WR 122 Argument Essay & Research Assignments
Stacey Donohue, Writing 122, Winter 2002
(originally posted to the Humanities Conference, 2002)

Stacey Donohue, Associate Professor of English, Humanities Dept., Central Oregon Community College
Home Page URL:  http://www.cocc.edu/sdonohue/
Stacey's Writing 122 Course Web Site
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/sdonohue/classes/wr122/index.htm

Essay assignments below are based on the WR 122 textbook Dr. Donohue used in Winter 2002:
Faigley and Selzer: Good Reasons: With Contemporary Arguments. Allyn and Bacon, 2001.

Short Cuts:  Plagiarism Statement | Essay #1: Rhetorical Analysis | Essay #2: Definition or Evaluation Argument |
Essay #3: Multisource Argument Essay (in 4 parts, including Annotated Bibliography) |

These pages contain the major assignments for the quarter.  Please read them carefully noting the due dates.  I will read typed drafts of Essay 1 and 2, and the Annotated Bibliography that are handed in on time (which means at the start of the class period on the due date) and give you comments and suggestions.  If you do not hand in the typed drafts of these 3 assignments, I will not review your draft.  The Writing Lab is free and located in the basement of the Library.

Plagiarism Statement. Proper citations and documentation of any sources that you quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize in your writing are required whenever you borrow the words, facts, and/or ideas of others. Some academic genres, like the summary or annotated bibliography are entirely based on another source, and accepted ways of indicating this fact will be discussed in class in assignment directions. In general, however, note that even putting others’ ideas into your own words still means you are borrowing, and to avoid plagiarism the source(s) must be cited and documented, both (a) at the point in your essay where the borrowing occurs (parenthetical citations for most academic documentation systems), and (b) in a list of all sources cited given at the end of your essay. Plagiarism—intended or not—is considered a serious academic violation of intellectual property rights, and may earn your written assignment an automatic "F." To meet relevant WR 122 Learning Objectives, instruction in how to use and cite sources in an accepted academic documentation style will be given, and our course text also devotes extensive space to these issues.

Please note that most writing instructors are well aware of the availability of essays on the Internet.  If I find that an essay has been lifted or bought off the Internet the student will fail the course.

Essay #1 Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis

Topic Proposal due Jan. 22^nd (see description below).

Typed Draft due (Drafts should be complete essays, not outlines): Tues., Jan. 29th

Final paper to be graded due: Thurs., Feb. 7^th

Choose an essay in our textbook and assess whether it persuades its audience of its central claim and reasons.  Your essay should identify the audience at which the piece is aimed, its argumentative purpose, and its central argument. To evaluate the overall rhetorical effectiveness of the argument, as well as the writer’s use of the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos). The paper should be 4+ pages long, typed, double-spaced, with margins, and carefully proofread.

Grading Criteria: 

I will evaluate your essay according to these criteria:

Clear identification of your chosen text’s argument, argumentative purpose, and rhetorical context.

Demonstrated understanding of rhetorical appeals.

Effective essay structure.

Clear and precise sentence-level grammar and style.

Tips:

In this essay, you will take a stand on whether or not the argument essay you’ve chosen persuades its audience of its central claim.  This essay, then, is NOT about the issue discussed in the essay. It is instead about the rhetorical strategies the writer employs.

Remember that any successful argument makes a central claim and then supports that claim with good reasons. Use the “Steps in Writing a Rhetorical Analysis” on pp.104-6 to develop your argument.

Be sure to back up your comments with specific words or passages from the essay.  In other words, support what you’re saying. Use the information presented in Chapter 14 of Good Reasons as a guide in using sources effectively.

Topic Proposal due Jan. 22^nd:

Your topic proposal should describe the essay you have chosen to write about. You should mention where and when the essay was published, summarize its central argument, and identify its intended audience. The proposal should also state your central claim regarding the success of the editorial’s argument and your reasons supporting this claim. Your topic proposal should be about one paragraph long (and typed).

Essay #2: Definition or Evaluation Argument (Choose one)

Topic Proposal due Feb. 12^th

Typed Draft due Feb. 21^st

Final Essay due March 7^th

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Essay #2, Choice #1: Definition Argument:

Write a definitional argument in order to take a stand on a controversial issue. Your definitional claim may use the following formula:

            X is (or is not) a Y because it has (or does not have) features A,B,C, D, etc.

Examples:

Euthanasia is (or is not) a form of murder, because…..

Hunting is (or is not) an example of cruelty to animals, because….

Cheerleading is (or is not) a sport, because….

You should choose a particular audience and develop your argument for its members. Ask yourself, to whom does this definitional issue—your argument—matter? Craft your essay so that its ethical, logical and pathetic (emotional) appeals are appropriate to these readers.

You must use two or more secondary sources in your essay. Make sure that these sources are chosen and employed with your audience in mind.

You essay should be about 4 (or more) pages long, typed, double-spaced, and carefully proofread. You should format your essay according to MLA guidelines and include a Works Cited page. For a model, see the sample student essay in Good Reasons, pp.297-308.

Grading Criteria:

I will evaluate your essay according to these criteria:

Development of an arguable definition claim.

Demonstrated understanding of definition arguments as they are presented in Chapter 5.

Thorough consideration of your audience and effective employment of strategies designed to persuade them.

Effective essay structure.

Effective use, citation and documentation of source material.

Clear and precise sentence-level rhetoric (grammar and style).

Adherence to MLA formatting guidelines, as presented in Chapter 14.

Tips and Reminders:

Review “Steps in Writing a Definition Argument” on pp.129-130.

Make sure that your claim is arguable.  Can your X term be easily defined in the category represented by your Y term? If so, it’s likely that your claim needs revision.

At some point in your definitional argument, explain to your readers why you think it’s important to define the term you’ve chosen.  What are the implications of your claim? Make sure it’s clear why your readers should care about the topic and give them enough information to understand your position.

Use sources that your audience will consider reliable. Source material should contribute something to your paper that you cannot: specific facts, clarification or emphasis of a point, a voice with authority in a specific area, or illustration of the controversy or complexity of your issue.  Reliable sources have an author with some expertise in the area and are dated (undated websites, and websites without a clear “author” are usually not considered reliable sources).

Topic Proposal due Feb. 12^th:

For your topic proposal, answer each of these questions as completely as possible.

What is your definitional claim?

Who is your audience? Why should your claim matter to them? How will this audience’s needs and assumptions shape your argument strategy?

What criteria will you use to define your Y term?

With what authority will you establish these criteria?

What problems or challenges do you foresee in writing this essay?

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Essay #2, Choice #2: Evaluation Argument:

Write a review of a Web site (alternative topics, especially those that are text based (movie, book, policy or law) will be considered----ask me first) in the form of an evaluation argument. Your essay may use this formula:

X is a good (bad, the best, the worst, etc) Y if measured by certain criteria A, B, C, D, etc.

Examples:

“George Bush 2000” is an outstanding campaign Web site because….

“Salon” is the best online general interest magazine because….

Hipstreetshoes.com is an ineffective retail Web site because…..

Your evaluation should take into account the material dealing with effective visual design and effective Web design presented in Chapters 11 and 12.

Your paper should be at least 4 pages long, typed, double spaced, and carefully proofread. You should use MLA guidelines for formatting and include a Works Cited page.

Grading Criteria:

I will evaluate your essay according to these criteria:

Development of an evaluation claim.

Demonstrated understanding of evaluation arguments as explained in Chapter 7.

Demonstrated evaluation of effective visual design and effective Web design, as explained in Chapters 11 and 12.

Thorough consideration of your audience and effective employment of strategies designed to persuade them.

Effective essay structure.

Effective use, citation, and documentation of source material.

Clear and precise sentence-level rhetoric (grammar and style).

Adherence to MLA formatting guidelines as presented in Chapter 14.

Tips:

Review the “Steps in Writing an Evaluation Argument” on pp.167-8.

Make sure your claim is arguable.  It is pointless, for instance, to argue that a particular Web site is a “good Web site.”  As a Y term, “good Web site” is so broad that it is meaningless. Narrow down your Y term so that it is broad enough to be an interesting and recognizable category but small enough to be manageable.

You should use research to support not only your evaluative claim, but also your criteria.  What makes a personal homepage especially effective? What makes an online movie database user-friendly? Find out what other people have said. Consult other similar sites and examine their components.

Topic Proposal for Essay #2 Evaluative Argument due Feb. 12^th:

Your topic proposal should state your evaluative claim, list your evaluative criteria as you understand them now, and explain how you will persuade your readers that these criteria are indeed a legitimate measure of your Y term. The topic proposal should be about one paragraph long and typed.

Essay #3 Assignment: Multisource Argument Essay

Library Assignment due Mar. 5^th

Topic Proposal due Mar. 5th

Typed draft of Annotated Bibliography due Mar. 12th

Typed Draft due Mar. 14^th

Final typed essay (with annotated bibliography) due at the final exam time scheduled for your section:

2pm class:  Fri., Mar. 22^nd by 3pm

5:30pm class: Tues., Mar. 19 by 8pm

For this assignment, you will write a 5-6 page paper in which you will construct an argument and use source material to support your claim. The topic for this paper is up to you. Whatever topic you choose, however, your opinions on it should not be carved in stone. That is, you should be open-minded about your topic and willing to learn more about it from your research. You should start out by browsing articles (start with our textbook) and books that explore the topic you have in mind.  Once you’ve looked around some, you should narrow your focus to a specific issue question and do more focused research to determine how that question has been addressed by different people. Ultimately, you will settle on a claim of your own and use your research to support your claim.

For example:

            We should (or should not) do X because….

            X is true (or not true) because……

            X is better than Y because….

BUT, at first, you should have a question in mind and not necessarily an answer.

If you choose to do a Proposal Argument, consider doing your own research (such as surveys). Also do not choose a problem that has never been solved (poverty), and consider the following questions:

How much will your solution cost?

Who will be responsible for implementing it?

How easily can it be implemented?

What is the time frame?

What materials/labor are needed to make it work?

What are the arguments against your solution and how will you address them?

The last question is pertinent to all types of arguments:  What are the strongest arguments/reasons against your claim and how will you address them? You can concede in part or refute entirely, with evidence.

There are several parts to this last essay assignment:

1.  Library Research Assignment due March 5^th:

On a separate sheet of paper, type your responses to questions 1-3.  For the remaining questions, write your citations in correct MLA format in a Works Cited list, in alphabetical order by author’s last name. (See our textbook for citation formatting)

1. What is your topic and your research question?

2. What keywords will you use in your search for sources?

3. What are the Library of Congress Classification letters for your topic (for browsing the stacks)?

4. Find a reference book or encyclopedia entry (can be on CD-ROM) that gives information on your topic.  Give the  bibliographic citation for that source..

5. Browse the stacks OR use the COCC online catalog OR use Orbis to locate at least 2 books on your topic. Give the bibliographic citations.

6. Use a periodical database such as Ebsco (located via the Library’s website) to find AT LEAST TWO magazine or newspaper article (not an ABSTRACT—it must be the entire article) on your topic.  Give the bibliographic citations for your sources.

7. Use an Internet search engine to find at least 2 websites on your topic. Give the bibliographic citation for those sources.

2. Tentative Research Proposal for Essay #3 due Mar. 5

Prepare a formal proposal using the questions in Chapter 14, pp. 264-65. Reach through each of these questions and, based on what you already know (in other words, you don’t have to be done researching), write short paragraphs in response to each. Doing a thoughtful job will result in a good grade for this step in the assignment, and it will help when you write the paper. A model is attached at the end of this handout.

3. Annotated Bibliography for Essay #3 (typed draft due Mar. 12; final due at final)

After you have done some research, prepare a formal annotated bibliography in which you summarize and evaluate four secondary sources in one short paragraph each. At least two of these sources should provide alternative positions on the issue. And only one of these can be an encyclopedia or reference book (background source). Choose magazine or newspaper or web sources---if you must choose a book, focus on one chapter.

For each source, you will need to provide a bibliographic citation.  Make sure your Works Cited or References list is in ABC order by author’s last name (or the first word of a title if no author).

Write a brief summary of each source underneath its citation.

Then write an evaluation of the source.  Consider the following criteria as you write your evaluation:

date of publication and whether or not your source is up to date. 

The reliability of the publication

The reliability of the author or evidence (e.g., her credentials, other experts’ respect for her opinions, the reliability of the evidence)

The persuasiveness of the presentation: is it convincing? Why?

How will the source help you in your researched essay? Identify the facts, and/or direct quotations that you will use in your essay and explain how they will either support your argument, or represent the opposition’s argument.

Please include copies of your sources with this assignment.

Here are two models:

Schmidt, J. Howard, and John S. Hashimoto. "Polls and Public Opinion." New York
            Times 22 Mar. 1994, late ed.: B2.

Schmidt and Hashimoto tested the hypothesis that poll results on socio-political issues shape public opinion.This study is particularly relevant to one of my leading research questions: just how much power does the U.S. media have to influence public opinion on political issues? Schmidt and Hashimoto conducted surveys and interviews of one hundred college students, half male, half female, and the study revealed that subjects were most likely to be influenced by opinion polls if they did not know much about the issues and/or they had no strong pre-existing personal views on the issues. Given the small sampling limited to college students, this study is hardly conclusive, nor representative of the American public at large. Yet Schmidt and Hashimoto’s study suggests that some segments of the population may be immune to media influence, particularly if they have taken the time to study the issues and form their own conclusions.

Thompson, Stith. The Folktale. New York: Dryden, 1986.

Thompson, folklorist and linguist, offers a useful survey of forty-six popular folktales used in Euro-American literary works. He traces the histories of predominantly European folktales from their oral cultural roots to their literary transformations, and examines their literary functions with some illuminating results. I found interesting cross-cultural correlations to the ways African oral folktales are used in modern African literature and fiction: for example, multiple and changing versions of an oral tale give Western fiction writers freedom to select and adapt a folktale to make it serve new literary uses and messages. Still, it is clear that oral arts traditions do not carry the same social and spiritual weight in European works as they do in African arts and literatures. Thompson’s sometimes dense and jargon-ridden prose style may frustrate non-specialist audiences, but the persistent reader interested in the oral roots of world literatures will find many rewards in this knowledgeable, well-researched, and thoroughly indexed reference book.

4.  Essay #3 Research Paper due at the final exam time scheduled for your section

(Typed draft due March 14^th for peer editing)

Write an argument in which at least three of the secondary sources noted in your Annotated Bibliography  help to build your case by providing:

Background information

Supporting information in the form of authority, factual data, example, etc., and

Opposing points of view and counter-argument.

In the opening paragraphs of the paper, you should state your own thesis and also describe the context in which this issue is being discussed by others (your sources). That is, identify and characterize the most important concerns surrounding the issue. Also near the beginning of the paper, you should explore more fully at least one opposing argument or alternative point of view. For instance, if you are going to argue that a breakdown in family values has led to violent behavior in teenagers, you might begin by summarizing one or two of the most important alternative causal arguments: for instance, the view that good old family values are, in fact, alive and well…or that the prevalence of violence in the media plays a larger role. This treatment of counter-argument should be a full paragraph that identifies the strongest points of these opposing alternative views that you can then either concede or refute. From here, you should transition into laying out your own argument.

Documentation: You should use the MLA guidelines for parenthetical citations and for the Works Cited list (the Works Cited list is submitted with the final paper and is not the same thing as the Annotated Bibliography).