Assignment 3: Persuasive Essay

Final Paper: The Persuasive Essay

For this assignment, you are to argue a controversial point of your choosing. Keep this in mind, a controversial point of view is one to which others might disagree. For instance, legalizing marijuana is controversial because others object, but eliminating obesity is not controversial because no one is really for obesity. However, arguing for mandatory healthy lunches would be controversial because there would be likely opposition.

Where your past essays had to prove your opinion through personal evidence, a persuasion essay must argue and persuade. In other words, it must argue a controversial point and convince the audience to agree with your opinion. In order to convince the reader, you will need to be strategic with the evidence you include. It is also more focused than your previous essay. You must be completely cognizant of your audience, and you must change that audience's mind. Lastly, you must use concrete and logical examples to help prove your thesis: facts, statistics, and quotes.

Requirements:

• Essay is at least 4 pages

• Introduction includes exigence

• Thesis argues controversial point of view; remember that controversial just means there is likely opposition

• Bodies primarily use logos: facts, statistics, quotes, illustrative evidence

• Essay includes pathos, typically a sympathetic story to humanize the topic

• Essay includes ethos. Ethos refers to credibility, so the tone and word choice should be appropriate throughout

• To further develop ethos, essay should identify and refute an opposing viewpoint

• The refutation should be developed

• Essay must include a minimum of three sources

• Essay must include a minimum of two database sources. (Note: all sources can come from the databases, and there are advantages to using database source.)

• Only credible sources should be used: no blogs, Youtube videos, biased sources.

• Essay must include a minimum of three citations within bodies, whether they are paraphrase or quotes

• Quotes must be integrated and cited

• Essay must include a works cited

• While you do not need to follow the traditional outline, it is often useful to do so. A traditional outline has exigence in intro, logos in bodies one and two, pathos in body three, ethos in body four, and a short conclusion.

Quoting/Paraphrasing

For this paper you must incorporate three quotes from a minimum of two sources (paraphrased statistics are acceptable). Each individual quote may not go over three lines. Quoted material must not account for more than 20% of your paper. Also, articles from which you quote must be over 1000 words. Remember to make sure that your quoted material is relevant, representative, and accurate. At least two sources must come from the college’s database.

Lastly, Keep in Mind

Your paper must make use of logos, pathos, and ethos, and it must cite sources correctly using MLA format.
Note: There are three things that you cannot write about: abortion and euthanasia.

A random list of topics

Global Topics

• Artificial Intelligence

• Computer and technology dependence

• Pet overpopulation

• Gun control

• Gun rights

• Patriot Act

• Animal research

• Environmental protection

• Terrorism prevention

• Education

• Teen pregnancy

• Pregnancy prevention

• Overpopulation

• Health care

• Exploitation of men/women

• Media

• Celebrities’ behavior (athletes’ behavior)

• Steroids

• Advertising

• Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

• Cosmetic surgery

• Religion in schools

• Free speech

• Video game violence

• Cameras, camera phones, and video

Community Based Topics

• Limiting kids’ access to computers

• Leash laws

• Paying kids for good grades

• School uniforms

• Less homework for kids

• Teaching social etiquette

• Driving age

• Study abroad

• Music classes

• Carpooling

• Learning a second language

• Stores being open during holidays

• Year-round school

• Mandatory helmet laws

• Limiting age of social media

• What age parents should discuss sex, drugs, danger with their children

• Mandatory education

• Teaching parenting classes in school

• Teaching home economics in school

• Security cameras

• Companies advertising in schools

• Tattoos in culture

• Is cheating really bad?