the

source as evidence to support your claim. You may NOT use Wikipedia as a source, but may

use it to see what the conversation is about in your topic (make sure to scroll to the bottom of

their page to see their credible sources). Be sure to review how to use quotes, paraphrasing,

and summary effectively, and how to integrate evidence into a paper while citing correctly, both

in-text and on correctly formatted MLA Works Cited List.