Persuasive Paper:

This is a longer paper (1650 word-count minimum) that finds inspiration in any idea about which you would like to persuade your readers.  It can be about, for example, any issue found in our TED Talks, or any issue that you learn about or think about through our class discussions.  The idea and purpose of this assignment is for you to:

1. Find a topic of interest to you

2. Research that topic

3. Form your own opinion

4. Write a paper which seeks to persuade me that your opinion is well-founded.  You will try to persuade me to see the issue as you do and to share your opinion.

This assignment will be more complex than the other assignments, requiring you to choose, define, refine, and research your topic.  You will be required to use reliable sources in your paper as you seek to persuade your reader, and cite these sources correctly.  In your paper you will be expected to:

• clearly define and explain your viewpoint.

• find available support from expert sources for your viewpoint.  (These must include at a minimum two (2) scholarly, academic sources and five (5) reputable news or government sources.)

• write about what you find in a way which explains and defends your opinion.

As you can see, this paper will be the largest assignment for this class.  It will be in a more traditional format.  For example, it will have:

• An introduction to your topic which will have your thesis (what you want to convince your reader of)

• Body paragraphs which describe the topic and explain the evidence

• A conclusion

• A Works Cited page in MLA format which contains your sources, and these sources will be included and cited within your paper

We will discuss the sources that are valid for this research and paper,  as well as how I expect you to incorporate your findings in your paper.  This inquiry paper will be an opportunity to discuss theses, citing and citations, paraphrasing and quotations, and other elements commonly required in academic writing.  This writing assignment will also be submitted and peer commented upon through Google Docs.

This may seem to be much work, but it isn’t–especially if you begin now and work on it everyday.  Most importantly, choose a topic which is important to you.