|
OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS Please note the
following due dates: · Rough Draft Posted to
Writing Group—no later than midnight Sunday,
November 23. · Responses to Writing
Group’s rough drafts—no later than midnight Friday,
November 28. · Final Copy due at the end-of-the-quarter meeting on Thursday, December 4 from 12:30 to 2:30. 6 Please print out the
following steps for easy reference and check them off as you complete
them. To be successful, it is CRITICAL
that you complete all steps IN ORDER and complete each step fully before
continuing on to the next. ____1. First, please read Thinking Critically, pp. 78-89 (6a-6f) and Writing Argumentative Essays, pp. 89-95 (7a-7d). These sections will give you a general overview of persuasion/argumentation and sensible support for a position on an issue. ____2. Go to the S.C.C. Library Home page. ____3. Click on ____4. If you are off-campus, enter your Student I.D. number in the box
where it asks for your library card number.
Click Continue. ____5. Scan the many topics in both columns. ____6. Pick several of topics of interest, click on them, and explore
each of them a bit. ____7. For each topic you explore, see if you can find two opposing
essays. Some
Examples Under Alcoholism you will find essays
arguing that Alcoholism should be treated as a disease (#1 and # 2) and
essays arguing that Alcoholism is not a disease (#5). Under Genetic Engineering you will find an
essay entitled Genetic Engineering of
Humans is Ethical (#1) and an essay entitled Human Cloning Should Be Banned (#2). Under Media Violence you will find essays
arguing that media violence has an effect on human behavior (#2 and #4) and
essays arguing that the evidence is exaggerated or inconclusive (#5 and #6). You get the idea. ____8. Select one of the topics you explored and read both opposing
essays. ____9. Decide which side of the topic you will support and defend. The
side you take will be the thesis of your essay. ____10.Write your thesis sentence. Below are some sample thesis
sentences—please note their style and content: ·
Participation in Alcoholics Anonymous is effective for
a majority of people. ·
I believe that the
Environmental Movement over the past two decades has been remarkably
ineffective. ·
Contrary to what many
politicians might tell you, the 2003 war in ·
There is little doubt that
Global Warming is the most serious threat to our continued existence on this
planet. ____15.Brainstorm
and write down a list of sensible reasons that support your position. ____14. Pick three of your reasons. For each, write a robust paragraph
explaining why that particular reason supports your position.. Note: Have NO sources open in front of you when
doing the above step or you may become guilty of plagiarism. ____15. Refer to the opposing essays you collected in Step 7. Locate and highlight specific quotes you
could blend into your body paragraphs to add support and to make your
position stronger. If you chose Pattern B or C,
you can also locate specific quotes you could refute. EKeep the quotes you will borrow small
in number and short in words. ____16. Turn to p. 293 (289) of Steps to Writing Well and re-read the
first paragraph of the sample student essay “Students, Take Note.”
ENotice
how this paragraph first introduces and explains the issue and then ends with
the author’s thesis—his position on the issue. You will want to do the same in yours. ____17. Write your introductory paragraph using this sample paragraph as
a model. [Place your thesis statement at the end
of this paragraph. (Make it the paragraph’s final sentence.) ____18. Turn to p. 295 (291) of Steps to Writing Well and re-read the
last paragraph of the sample
student essay “Students, Take Note.”
ENotice
the tone and content of this conclusion. ____19. Write your concluding paragraph using this sample paragraph as a
model. ____20. Collect all the paragraphs you have written and stack them in the
proper sequence. Add any transitions
your reader will need to move comfortably from one paragraph to the next. CYou now have built the rough draft of
your essay, so take a break, relax, and celebrate for a bit. When you feel appropriately refreshed, go
on to the next step. ____21. Read ALOUD through
your rough draft. Revise and polish it as best as you can. ____22. Post this revised rough draft to your Writing Group no later than
midnight Sunday, November 23. This will earn 10 points. ____23. Respond to your Writing Group's rough drafts by midnight Friday, November 28. As always, please
offer constructive comments and encouragement. This will earn 5
points. _____24. Make any final adjustments to your essay and bring it to our end-of-the-quarter
meeting (Thursday, December 4) at the beginning of class—12:30 p.m. A competent essay can yield up to 100 points. |
