This assignment calls for you to consider your work so far (the 2 pdf’s below) and to connect that work to something you’ve read throughout the semester.
Think back to the beginning of the semester when you first chose the Issue of Public Concern you’d write about.
Do you think you chose the right topic?
If you had to do it again would you change your topic?
Consider the Focused Question Paper that extended your understanding of the Issue of Public Concern you chose.
Do you think the question you developed was strong? If you had to re-write your question to make the organization and writing stronger, how might you do it?
Consider your predictions for what you thought you’d find. Were you right or did you have to revise your predictions?
Were you surprised by what you found/learned about your topic?
Did you find yourself leaning more towards one side/school of thought of your controversial topic? Do you think this bias affected the way you wrote your paper?
Overall:
What do you know now about the topic or yourself after having completed the paper that you didn’t know before?
What questions do you still have?
Step 2/Connect (4-5 paragraphs):
Use what you’ve learned in your research and writing and connect it to something you read this semester, either in class or out. The reading should be an article from a reputable news or academic source (i.e., NYTimes, an academic journal, Opposing Viewpoints Database or something we read in class).
The reading should not be on the same exact topic that you covered in your writing so far, but should reflect your ability to make a connection between two different topics in some way.
Include a short summary of the article and a rationale for why you chose it.
Use your new understanding of your topic to create a convincing argument that the two topics are related.
Other Requirements:
Length: Three to five pages (if it is not three full pages it is not long enough.)
Paper must be typed and handed in as a hard copy
Double-spaced
Times New Roman 12-point type
1-inch margins (standard)
Excessive grammatical or spelling errors will count against you. Proofread.
Must include at least 1 source from a reputable news agency (MLA Citation)
