This semester, we've built your foundation in effective writing and speaking through organization, development, persuasive appeals, and polished language use. Our work has centered on developing arguments from personal experience without external research.
Most college writing, however, requires engaging with outside sources, making research skills essential. Your research backgrounds vary—some have extensive experience with research projects, while others may have completed only a few researched essays in high school.
This assignment introduces fundamental skills: navigating library resources, locating credible sources, evaluating their quality, and integrating them into your writing. We'll focus on evaluation criteria for arguments—invaluable for academic work and future professional and civic decisions. Students will evaluate AI-assisted research processes, distinguishing between AI-appropriate research tasks (initial searches, data organization) and critical human analysis needed for quality source evaluation and ethical interpretation.
Why does analyzing argument quality matter? You'll use this skill constantly when selecting sources for research. Recognizing sound reasoning becomes essential for informed workplace and community decisions. Finally, evaluating others' arguments strengthens your own argumentative abilities. We'll build on your rhetorical analysis work, examining how writers employ logos, pathos, and ethos.
Researched Argument - "Evidence-Based Solutions"
Real-World Context: As engaged citizens and emerging professionals, we analyze complex problems and propose evidence-based solutions in our careers and communities.
Assignment: Research a current challenge or innovation in EITHER your intended career field OR a community/citizenship issue you care about, then develop evidence-based recommendations for stakeholders.
Choose ONE focus:
Career Field Focus - Investigate a significant challenge, trend, or innovation in your intended profession
Community Citizenship Focus - Examine a local or global issue affecting communities you care about (education access, environmental sustainability, civic engagement, etc.)
You will choose a topic that genuinely interests you within one of these areas, conduct research, craft a researched argument, and deliver a presentation with slideshow to our class.
Genre: researched argument, persuasive.
Purpose: argue, supporting your stance with evidence from research
Format: MLA format for essay, extemporaneous method for speech (plan in detailed outline, deliver with keywords and PowerPoint)
Length: 1,000-1,200 words for essay, 3:30 minutes for speech
Sources: 6 sources documented in MLA format in the essay, 3 of which are included in the speech; no more than two can be websites (formal/informal source distinction and balance)
Style Notes: the tone for this essay is more formal; write in third person and avoid first ("I") and second ("you") person pronouns. For the speech, use conversational language; relate to and directly engage with your audience, using "I" and "you" when you speak.
Choose a topic within your selected focus area that you genuinely care about and want to investigate. You'll develop a stronger argument by focusing on a specific, manageable issue rather than something impossibly broad.
For Career Field Focus: Instead of "the future of technology," consider "Should software companies require return-to-office policies for junior developers?" or "Is certification more valuable than a degree for cybersecurity positions?"
For Community Citizenship Focus: Rather than "fixing education," explore "Should high schools start later to improve student performance?" or "Do bike-sharing programs actually reduce urban traffic congestion?"
Ensure your topic's scope fits the rhetorical situation—specific enough to research thoroughly and address meaningfully, yet significant enough to warrant stakeholder recommendations.
Integrate multiple researched sources per paragraph to demonstrate thorough research and independent analysis rather than simply reporting from sources. Use proper citation so readers can distinguish between your ideas and researched material.
Address counterarguments throughout your essay, not just in one final paragraph. Use opposing views to establish context at the beginning and weave them naturally throughout with approaches like "while some argue X, this perspective overlooks Y" or "although critics raise valid concerns about Z, evidence suggests..." This ongoing dialogue with counterarguments strengthens your credibility and shows sophisticated thinking.