The Positional Essay

Topic information located below ———————Positional Essay Style Assignment Overview: There are several things people like or dislike in their life or the world around them. In this assignment, you are required to explain what you think is an important problem in your community or in the life of people your age. Imagine that you have to write to people who can solve this problem but are not familiar with it. Therefore, you should explain the problem clearly in order to convince your audience that the problem is an important one. After that, describe your plan for improving the situation in sufficient detail so that they know what you want done. Be sure to give enough details, facts, and examples to support your description and suggestion. The purpose of the essay is to understand and convey the process and product of effective argumentation and attain the ability to link an argument to the values and beliefs of the intended audience. You need to develop an effective claim (thesis) and provide evidence, examples and support for your thesis. Primary Tasks: In your essay, you will be required to: Define the problem or issue you are writing about in detail (be sure to provide examples to illustrate) Articulate assumptions and beliefs commonly held regarding your problem Analyze opposing views and provide examples and details to support the views Provide a possible solution or solutions to the problem Use persuasive speech to articulate the problem and convey the possible solution Argue the relevance of the problem and how the solutions proposed would have an impact on the community Provide your personal view and evidence to support it and explain why you feel this way Objectives: Through your writing, you should seek to: Enlarge the reader’s view of the topic by providing new information or otherwise teaching them something about the topic they didn’t know. (Informative purpose) Explore all aspects of the topic; integrating personal experience to develop an idea about that issue (Exploratory purpose) Clarify the reader’s view of the topic by bringing critical thinking to bear on problematic data or problematic text. (Analytical purpose) Restructure the reader’s view of the topic by causing them to choose the writer’s position rather than a competing position on the issue (Persuasive purpose) Self-Assessment: Your Position Argument essay will be assessed and grading based on the following criteria: Does the essay clearly establish background information about the topic in the introduction? Is a clear thesis/position identifiable? Does the introduction capture interest? Does the essay provide all crucial elements of an argument, including a position, supporting arguments and the opposing view? Are solutions to the problem proposed? Does the writer guide the reader through the problem, instruct, persuade and entertain? Is the introduction and conclusion thorough and engaging? Does the essay capture interest? Are transitions used to enhance the flow of the essay? Does the essay have a clear main point and a recognizable thesis statement? Is the thesis supported throughout the essay? Is the essay organized in a logical fashion? Is the writing persuasive? Does the essay “show” vs. “tell?” Does the essay demonstrate control over grammar, spelling, and punctuation? Keep in mind that you, of course, want to follow the conventions of the language, which means use good grammar and apply the rules of punctuation appropriate for academic writing. The final draft should be 750 words (excluding references) Supplemental Instruction: Make a list of five “issues” or common problems that pertain to the following topics to begin brainstorming for the Position Argument Essay. Try and narrow these issues so that they are local and pertinent to you, your family or your community. Education: Employment: Healthcare: Issues that affect people your age: Local/Community Issues: Template for a Working Outline Complete the following outline to ensure you have all the components of a Position Argument included in your essay. Thesis Statement: Supporting Argument: Supporting Argument: Supporting Argument: Opposing View: Rebuttal: Possible Solution: Good Luck—-I have 6 more essays after this we will work with one at a time Thanks -be well