Paper Four Assignment
Length: 4 & 1/2-6 pages, double-spaced, twelve-point font
Topic: For your final paper in this class, you’ll need to think of a current controversy within your major. Examine what you know about your major so far by engaging in step one of critical thinking: ask some questions. What are people in the field arguing about? What are people outside of the field arguing about things within the field saying? Are there problems that need to be solved in your field? Are there concepts you don’t understand or that others outside of the field misinterpret? Is there policy that affects the teaching of your field, or the types of work people do within it? Another way to think of this is whether there are any controversies in your field or related to your field. Controversial people, court cases, new policies, and new versus old ways of doing things within the field are all ways to think about finding a problem to dig into for this paper. If you can’t think of a suitable argument, think of a (current or past) controversial figure. This person must be controversial not because of any personal habits but because they stirred up controversy within the domain; in other words, the field (judges/colleagues) should be somewhat divided on their feelings towards this person.
Sources: Once you’ve got a controversy, do some research to help you with step two: reasoning it out. Your paper will need to incorporate at least four sources, two of which must be written from opposing (or very different) viewpoints. For prewriting purposes, go around the circle of elements and through the standards with each of your sources. See page 68 in Nosich for help going around the circle with your sources.
Thesis Statement: Next, think out your own opinion on this issue or person. For prewriting purposes, go around the circle of elements and through the standards with your own thoughts, the question at issue being, “What is my opinion about this issue/person in my field?” Also consider why you think the way you do about the issue by examining any impediments to or filters for your critical thinking: how has your point of view shaped your opinion?
Paper Requirements: Now that you’ve done the hard work, write a 4 & 1/2-6-page paper in which you
· Give your reader context to understand the controversy in your major
· Explain your opinion on this issue or person (thesis statement) and
· Create paragraphs around topics that help you argue your case and use your sources to back you up or to argue against. You need at least one concession and refutation in the paper, and the concession needs to have a strong source in its defense.
· You’re not required to use each element and standard when speaking of your sources and your own opinion, but your paper must go beyond simply arguing your case—you’ve got to be analyzing (with the elements) and evaluating (with the standards) why you feel this way. Evaluate your sources and your own thinking as you write.
· Use bold font to designate the elements and standards you do use; try for at least three in any combination in each body paragraph. (You may put elements and/or standards in parentheses if you’d prefer not to use the words in your sentences.)
· Conclude with a larger “So what?” that attempts to tell your readers why this issue is relevant or should be relevant to them.
