Now, read Karen Bromley’s 2010 academic investigation “Picture a World without Pens, Pencils, and Paper: The Unanticipated Future of Reading and Writing.”
Considering your analytical responses to Trubek and Dix’s main claims (arguments), Bromley’s research and your responses to the discussion questions for week #3, choose a position on the topic of literacy (reading and writing) in modern society. In a well-developed, organized, and supported argumentative essay, answer ONE of the following prompts:
- Do you think our educational requirements should focus so much on teaching literacy skills today?
- Do you think traditional reading and writing courses should be a necessary requirement for college students?
- Considering Bromley’s investigation and findings in 2010, predict the future of literacy skills for the next generation. How will literacy skills change even more? Do you think this change will be beneficial OR harmful to this next generation?
If you want to modify any of these prompts and form your own, you must share your ideas with me before you begin this assignment.
NOTE: You can use some of your ideas from your analytical response essays #1 and #2. However, these two types of writing assignments are completely different.
OUTSIDE SOURCES: For this assignment, you will use quotes and paraphrases from 3-4outside sources as evidence to support your ideas. All references will have proper MLA in-text citations and Works Cited information.
For good argumentation, you must identify a specific audience whom you are trying to persuade, keeping in mind your particular purpose as a writer. You must also use appropriate rhetorical strategies in our writing, appealing to your audience’s interests while remaining credible, trustworthy, and fair. Good writers appeal to their readers in several ways. They appeal to logos by making sound, well-reasoned, well supported arguments. They appeal to pathos by making the reader share the writer’s concern about the issue. They appeal to ethos by establishing the writer as fair, reasonable, and knowledgeable. In this writing assignment, you should demonstrate these skills. Please review the following handout carefully: Developing an Argumentative and Persuasive Essay.
Your argumentative essay must have:
- a minimum of 4 full pages of text using proper MLA formatting, in-text citations, and Works Cited page as your final page. Note: The minimum page requirement does NOT include your Works Cited page. Therefore, your Works Cited page will probably be page 5 or 6. All outside sources must be listed properly following MLA guidelines. Remember to use proper formatting with source information and hanging indentation. Please review the following materials:
- an introduction paragraph with a hook statement and background information about your topic and focus of your analysis which is connected to a clearly stated thesis statement (main claim) at the end of the paragraph.
- several body paragraphs, each with an assertion at the beginning that focuses on developing your thesis statement (main idea) and logically connected with adequate specific details – supporting ideas, examples, quotes, paraphrases & explanation sentences to connect to your main claim (thesis statement). ALL body paragraphs must connect logically and focus on developing your main claim (thesis statement).
- strategically and logically placed references (quotes/paraphrases) from outside sources, cited properly using MLA in-text citations and explanation sentences that explain, discuss, and connect the evidence to your main claim. NOTE: You should use a minimum of THREEcredible sources, the majority of which should be our class articles and essays that are posted in Essay #3 –Readings/Outside Sources
- a counterargument paragraph before the conclusion paragraph. This paragraph identifies and acknowledges a strong counterargument (opposing view) in the topic sentence and includes references from readings that support this opposing view (similar to your analytical response essays- Trubek and Dix). Then you refute these ideas by connecting back to your position (main claim) stated in your thesis statement and use strong references from readings as evidence. Review the following example: Counterargument Body Paragraph Example.
- a short conclusion paragraph with, a thesis restatement, short summary of major supporting ideas from your body paragraphs, and strong concluding thoughts about your topic and main idea that speak to your audience.
- all ideas focusing on developing your thesis statement (main claim).
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