I'll need the outline and the final draft
Researched They Say / I Say Essay Assignment Sheet WHY WRITE THIS ESSAY? Controversial topics are inescapable. It’s time to learn how to research the conversation, form a fact-based opinion, and persuade others to see it your way. WHAT IS THE ASSIGNMENT? Select a controversial topic you care about/are curious about. Before forming your opinion, research the current facts available and the conversation between the different sides in this debate. Once you’ve evaluated these elements, you will then decide where you stand. Overall, your goal is to identify what the opposing side is saying and to respond with persuasive logical reasoning and research. You may take the approach of arguing to win (Persuade your reader take a side: What should be done about X?) or arguing to understand (Persuade your reader to understand the facts: What are the myths of X vs. the facts?). Review the example essays below. SOURCES & WORD COUNT The essay must quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize 8 or more sources. The same source should not be used more than twice in the essay. And you need to be able to write about your topic for 2,500 words or more (your reference page counts). I will not accept your essay for grading without these requirements. EXAMPLE ESSAYS Arguing to Win (Persuade your reader take a side: What should be done about X?) Excellent Example Essay Sex Ed Excellent Student Essay The Muslim Holocaust Arguing to Understand (Persuade your reader to understand the facts: What are the myths of X vs. the facts?) Excellent Example Essay Myths vs Facts of Homelessness Please do not copy the topics from these example essays for your Unit 2 paper. LEARNING GOALS My essay shows… 1.____PERSUASION: I can put myself in the shoes of the opposing side(s) and accurately describe their claims (they say). Then, I can persuasively respond with my own claims (I say); use convincing research (evidence); and explain how my evidence supports my point of view (elaboration). 2.____STRUCTURE & TRANSITIONS: I can construct my essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion; and I can transition smoothly between my sentences and paragraphs. 3.____STYLE & TONE: I can write in a confident, concise style and vivid tone that express my unique voice as a writer. 4.____PROOFREADING & FORMATTING: I can proofread my grammar and punctuation for repeated errors that may obstruct the reader’s understanding, and I can format my essay to fit APA formatting. 5.____RESEARCH & CITATION: I can research the current information available on the topic and the opposing sides, and I can perform in-text citations and reference page citations in APA format so that readers can check my sources. GRADING SCALE A = High Achievement (I leave little to no room for improvement.) B = Developed (I demonstrate the goal, but one significant opportunity for improvement remains.) C = Adequate (I have the essentials of the goal but leave significant opportunities for improvement.) D = Emerging (My opportunities for improvement outweigh my essentials.) F = Work in Progress (I am working on achieving the essentials of the goal.) DUE DATES Outline and First Two Paragraphs Assignment: 11/18 before midnight (11:59pm) Full Draft for Peer Review: 11/29 before midnight (11:59pm) Final Draft for Grading: 12/6 before midnight (11:59pm) http://127.0.0.1:30030/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=5463992&type=content&rcode=minnstate-41339871 http://127.0.0.1:30030/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=5463992&type=content&rcode=minnstate-41339868 http://127.0.0.1:30030/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=5463992&type=content&rcode=minnstate-41339876 GOAL InaWorddocument,writeanoutlineofthemainpoints,thefirsttwoparagraph,andthereferencepageforyour ResearchedTheySay/ISayEssay.Uploadittothisassignmentfolder.Iwillthengiveyoufeedbacktohelpyou developthefulldraft. Whatarethespecificexpectations? OUTLINE 1. Strivefor8ormoremainpoints.Theyshouldbewrittenascompletesentences.Amainpointsetsupthefocus ofaparagraph. 2. Youareencouragedtostarttheoutlinewith1-2informativemainpoints(thatyouwilllaterturnintoparagraphs inyourfulldraft),butthisisnotrequired.Considerwhatyourreadershouldknowaboutthecurrentstatusofthis topicandwhyit’simportant. 3. Theargumentativemainpointsintheoutlineshouldclearlyshowifyouarearguingtowin(debatingforyour sideofatrendingtopic)orarguingtounderstand(dispellingmyths/misconceptionsinsocietyaroundatopic withthefacts). 4. Theargumentativemainpointsshouldshowatheysay/Isay-basedargument. a. Arguingtowin:Opposingside(s)vs.yourside b. Arguingtounderstand:Societalmyths/misconceptionsvs.yourresearch 5. Evidence:Undereachmainpoint,youmustincludeanoteonthesource(s)thatyouareplanningtoquote, paraphrase,orsummarizeasevidence.Remember:Youmayonlyusethesamesourcetwiceinyouressay. FIRSTTWOPARAGRAPHS I. IntroductionParagraph a. Astrongintroductionrequiresanattentiongrabber,bridge(“Theysay…),andthesis(“Isay…”). b. Itshouldendwithapreviewofthemainpoints. II. FirstBodyParagraph a. Ifnecessary,aftertheintroduction,provideanybackgroundinformationaboutthetopicthatthereader shouldbeawareofbeforereadingtherestoftheargument. b. Ifaninformativeparagraphisnotnecessary,developanargumentativebodyparagraphthatsupportsthe thesiswithamainpoint,evidence,andelaboration. c. Argumentativebodyparagraphsshoulddemonstrateanefforttohighlightopposingviewpointsonthistopic andpersuasivelyrespondtothem.Inotherwords,usethe“theysay/Isay.” d. Theevidencemusttaketheformofquotes,paraphrases,and/orsummariesfromprofessional,credible, andcurrentsources(withinthelastfiveyears)citedinAPAformat.Withthisinmind,eachbodyparagraph mustcite1ormoresources. APAREFERENCEPAGE ProvideanAPAreferencepageforthesourcesquote,paraphrased,and/orsummarizedintheintroductionandfirst bodyparagraph.(Iwillthencheckittomakesureyou'recitingyoursourcescorrectly.) EXAMPLE ExampleOutlineandFirstTwoParagraphsSexEd ImportantQuestionstoConsider HowmanycitationsdoIneedforeachmainpoint? 1-3citations.Iwouldsuggest,ifpossible,toincludetwotothreedifferentsourcesundereachmainpoint. However,ifyouhavealotofgoodinformationfromonesource,thatcanwork,aswell. CanIrespondtoa“theysay”pointwithmorethanone“Isay”point? Yes,dependingonyourtopicandtheresearchyou’veuncovered,youcouldrespondwithmorethanone. DoIhavetoprovideevidenceforthe“theysay?” It’sencouraged,butnotrequired. Ifyouarearguingtowin,it’sveryhelpfultoseeexactlywhattheothersideissaying(withquotes,paraphrases, orsummarizesfromthem).Anditshowsthatyou’vedoneyourresearch. Ifyouarearguingtounderstand,youcantakethesameapproachthatwetookforthePersonalTheySay/I SayEssayandstatethemyths/misconceptionsyou’veobservedaboutthistopicinsociety(Example:Many https://html2pdf.com/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=5463992&type=dropbox&rcode=minnstate-30750067 https://html2pdf.com/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=5463992&type=content&rcode=minnstate-41594386 Americansbelieve…Parentsoftensay…IntheUnitedStates,it’snotuncommontohear…) What Is a Topic? For this essay, think of a topic as a question for debate. You may take the approach of arguing to win (Persuade your reader take a side: What should be done about X? Example: Should the U.S. government raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour?) or arguing to understand (Persuade your reader to understand the facts: What are the myths of X vs. the facts? Example: What are the myths of LSD vs. the facts found by researchers and scientists?) Essentially, your topic (question for debate) must start with the words "Should...?" or "What are the myths of X vs. the facts?" Don't Take a Stand Yet It's important not to take a stand on your topic yet. The goal is to be curious, do the research (see what the experts are actually saying), and then decide what you believe based on the facts available. As you explore potential topics, keep in mind... The DO NOT List 1. DO NOT pick something that lacks controversy (Examples: Should teens smoke? Is texting and driving dangerous?) 2. DO NOT recycle a project from another class—this is considered plagiarism. (Though you may expand on your topic from your Unit 2 essay if it fits this assignment.) 3. DO NOT select something just because you think it will be easy. If it bores you, it is going to bore your reader. 4. DO NOT choose a topic that is too abstract (Example: Is there a God? Are we in the Matrix? What is the definition of evil? Save these for philosophy class.) 5. DO NOT pick a topic that has very few or no reliable, professional sources associated with it. The DO List 1. DO focus on something that intrigues you and/or ignites your passion. 2. DO pick something that matters to many people. 3. DO keep it as focused as possible. For example, instead of debating about all of the policies that the U.S. should utilize to fight climate change, focus on one specific policy. 4. DO take a controversial stance that will raise eyebrows, but have facts from reliable sources to back you up. 5. DO consider focusing on something not many people are talking about but is still important. 6. DO consider how you could expand on what you started in your Unit 2 essay. Topics I Won't Approve* The following list is not based on my political views. It is my attempt to steer you away from writing generic essays that have been done many times before. 1. Abortion: Should abortion remain legal in the U.S.? 2. Gay Marriage: Should gay marriage remain legal? 3. Death Penalty: Should the death penalty remain legal in certain states in the U.S.? 4. Paying College Athletes: Should college athletes be payed? 5. Gun Control: Should there be more national gun control? 6. Zoos: Should zoos be outlawed? 7. Drinking Age: Should the drinking age be lowered/raised? 8. Marijuana Legalization: Should recreational marijuana be legalized? *Exceptions: If there's a more focused topic related to one of the topics above that you would be interested in researching, you are welcome to submit it for your topic approval assignment. For example, instead of focusing on abortion broadly, you may focus your debate on the Texas abortion law. Here's another one: Instead of focusing on national marijuana legalization, you could focus on why Minnesota, in particular, should legalize recreational marijuana or improve its medical marijuana policies. Topics I'm More Likely to Approve Let's think outside the box. For the record, I have not researched the following topics, so I can't guarantee how many reliable sources are available on them. Trending Topics (National, Local, or Global) I would love to read a they say / I say essay that will help me make up my mind about a current controversial issue in the news. Here's a list of some current controversial topics or ideas for how to approach current topics: 1. Psychedelics as Medicine: Should LSD and other psychedelic drugs be legalized for medical purposes? 2. Defund Police: Should police departments be defunded? 3. 15$ Min. Wage: Should the national minimum wage be raised to $15 an hour? 4. COVID Vaccine: Should all Americans get the COVID vaccine? 5. Legislation: Should the U.S. government pass [insert current legislation]? 6. The Biden Administration: Is the Biden Administration making the right move on [insert current event]? 7. Minnesota: You are welcome to look at a current controversial topics in Minnesota. 8. Current global issues: You are welcome to look at current controversial topics around the world. Check-Out these Resources: National Topics 1. News Articles: AllSides 2. Podcast: The Daily (The New York Times) 3. Podcast: Science Vs Local Topics 1. Minnesota Public Radio Global Topics 1. BBC Global News Myths vs. Facts: Human Behavior I would love to read a they say / I say essay the breaks down the myths vs. the research regarding a fundamental human behavior. This question could be used for any of the following human behaviors: What are the myths in our society about [insert human behavior] vs. the facts? Here's a list of some human behaviors that might make good papers: 1. Happiness 2. Fear 3. Compassion 4. Intelligence 5. Creativity 6. Leadership 7. Depression, Anxiety, or Other Mental Health Conditions (Select a specific one) 8. Anger, Loneliness, Stress, or Other Emotions (Select a specific one) 9. Trauma 10. Grief 11. Shame 12. Vulnerability 13. Mindfulness 14. Productivity / Procrastination / Burn Out 15. Gender / Sexuality 16. Race/Racism Check-Out these Resources: 1. Videos: TED Talks 2. Podcast: TED Radio Hour 3. Podcast: Invisibilia 4. Podcast: Hidden Brain 5. Podcast: Code Switch 6. Online Magazine: Psychology Today Myths vs. Facts: History I would love to read a they say / I say essay that will help me better understand the historical facts of a famous person or tradition or symbol or event vs. the myths that have been created around it. This question should be used: What are the myths in our society about [insert famous historical person / tradition / symbol / event] vs. the facts? Examples: Person: Christopher Columbus Tradition: Thanksgiving Symbol: The Confederate Flag Event: The Salem Witch Trials Or frame the question this way: What are the myths of [insert historical person / tradition / symbol / event] vs. the facts? Check-Out these Resources: 1. Podcast: Throughline