General Requirements
Your purpose in this 4-6 page essay (not including the Works Cited page) is to map out the various positions within your chosen controversy, stating clearly what those positions are and then highlighting the relationships among them. Do not–no way, no how–present a one-sided view, as if those who argue certain positions don’t know what they’re talking about. If this is really a controversy, there are several legitimate positions possible, and your job is to articulate each position’s most compelling arguments. One way to avoid bias in this paper is to give each “side” an equal opportunity to present its position from its own perspective. Be sure to attribute statements to their original speakers or organizations: Use attributions and signal phrases such as “According to…” and “As X states…” Also, use verbs that indicate that someone has stated a particular position, such as: “argues,” “advocates,” “asserts,” and “contends.” Such verbs will indicate that the argument you are presenting is not necessarily your own. Your audience for this essay will be concerned and interested but not particularly informed citizens who are looking to you to provide an unbiased lay of the land.
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
This essay will require all of the information you have gathered and all of the knowledge of rhetorical strategies that you have gained. After doing so much research on your controversy, you should by now have decided which position you agree with. In this essay, you will argue for your position using the evidence from your sources as well as your own reasons.