As we approach the end of the semester, your final major essay for this class is an exercise in argumentation. At its core, argument is about making rhetoric real and tangible in the world. This is not necessarily an exercise in writing a research paper, but rather a moment where you start to imagine your language used purposefully as a part of a larger conversation around an issue. More so than our previous two projects, the argument is most directly driven by clear rhetorical decision making. It relies on a carefully crafted conception of audience, purpose, and context, and specific attention to the means by which you establish those criteria. As a starting point, this project is driven by the same framing considerations as all the writing in this class: What do you care enough about to invest your time as a writer? What projects are you drawn to? What are you interested in? What do you feel like you have to say?
One of the elements of this work lies in making your ideas a part of the larger existing conversations around the topic. To that end, you will need to invest some time into research. Remember, this is more than an opinion piece; it is about making your claims and your stance tangible and clear to a specific audience. You accomplish this work by placing your ideas alongside the ideas of others. How do you make your ideas resonate with other people who are also invested in your topic? How can you make the collective sense of multiple voices a part of that work? Your research will reflect this. The research for this project needs to reflect a broad range of sources and qualifications. Part of our work here is in understanding how to find this material while also understanding its function in the project as a whole (how the work is constructed, and how you use these materials).
Write a 6-8 page researched argument about an issue that affects you or something you feel passionately about. This paper should your own conclusions based on your research; it should neither be a regurgitation of authorial information or blind quotations. Take your text into account: begin by showing the conversation to which your paper is responding, have a clear statement of your own argument, include quotes and incorporate them smoothly, point out possible objections to your argument, use appropriate transitions, and explain why the issue matters.
