4-5 Page Essay

Essay 2: Argument Synthesis Position

An argument synthesis draws upon evidence from a variety of sources in an attempt to persuade others to accept a debatable claim. This assignment requires you to use your analysis, research, and critical thinking skills to formulate a 4-5 page unique argumentative essay with a persuasive thesis that uses researched evidence to support your claim.

You must develop an argument related to either the role of technology in our society or the impact recent technological innovations have had. The term technology can be related to a number of topics including social media, the Internet, genetic or medical technological advances, environmental technology, etc. The intended audience is college-educated adults, who may or may not agree with your position.

Your goal is to convince your readers to consider, if not agree, that your angle/stance on the role or impact of technological advances is a valid and substantial argument. To accomplish this, you will need a clear thesis statement or claim grounded in what you know about the rhetorical triangle, logical and valid evidence that uses the rhetorical appeals, and a strong organizational structure.

As this is a synthesis paper, you will also be expected to engage with at least THREE sources from the library databases. Two of your sources must support your position and one must offer a counterargument to your claim or explore multiple perspectives.

Essay Structure:

· Define your issue, demonstrating your awareness that you are entering a conversation that contains varying perspectives on the issue.

· Make a focused claim about your issue (i.e., state an arguable thesis that locates your stance among the competing perspectives)

· Provide reasons that support your thesis

· Provide evidence for each of your reasons (e.g., your own reasoning plus research)

· Anticipate objections from people with other perspectives (counterargument)

· Provide a rebuttal that shows the flaws in the counterargument

Additional Notes:

· Your audience for this piece consists of academic readers who may not be familiar with your outside sources. As such, they will expect you to briefly summarize each source and to not misrepresent the sources’ ideas.

· If nobody disagrees with your claim, you do not have an argument.

· Incorporate logos, pathos, and ethos into your argument. The best way for writers to incorporate ethos is by addressing counter arguments and using credible sources. Additionally, taking a reasonable stand on the issue (as opposed to an extreme one) will also lead to more credibility.

· Include a Works Cited page with a minimum of 3 sources. You must refer to all three sources in the paper.

· Realize that you only have 4-6 pages, so you need to pick something very specific to focus on.

Final Draft: Sunday, August 4 by 11:59 PM

Part of the challenge of this assignment is developing your own argument. However, here are some questions to help you generate ideas:

· How have the ways we read and write been impacted by recent technological inventions? What unintended consequences might this have on our educational system, our professional lives, or our society’s ability to compete in the global market economy?

· To what extent has communication online and via cell phone superseded face-to-face communication? If you don’t think it has yet, will it soon? What consequences might this have on human relationships?

· How do we keep privacy in the computer age? Should medical records or any records be “for sale?” How do we reconcile adult rights with the need to protect children? Should the Internet be regulated by the government? If so, to what extent?

· Christine Rosen asserts that social media has “led to a form of ‘social narcissism’” in today’s society (206). She also says that “The screen offers us the illusion of participation, and this illusion is becoming our preference” (207). Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

· We live in a world where medical breakthroughs and advances are being made on a daily basis. There are machines to detect diseases, stem cell research, cloning, pills to enhance brain power and concentration. Consider the ethical implications of this research.

· Are these technologies an invasion of privacy? What are the advantages/disadvantages?

· Should funding for stem cell or embryonic stem cells research or cloning research and experimentation be banned or regulated? If so, where do we draw the line?

· Should genetically modified foods be banned or regulated?

· How far should we go in using genetics to enhance human life?

*By ethics, I do not mean religious implications. If you choose to tackle these kinds of topics, you must move beyond the “against nature” or “against God” arguments.

Consider the following questions:

· If the manipulation of human DNA results, intentionally or not, in entities possessing degrees of intelligence never before seen in, should these entities be given rights and special protection?

· Who will have access to these technologies and how will scarce resources—such as medical advances—be allocated?

· What, if any, health risks are associated with genetically modified foods?

· Are there long-term effects on the environment when genetically modified organisms are released?