Topic: Now that you have studied the persuasive styles of Patrick Henry in "Speech to the Virginia Convention" and Thomas Paine in The Crisis, No. 1, you will write your own persuasive essay on a contemporary issue. Your assignment is as follows:
After researching informative texts on a contemporary issue, write a persuasive essay that argues your position on that topic. Support your position with evidence from your research (parenthetical citations). Be sure to mention opposing views.
Important Note: You must incorporate at least THREE rhetorical devices in your essay. You must also use one logical appeal and one emotional appeal.
Directions: First, decide which topic you would like to write on. You may need to look at all three topics before you choose one.
TOPIC ONE:
Recycling: Is recycling an effective way to dispose of our country's garbage or is it too costly to actually implement?
The websites you may use:
Is Recycling Worth It?
http://journalism.nyu.edu/publishing/archives/livewire/politics_society/post_36/
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Recycling?
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_recycling
When Recycling Is Bad for the Environment
http://discovermagazine.com/2009/jul-aug/06-when-recycling-is-bad-for-the-environment
EPA Report on Recycling
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm
EPA Report on Recycling
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/reduce.htm
Plastic-Paper Summary
http://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-ess-p2-recycling-PaperPlasticSummary_2.pdf
TOPIC TWO
Should we have stricter gun control laws, or the gun laws we have in place already effective?
The Effectiveness of Gun Control Laws
http://www.kean.edu/~jkeil/Welcome_files/Gun%20Control.pdf
The False Promise of Gun Control
http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/polsby.fpgc.html
Gun Control
http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/crs_gun_control.shtml
Assault Weapons Ban Would Not Violate Second Amendment
First Report Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Violence: Firearms Laws
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5214a2.htm
TOPIC THREE
Is human cloning a good idea or a dangerous experiment?
Human Cloning Network
Human Cloning
http://cbhd.org/content/human-cloning
The Ethics of Human Cloning and Stem Cell Research
http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/cloning.html
Reasons for and against Human Cloning
http://www.philforhumanity.com/Human_Cloning.html
Genetic Engineering
http://www.udel.edu/physics/scen103/CGZ/cons.html
Go to the above website, and then click on the link, “The Cons of Human Cloning.”
Psychological and Ideological Aspect of Human Cloning: A Transiiton to a Transhumanist Psychology
http://jetpress.org/v20/morales.htm
U.S. Policy-makers Should Ban Human Reproductive Cloning
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=10285
Assignment: You will first have to decide which THREE (Minimum) of the Internet articles you will use. You must avoid the one website that is not a credible or valid website. You will need to copy and paste the following form into Word and complete it on your three sources. You may type in the form or print it and write in the answers. Make sure your name is on all three forms.
Copy and paste the following form into Microsoft Word. You will need to complete a form for both sources (2).
Name____________________________________________ Source Rating: _________
Rate My Source
Title of article: ________________________________________________________________
Title of source: ________________________________________________________________
Author(s) and/or editor(s):_______________________________________________________
Author / editor credentials: ______________________________________________________
Publication date: _______________________________________________________________
Does the author or editor reference his or her sources with parenthetical citations and a reference page? Yes No
If yes, what style guide is he or she using? APA MLA Other
Who is the intended audience of this source? __________________________________________
Sponsoring organization: _________________________________________________________
Is the sponsoring organization reputable? Yes No Not sure
If the source is electronic –
Are there any advertisements associated with this source? Yes No
Where is the source located? .com .net .edu . gov .org other
Is this source relevant to my task? Yes No Not sure
If yes, how is this source relevant to my task? _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What purpose will this source serve my task? _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
|
Rating Scale: 5 – Very reliable 3 – Somewhat reliable 1 – Unreliable |
Complete the form and turn it in.
When you have decided that you have three valid, credible sources, you need to begin writing your outline. Copy and paste the following form into Microsoft Word.
I. Introduction
I. Attention-getter:
2. General Fillers: (Explain what both sides of your issue are. Explain the significance of the topic.)
3. Thesis: (Which side did you choose? Why did you choose that side?)
II. Body Par. #1 Topic Sentence: (What is the paragraph going to discuss? This paragraph must support your position!)
1. First detail:
2. Quote you will use: (introduce as follows: One Internet source explains,) (Do not forget to cite this source parenthetically!)
3. Significance of the quote:
4. Second detail:
5. Quote to be used: (Do not forget to introduce your quote!) (Do not forget to cite this quote parenthetically!)
6. Significance of the quote:
7. Concluding Sentence
III. Body Par. #2 Topic Sentence: (What is the paragraph going to discuss? This paragraph must support your position!)
1. First detail:
2. Quote you will use: (introduce as follows: One Internet source explains,) (Do not forget to cite this source parenthetically!)
3. Significance of the quote:
4. Second detail:
5. Quote to be used: (Do not forget to introduce your quote!) (Do not forget to cite this quote parenthetically!)
6. Significance of the quote:
7. Concluding Sentence
IV. Body Par. #3 Topic Sentence: (What is the paragraph going to discuss? This paragraph must discuss how your opposing side is wrong.)
1. First detail:
2. Quote you will use: (introduce as follows: One Internet source explains,) (Do not forget to cite this source parenthetically!)
3. Significance of the quote:
4. Second detail:
5. Quote to be used: (Do not forget to introduce your quote!) (Do not forget to cite this quote parenthetically!)
6. Significance of the quote:
7. Concluding Sentence
V. Concluding Paragraph
Sentence One: Restate your thesis in other words:
Sentences Two and Three: Summarize what your reader should have learned and why he/she should take your position on your issue.
Sentence Four: Write a Clincher: For example, Patrick Henry used "Give me liberty or give me death!" Now write your own.
What are your THREE rhetorical devices:
1.
2.
3.
What is your logical appeal?
What is your emotional appeal?
NOW PRINT THIS OUTLINE AND TURN IT IN TO ME!!! I must preview this outline before you continue writing your paper.
Do not forget to write bibliography entries for your Internet websites. You will need these for your Works Cited page. Remember, you need to use a minimum of three different sources!!