Assignment 3 ,3000 words

Researched Persuasive Essay

The Assignment Your major research assignment in this course asks you to synthesize all of the writing and research you have done so far this term. Your goal is to determine a defensible position on the issue, an answer to your research question, and convince a specific audience of that position. You should return to the issue you developed for the first two assignments in this class for this essay.

Goal The focus of this assignment will be on evaluation, on determining the quality of the competing positions you have discovered. You should address your position paper to a specific audience and consider the purpose you have for convincing that audience of your position. If you choose, you might propose a plan for action that would remedy the problem you identify, but that isn’t required. The goal is to argue your position effectively. Your final paper should be between 8-10 pages in length, not counting the Works Cited page.

Composition Direct your response to this assignment to a specific audience whose thinking you want to influence. Your credibility will be very important in persuading this audience to adopt your evaluation of the issue or position, so you should take care to present yourself as someone who is reasonably well informed about the issue or civic action you are discussing.

At minimum, the completed paper ought to clearly identify the issue you are writing about, why it is controversial, and state your position on the issue, defending it with clear and credible evidence.

The paper should clearly state as well any competing positions that are relevant to the situation. For this assignment you need to use at least eight (8) outside sources. Your essay should also:

· Identify what points are at stake in this argument;

· defend or attack these points;

· show how they are at work in the various positions taken in the argument: and

· answer the “so what?” question (i.e. Why should the audience care about the issue?)

The paper should also consider alternative views and counter-arguments where relevant, and you should provide any and all evidence that is persuasive for the arguments you advance in support of your case.

You may also choose to evaluate the quality of the evidence presented by parties who do not agree with your evaluation of the position, action, or policy.

In essence, this is your chance to present your argument and persuade others of your position. As you do so, use the information that you gathered when exploring the perspectives surrounding the issue in your second assignment to support your line of reasoning for this third assignment.

As with the other writing assignments, you will need a Reflection submitted with the final draft of this essay.

Due Dates:

Writing Center Visit​​​​​​​​​​____________________

Peer Review___________________

Writing Conference/Quick Talk​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​____________________________

Final Draft​​​​​​​​​​​​​________________________

Grading Criteria: See rubric.