The Basic Task

Choose an issue that you feel strongly about and that you think is relevant to other students as well, and develop a convincing argument supporting why you feel the way you do. But don't just express your opinion; explain and justify your point of view as well. Whatever position you do take, you must incorporate different, oftentimes opposing, views into your argument. You should use at least three documented sources expressing opposing viewpoints. You will need to acknowledge differing viewpoints and respond to them--sometimes by making concessions (admitting what's valid about someone else's viewpoint) and other times by refuting (arguing directly against) someone else's viewpoint.

Audience: You should consider your audience to be other students as well as faculty and staff here at COD. Therefore, your topic should be relevant to your audience, and you should anticipate their arguments against your position.

Finding a Topic

It's easy to get misled by grand issues in searching for a topic for this paper. Many of these grand issues (abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, etc.) have been around for ages and have yet to be resolved. Trying to write the definitive paper on these topics will be extremely difficult if not impossible. Therefore, try to choose a topic that is a little closer to home--one that will be of immediate interest to your fellow campus denizens and citizens. A good place to start is the Courier. (Stop laughing, okay?) Read the front-page stories and the letters to the editor and see what people on campus are talking about. Also, explore an issue relevant to your interests. What's your major? What campus activities and groups are you involved in? What occupies your time when you're not in class or studying diligently for English 1101? Follow your interests in finding an issue.

Also, some issues at first seem to have only two sides to them. But look deeper. If it's a black-and-white issue, then it's going to be difficult to argue the issue toward some resolve (or else it's not an arguable issue). Look for gray areas. Splitting hairs may be a bad thing to do in an argument with a loved one, but it's a good way to find a unique angle (and displays an ability to see multiple [i.e., more than two] viewpoints) in academic and political discussions.