writing assignment

Assignment for Monday, Nov. 30

So you have one more major paper due next Monday. The assignment for that paper is below. It is a paper that will be a pre-test for the post-test; in other words, I want to see if you can compare the words of two writers who have essays about similar topics and write a clear argument explaining what each person’s perspective is, and whether you agree or disagree with the respective writers. Here is the assignment:

1. Reread both the essay by Daniel Gilbert, “What You Don’t Know Makes You Nervous,” pp. 417 ff., and today’s assignment, “Violence Vanquished,” by Steven Pinker, pp. 698 ff.

2. Decide what you think is the most important point that each author is making about the subjects chosen (we did this last Wednesday for the first essay).

3. Decide if you agree with the author’s main points or not.

4. Write at least 2-1/2 pages of an argument discussing each of these essays (be sure to include the title and author and page number after quotations), and show whether you agree or disagree with either of them. I am hoping that you will not simply say that you agree with both—but if you agree or disagree, you must tell the reader why.

5. Your paper is due Monday, typed, double spaced, and carefully proofread.