Description
Your topic could be your answer to one of these questions.
Social Issues
Is there a way to reduce abortions without legislation? (See how this moves away from the right/wrong part and actually addresses a unique aspect of the topic?)
Should the racial make-up of a police department be the same as the community they serve?
Should reality TV shows have regulations?
Is video gaming good or bad?
Should children have scheduled activities or be left more time for free play?
What is the effect of media coverage on elections?
Educational Issues
Is private school tuition (elementary, high school, or college) really worth it?
Should colleges abolish reliance on SAT and ACT scores in admissions?
What causes students to graduate from high school without basic skills?
What role should/can technology play in education?
Should students be required to take foreign language courses? (Or some other specific course?)
Should schools continue to spend money on fine arts? (music, theater, art programs)
Technology Issues
How does social media use influence relationships?
How is technology changing the way humans think?
Should textbooks be replaced with iPads, tablets, or other online resources?
How does cell phone use affect attention and concentration skills? Are these effects positive or negative?
Think about how quickly our technology changes or breaks down. Do we have a “throw away society”?
Are we too dependent on computers and/or the internet?
Please avoid tired topics. You know them — “abortion is right/wrong”, “the death penalty is right/wrong”, “minors shouldn’t use alcohol”, “drinking and driving is bad”, “too many Americans (or their children) are obese” and “illegal drug use is bad” to name a few.
Why am I banning these tired topics? Two reasons.
First, for topics like abortion and the death penalty, the debate is so longstanding that, though it is important, it isn’t interesting anymore. It is very difficult to find a new approach to writing about an old topic, and your goal is to keep your reader interested with a new, interesting, and specific slant in your essay. If you choose a tired topic, you run the risk of writing an essay that anyone could write.
Second, some topics have the “duh” factor. Taking the position that illegal drug use has negative consequences will make your reader want to put the essay down because it isn’t telling him or her anything that hasn’t been said many, many times before. That being said, adopting the opposite view — “illegal drug use can be positive” — is also an annoying argument because of the “give me a break” factor. Your reader has probably heard all the arguments for use of marijuana for health reasons, and other than that, there just isn’t much validity to the position you’re adopting.
Third, I’ve simply read too many essays about some topics, so those are typically just not fresh anymore. (This is the case with the obesity topic.)
Make sure you choose a debatable topic. You can also select from the ideas listed below, as long as you figure out a way to bring them close to home. You will notice that the way they are listed here is only a starting point and will require you to take a specific angle on the one that you choose. For example, James Schaap’s thesis isn’t “Agricultural development is negative.” Instead, he honed in on the idea, coming to the thesis that while agricultural development in Northwest Iowa has been tremendously extensive, it has its negative points, and perhaps some of what was original to the area should be preserved. He narrowed the topic several ways.
Place: not all agricultural development, but specifically that of Northwest Iowa
Not either/or: complicates the thesis by saying that he’s not totally against the development, but instead seeks a more balanced approach
If you start with one of the ideas below, realize that it is your starting point, not your actual thesis. Your personal reflection should lead you to a position that is more complicated than the original statement from the list.
ORGANIZING YOUR DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT
Your text gives some excellent organizational strategies on page 326. As you write the essay, follow the writing guidelines on pages 326-327. Pay special attention to the section on argument and support since these are some fantastic ways to organize this essay. Choose one of the organizational strategies listed below to help you develop your position. (This is simply a list. Read your text for details on how to accomplish each one. For simplicity’s sake, try to stick to just one organizational strategy.)
Traditional Pattern
Blatant Confession
Delayed Gratification
Changed Mind
Winning Over
REMEMBER: Regardless of which way you organize your information, your essay should still be structured according to the basic three-point (or 5-paragraph) structure outlined in Module 2. Please refer to the explanation, outline, and diagram given there for basic essay organization.
GRADING CRITERIA:
You will be graded based on the following checklist (slightly modified from the one in your text). 4 points possible per category.
The IDEAS provide the reader with an interesting look at your position. They also establish and defend a stand on a debatable issue. The essay provides sound reasoning and support that help the reader understand and appreciate the position.
The ORGANIZATION pattern effectively develops and supports a debatable position. It includes an engaging opening that raises the issue, a carefully sequenced development and defense of the position, and a reflective closing.
The WORDS are precise and clear; descriptions help your reader understand your position. They are concrete and lively. Jargon, cliches, platitudes, and insults are avoided.
The SENTENCES are smooth and natural. Their lengths are varied: short sentences make snappy points, while longer sentences develop thoughtful points.
The FINISHED COPY is grammatically sound and formatted correctly.
Sample Solution
