Description
The gist of this assignment is as follows: (1) to develop or identify the main question
concerning a problem that exists within your chosen field of education or interest; (2) to come to
some fairly thorough understanding (analysis) of the issue at hand in terms of why it matters; and
(3) to argue for or against a particular answer to the question.
The key to this assignment is narrowing its focus by asking a specific question. For
example, if you are an English major, the question “Does teaching solely Western literature
benefit or harm students?” is too vague. A better question might be “Is teaching Shakespeare the
best way to teach dramatic literature?” If you are an accounting major, you might start by asking
“How can independent CPAs combat unemployment outside of the tax season?” If you are a
chemistry student, your question may involve gender equality in the workforce. These are merely
jumping-off points.
There are, of course, other ways to begin this paper. Another way might be to find an
article that you disagree with and start to hammer out the beginnings of why you disagree. In a
Malcolm Gladwell Tedtalk spoke of Harold Mosquowicz’s finding that the available evidence
for Pepsi and Nescafe was not adequate to the solution proposed.
The point of writing this paper is to synthesize work that scholars do: you will have to
define a problem, possibly in a manner that has not been previously identified; you will find and
analyze evidence and how previous conclusions may no longer apply; and finally, you will have
to argue for an answer–an answer that you may need to discover, or at the very least, evaluate.
This essay should be between 7-8 pages and use MLA citation for the formation of the
essay. It also needs to be in a specific genre that corresponds to your selected audience and
major, interest, or discipline (for example, the question concerning Shakespeare might fit into an
inquiry genre, the CPA might work best in an external report, or as a chemist, the IMRD genre
works best). You are required to have at least 8 sources. Your final paper will be formatted
according to MLA. If you need assistance with formatting, remember that you can refer to
guidelines online at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01 for additional help.
Remember While You Write
Thesis-driven – Make sure it is narrow and debatable. Narrow your focus and do not let
your argument topic be too broad.
Paragraph Cohesion – Practice careful revision processes in which you completely
develop each paragraph and connect it to the larger idea of your argument.
Argument – Your essay should logically develop a complex argument about a topic, and
in developing your argument, you should explain your reasoning rather than simply
relying on descriptions.
Rhetorical Awareness – Develop your argument with careful attention to the rhetorical
situation in which you purposefully choose a style, tone, organization, evidence, and etc.
Use of Sources – Each source does not necessarily have to carry the same weight – some
will be more applicable to your argument; however, do make correct use of quotations,
paraphrases, etc. by citing in-text and on a Works Cited/References page.
Scholarship Contribution – Your essay should focus on research, as you are a novice
scholar, but it can include some personal experience. However, your experience, if any,
should NOT be the bulk of your argument. So, yes, you can use “I,” but only when
appropriate and referring to your own experiences.
For This or a Similar Paper Click Here To Order Now
