| Overview In your experiences as writers, you have probably been asked to write about something memorable that happened to you, something that impacted your life, or someone/something/somewhere who/that meant something significant to you. These assignments had, at their core, a reliance on narrative voice. But what did they ultimately achieve? In academic, purpose-driven writing, narratives can be a powerful tool when carefully wielded – many cultures (including American culture) use narrative to record history, create personal connections, and establish hierarchies among members of a community. In academic writing, writers use narrative to establish a connection with the audience or to communicate strong relationships with their research and their arguments. Major Critical Writing 3: “Engaging an Issue through Research, Responsibility, and Experience” focuses on intersecting narrative, research, and argumentation; providing a meaningful and engaging way of exploring the effects of a moral, ethical, social, or cultural issue. Assignment Requirements Questions of Format: Essay is required to meet all of the assignment criteria: 7-full pages minimum, five sources minimum (at least three academic sources), in-text citations (quotes), double-spaced, Works Cited, and MLA Documentation. Also, students should develop an engaging title that draws the interests of the reader. Essay Outline Development Essay will include three sections: Introduction (2-3 full-page minimum), Responsibility (3 full-page minimum), and Experience (2 full-page minimum). After the title, students should include the type of issue. See example below: “To Ban, or Not to Ban: Possession of Assault Weapons for Private Citizens” (Social and Political Issue)1 Each section of the essay should be subtitled: “Introduction,” “Social Responsibility,” and “Narrative” I. Section One: Introduction The “Introduction” section should be treated like a lengthy introduction where students introduce and explain the issue. This section should include a thesis statement that states your position on the issue. Points to Consider: a) Thesis (states your position on an issue). Example: The production, sale, and possession of assault weapons for private citizens should be banned in the U.S. (Bold print). b) Present the (moral, ethical, social, or cultural) issue, describe the problem. c) Provide background information (or history) about the issue. d) Include one counterargument (addressing the opposite side actually makes your argument stronger), and the complexities of the problem. e) Include evidence (academic articles/sources) that help to explain the issue. II. Section Two: Social Responsibility The “Social Responsibility” section states your position on the issue. Your position should include examples and reasoning to establish your position. Based on how well you argue your position, your argument should encourage your readers to think more critically about the implications surrounding this particular problem. Also, this section should be persuasive and move readers to act or respond in some way. All specific examples included in assignment guidelines are prohibited. In other words, students are not allowed to use examples to develop their essay. Points to Consider: a) All evidence you present in this section should support your position. Essays will include three claims. Example of a claim: Keeping assault weapons out of private citizens’ hands can lower the increasing occurrences of barbaric public slayings. b) Reason and evidence to support your claim (students will need to devote at least two well-developed paragraphs to each claim). c) The conclusion should bring this section to a logical end. It should explain what the importance of the issue is in a larger context. Your conclusion should also reiterate why your topic is worth caring about. III. Section Three: Narrative The “Narrative” (a short short story) section explains how the issue has impacted or influenced you. Students will use creative language to create emotional and ethical appeals to the audience. Additional Resource The link below offers a comprehensive guide for MLA formatting and style. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ |
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