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Presentation Options
You may choose to make your case other than in a traditional essay. If you choose an alternative presentation method, you would not be required to use MLA manuscript format. However, you would still need to provide a correct MLA citation for each source used.
Web site
If you already have a web site or are itching to create one, this might be a good option. Google offers free sites at http://sites.google.com
Prezi
This is a new, FREE, 'net-based presentation tool. It's really cool and pretty easy, but it has the potential for being an enormous time-sink. Still, if you're the creative type who is bored by traditional essays, this might be the ideal way to present your argument. http://prezi.com/
PowerPoint
PowerPoint is standard presentation software from Microsoft... and it's not free. If you have it and want to do your presentation using it, that's fine. However, you will be required to meet word counts, so you will need to use the Speaker Notes feature. Here's an image showing what Speaker Notes look like in a PowerPoint presentation. Here's a link to PowerPoint tutorials.
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Requirements
- Academic Argument Essay
- You must effectively
- enter an ongoing debate,
- take a position, and
- explain and support your position.
- Minimum 2,000 words
- exclusive of front matter,
- appendices, and
- works cited
- Minimum of 10 sources
- all academic-quality
- at least half from campus provided databases
- at least one published visual
- MLA manuscript format
- header information
- page numbers
- line spacing
- exception: format can be modified for web, Prezi, or PowerPoint presentation
- MLA documentation format
Subject Choices
Students are usually split between those who prefer to have a subject given with an assignment and those who don't. From my point of view, there is value in both approaches. However, I've also found it helpful to have more than one person taking on a subject. So, my compromise is to offer five broad subjects and allow students to find the issue debate that most interests them within one of those subject areas.
The subject areas for this term are:
- National ID card
- Criminal Sanctions
- Agricultural Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Energy Sources
Each subject area has a number of issues being debated. It's up to the author to choose which debate will be examined.
Example
Remember, marijuana is my example subject, and no one else may use any aspect of that subject for a project.
Consider the subject of marijuana. The subject alone is not a debate, but there are many debates associated with the subject of marijuana. Whenever there is a point of disagreement or contention, there is a debate.
When it comes to marijuana, people argue about whether it is more or less dangerous than other drugs, what sort of dangers are inherent in its use, whether it leads to the use of other drugs, whether the prohibition against its use should be overturned in the case of medical needs or even for recreational use. And these are only some of the issues.
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Academic Argument
The final project is a researched academic argument. This means you will be identifying an issue (within a defined subject area), researching that issue, taking a stand on the issue, and supporting your position using the data discovered during research.
This is not a simple persuasive essay in which you attempt to convince others to accept your position. Rather, it will go beyond personal opinion and use the more sophisticated and refined analysis techniques expected of academic writing.
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The final project offers students an opportunity to demonstrate their skill in meeting all course objectives. The learning objectives for this course include the ability to...
- recognize and use elements of argumentation such as premises, conclusions, evidence, values, assumptions, etc.;
- recognize how values and worldview affect response to arguments;
- evaluate non-fiction texts for quality, credibility, and validity;
- create, analyze, and evaluate written work collaboratively;
- recognize and avoid rhetorical abuses in writing, including common logical fallacies;
- incorporate academic-quality research and resources into writing;
- use college-level writing skills to summarize, evaluate, analyze, and persuade;
- appropriately cite all sources used in the preparation of course work.
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