Writing Assignment

Project 2: Synthesizing the Conversation

In the classroom, if students are engaged in heated debate, we believe that education is taking place...To win the argument, they ignore complexity and nuance. They refuse to concede a point raise by their opponents, even if they can see that it is valid, because such a concession would weaken their position. Nobody tries to synthesize the various views, because that would look indecisive, or weak.

If the class engages in discussion rather than debate—adding such intellectual activities as exploring ideas, uncovering nuances, comparing and contrasting different interpretations of a work—more students take part, and more of them gain a deeper, and more accurate, understanding of the material. Most important, the students learn a stance of respect and open-minded inquiry.

--Deborah Tannen, “Agonism in the Academy: Surviving the Argument Culture”

Context

Deborah Tannen, Paulo Freire, and bell hooks each discuss education, but in different ways. Because their arguments are not all alike, we must listen (=read) carefully to find the common threads in their conversations. This careful listening can enable us to better articulate our own thoughts on the topic.

Assignment

Using at least two of the three provided sources, respond to the conversation that your authors are having about education*(see below for alternative source options). You must provide a claim** for this project, but the focus is on synthesizing your sources throughout your response. It is recommended to focus on several “threads” of their conversation and synthesize and respond throughout the paper (rather than synthesizing at the beginning and responding at the end). Instead of incorporating one source per point, a true synthesis places sources in conversation with each other.

Consider Tannen’s warnings (above in headnote) against simply arguing to win, and look instead at how you might argue to foreground the conversation on education and highlight your sources’ views on the issue. This project is a balance between you and your sources. It should be clear that you are entering the conversation that your sources started, and that your response is directly shaped by their argument. You will need to summarize, paraphrase, and quote throughout this paper. Consider when to use each, and be sure to provide in-text citations after each summary, paraphrase, and quotation.

Requirements

· Length: 3-4 pages in correct MLA format (including heading, spacing, page numbers, in-text citations, and Works Cited page)

· A Works Cited page as the last page of your document (but not part of the page count)

*Option for Alternative Sources

A) Sports and Social Issues option: The two articles from The Journal of Sport & Social Issues: Butterworth (2008) and Fischer (2014).

B) Technology option: the two book excerpts by Twenge (2017), and Goldsmith (2016).

**Claim = argument, or thesis statement

Portfolio outcomes used in this Project:

Critical thinking is illustrated by the ability to

· Identify problems or questions

· Develop positions or arguments concerning problems or questions

· Use reading and composing for inquiry, as well as evaluating and reevaluating perspectives

· Integrate personal ideas with those of others

Information literacy is illustrated by the ability to

· Determine the extent and relevance of information needed

· Find, evaluate, summarize, analyze, and synthesize appropriate sources