Rogerian Essay for Brilliant Answers

E3_RogerianArgumentLetter.docx

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Dear ____________,

Carl Rogers once said, "The major barrier to mutual interpersonal communication is our very natural tendency to judge, to evaluate, to approve or disapprove, the statement of the other person or the other group." As you can see, one of the greatest challenges for you as an academic writer of arguments is to prevent your audience from becoming so defensive and annoyed and not listening to anything you have to say. Sometimes audiences can feel threatened by viewpoints different from your own, and in such cases persuasion can rarely take place; therefore, Rogerian argument is a negotiating strategy in which common goals are identified and opposing views are discussed as objectively as possible in an effort to establish common ground and reach mutual agreement. Now let’s discuss your last essay in this course in more details:

· Topic:

· An arguable topic where you can apply ALL elements of Rogerian argument

· Format and length

· A letter; CMS in-text citation/ works cited page or references; 31/2- 4 pages

· Audience:

· A real, authentic audience (local, national, international ) to be addressed directly and one who holds an opposing view from yours

· Sources:

· At least three credible sources from the library databases:

· Academic journal articles and articles from objective, major, well-known publications

· Academic Search Complete

· JSTOR

· Opposing Viewpoints

· Issues and Controversies

· CQ Researcher

· If you are planning to use any other databases, websites, sources, please check with me first.

Image result for compromise

· Sample outline

· Heading

· Salutation: address your specific audience; use titles and/ or positions if necessary

· Introduction:

· Neutral background information on the topic and relevancy to your audience: present the topic as a problem to solve together

· No direct thesis (do not take a position on the topic; instead, end the intro with discussing how you and your audience are affected by this problem and how you can both benefit of finding/ agreeing on a/an mutual and alternative solution)

· Major objection/ audience’s views (two argumentative paragraphs)

· Directly address your audience

· Discuss your audience’s major objections/ oppositions to your position objectively, fairly, and accurate.

· Do not respond to your audience’s views

· Support your audience’s claims with evidence

· Context for the opposing position (One paragraph)

· Show the opposition that you understand under what circumstances its position is valid

· Your position and reasons: (two argumentative paragraphs)

· Present your position objectively; be convincing and fairly, objectively discuss your reasons and positions

· Support your claims with evidence

· Common ground (one paragraph)

· Common ground shared by you and your audience

· Explain what it is, why, significance

· Show how elements of your position could work to benefit your audience’s interests.

· Mutual agreement/ solution (one paragraph)

· Possible ways to compromise or alternative and practical solution to the problem that would benefit both audience and writer.

· Explain why this solution will solve the problem and will benefit both parties; in other words, discuss how your audience would benefit from accepting this alternative solution

· Ending:

· Complimentary close and signature

· Sincerely, Best Regards, Respectfully yours, …

· Apply Elements of an arguable paragraph to the paragraphs discussing your position and your audience’s position

· Claim (arguable topic sentence)

· Context (explanation of topic sentence in more details)

· Evidence cited in CMS (at least two in each paragraph)

· Direct quotation, summary, paraphrase

· Analysis of each evidence

· Supporting details/ reasonable argument and explanations

· Closing sentence/ linking sentence

Due dates:

· Choose topics 11/15

· Annotated bibliography 11/20

· Outline 11/27

· Rough draft due in drop box and class 11/29

· Final draft 12/04

I would welcome the opportunity to further discuss this essay with you, and I am looking forward to your response by December 04, 2018. For a sample essay, please refer to D2L > essay’s folder. Further, please feel free contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions regarding this essay.

Sincerely,

Semira Taheri

Assistant Professor

English Department

Lone Star College, CyFair