Introducing Essay 3 The Research Paper

Freewrite: Tell me about a time that someone persuaded you to change your mind about an issue, or a time when you convinced someone else to change his or her mind. What was it that convinced you or the other person to change?

The Research Paper Discuss Prompt in detail together Take notes on your prompt as we discuss Ask questions!

The Forbidden Topics: Abortion The Gay Marriage Debate Legalization of Marijuana Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide Global Warming/Climate Change (as a whole… if you wish to write about a more specific environmental topic, please see me!) Obesity Epidemic/Childhood Obesity PLEASE NOTE: These topics are NOT forbidden because I am for or against any of them, but rather because I have seen far too many papers on these topics, most of them badly done because they relied on assumptions and bad internet sources rather than accurate and current specific research.

Persuasive Writing: A piece of writing that is persuasive puts forward a point of view and supports it with evidence, with the hopes of making some change in the audience's point of view. Persuasive writing aims to persuade, or convince someone.

Relating Persuasive Writing to Our Assignment: Social and Civic arguments require detailed RESEARCH to in order to be well-informed on the topic, and to gain evidence for the claim being made about the topic. If you are well-informed on the topic, you will know both sides of the argument, but will have come to a specific conclusion. Then you will try to convince your readers that your conclusion in the right one, or at least one valid conclusion.

Three Building Blocks of Persuasive Writing: The Issue: This is the topic, subject, or controversial issue you have chosen to write about. The Claim: This is a statement of opinion or value judgment about the issue. (This should be your thesis statement.) The Evidence: This is the reasonable, logical support that explains and backs up the claim you have made about the issue. (This will come from your research and your own conclusions you make having read extensively about your topic.)

Group Brainstorming: Get in groups of 3 or 4 and discuss the prompt. As you discuss, brainstorm: A list of questions you have about the prompt Your own Tentative Topic Ideas Everyone should keep their own brainstorming and bring it to class next week. If your group finishes discussing the prompt AND has nothing more to discuss regarding your ideas for the paper, please do not get off topic. Instead, you should return to your own seats and read the homework reading: pg. 61-78 (if you have not already read them) or the two example essays due next week: p. 89-100

Next Week: Tuesday, April 22 Topics: Evaluating written arguments. Homework Due: Read the example arguments: “Our Schools Must Do Better” and “On Buying Local” p. 89-100 Thursday, April 24 Topics: Starting Your Research. Research Questions and Working Thesis Read Chapter 15 “Starting Your Research” p. 329—336 Read “Arguing a Position: A Roadmap” p. 81—88.