Assignment 1: Position Paper One – Media and Society

This is the first of two (2) position papers based on the following scenario to be completed in this course.

Imagine that you are running for a state office (e.g., governor, senator, or Congressional representative) and you have to prepare a position paper for a debate on controversial issues in the news. (Select one (1) of the topics addressed in the first four weeks of this class.) Remember that you are addressing a significant segment of your state’s population and you want to be elected to public office, so your topic will have to have a broad appeal, such as the importance of family values, the fair treatment of women in the workplace (equal pay for equal work), the treatment of minorities, and the media and one’s self-image, among other topics from those chapters.

 

You will want your position paper to demonstrate critical thinking, sound logic, valid claims, personal passion, and credible support that is cited correctly because the paper will be provided to the news media before the debate and will be scrutinized by the media and reported on regarding these criteria.

Write a two-page paper in which you:

  1. Introduce your position using a thesis statement in the first paragraph, including a quote, question, or statistic from your reliable sources and an overview of the main points you will cover. (It’s important to grab the audience’s interest and inform the audience of what the main and support points are.)
  2. Provide two or three (2-3) major points to support your thesis statement. (Put each major point in a separate paragraph.)
  3. Provide one (1) paragraph in which you identify and answer an expected argument against your view.
  4. Organize arguments and support your claims effectively.
  5. Demonstrate personal passion for your position and critical thinking with persuasive language, sound logic, valid claims, and credible support for the claims.
  6. Use two to three (2-3) credible and reliable sources (in addition to the textbook) about current events, which have been published in the last five (5) years and are cited correctly in the position paper. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
  • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

  • Apply critical thinking skills to the analysis of issues involving mass media and society.
  • Use technology and information resources to research issues in media and society.
  • Write clearly and concisely about media and society using proper writing mechanics.