ENG 101
ESSAY #3 – EXPLORATORY ESSAY
ASSIGNMENT:
The exploratory essay is, arguably, the most unusual of all essay types. The point of this essay is
not to prove a point, make a persuasive argument, or even defend a position; rather, the essay is
meant to educate writers (and their readers) about a topic–or, more specifically, about as many
of the possible opinions, viewpoints, or positions they could have about that issue. As such, it’s the
perfect essay for introducing research; after all, what is research for if not to give students the
chance to educate themselves about important, controversial issues before deciding what they
actually think or believe about those issues.
But to explore a controversial issue properly, one must first acknowledge that there are always
more than two possible opinions to hold about that topic. That is why this essay will require you
to “map out” at least three (3) positions, viewpoints, or opinions one might reasonably hold, or
occupy, within the field of debate surrounding a given issue. You are allowed to select almost any
topic you want to focus on in this exploratory essay- as long as it’s at least somewhat related to
our course theme of social media (basically, anything about how the Internet, social media sites,
and/or smartphones are used in today’s society).
SOME POTENTIAL TOPICS:
Online Education
Artificial Intelligence
Big Data
Gig Economy
Online Dating
Social Civility
Censorship
Cyberbullying
Cancel Culture
Internet Activism
WikiLeaks
Memes & Viral Content
Live-Stream Violence
Net Neutrality
Smartphone Addiction
Conspiracy Theories
Electronic Voting
Hate Groups
Facebook, YouTube, etc.
Digital Currencies
Internet Privacy Rights
Fake News
Cyberterrorism
Body Image
Internet Advertising
Internet Pornography
Teenage Sexual Behavior
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