For this assignment, you’ll use all the work you’ve done this term to compose a formal persuasive essay in which you propose a solution to the social, political, or ethical problem you’ve explored this term. You’ll need to describe the problem, propose a solution to that problem, and demonstrate why your solution is more effective than other solutions that may be or have been proposed. Your argument must be supported by evidence, logically organized, and employ the rhetorical appeals in a balanced, effective manner.
Things to consider as you formulate your approach:
Who does your problem affect, and how?
Why does your problem need solving?
What does your audience need to know about your problem in order to understand and agree with your position?
How do diction, complexity, and style affect the overall tone of your argument?
How can you refute opposing viewpoints in a professional and respectful manner?
Essay Requirements:
1250 words minimum, formatted according to MLA Guidelines.
All cited sources listed in your Works Cited page.
Your own work, created originally for this specific assignment. While I’ve got my plagiarism policy listed in the syllabus, the institution’s full policy can be found online and in the college catalog.
This assignment will be graded according to the rubric available in Black Board.
***IMPORTANT***
There is also a self-reflection component of this assignment that you must add to your essay after your Works Cited page. MAKE SURE YOU DON’T SUBMIT TWO DOCUMENTS!! Just add the reflection to the same Word document before you submit. The assignment is not considered to have been submitted at all if the self-reflection component is not present.
After your Works Cited page, you’ll include a minimum 500-word Self-Reflection essay, formatted to MLA guidelines, addressing how your writing skills have grown as you worked through the process of this particular assignment, how you dealt with challenging concepts, and what you can do to improve in the future. This content does not contribute to the minimum listed in the requirements above, and failure to thoroughly address this component of the assignment will result in an automatic failure of the entire assignment. In short, you’re not done until the reflection is done—so don’t forget!
FINAL DRAFT SUBMISSION W/SELF-REFLECTION COMPONENT IS DUE BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1.
