Classical Argument

If you recall back to day one of the semester, I have it written in the syllabus that this class is designed to provide writers with practice. The truth is that writing is an art form and a skill, and whether or not we like it, skills must be practiced in order to hone them. After a semester of practice, here’s the assignment where you show me what you can do. It’s where we take everything we’ve worked on throughout the semester (whether you realized it or not) and then put it to use. There are still a few weeks to go, but the bulk of the work is done. And now it’s time to show off your skills. We’ve talked about audience; tone and voice; and about logos, pathos, and ethos. You’ve practiced summary and argumentation in the quizzes. We’ve analyzed other people’s written arguments in the form of published articles and essays, and we’ve read and performed rhetorical analysis. Now it’s time for you to unleash this skill set you’ve been practicing in your last paper: an analysis of media in contemporary life. This paper will be about an issue of your own choosing regarding media in today’s society. That means TV, music, movies, books, newspaper, magazines, internet, video games, etc…are all fair game here. It will be about the medium and not a specific game, TV show, song, etc…. For this last assignment, please stay in line with the components expected to be in a classical argument. Start with a strong working-thesis that you can build from. Your claim should appear near the end of the introduction and be a clear, precise sentence Mention the opposition (showing that you’ve looked at other sides of the issue) in a subordinate fashion while making brief reference to the main points you intend to address.  Think proposition/opposition.  After formulating a claim/thesis, it may help you to write up a proposal to determine what you’re actually going to attempt. Don’t forget things like prewriting, organization, coherence, inclusion of evidence, and significance as you work on this.  Logos should be at the core of this essay, but you should still effectively and appropriately employ pathos and ethos. Our readings have covered the multifaceted contemporary debate over the music, advertising, and television and their effects on modern public life. I would encourage you to stick with the pop culture realm, but you’re welcome to explore other avenues that interest you, regarding media. Literally, anything you want to explore in relation to media can be a topic in this final paper. If your paper does not directly address media, it will be deemed “off-assignment.” You should cite your sources in the essay you develop, and in the process of arguing and responding to other arguments, you should also reference additional, independently found sources that emphasize information you can use as evidence in supporting your claim. I suggest that you attempt to get information from as near to a “pure” source as you think is possible. Information you’ve gotten from another person’s argument should be referred to as such and cited properly. We will do more with documentation in week 16, but it’s best to focus on it while you’re working with the source. It’s as easy as cracking open your manual or using a website. This paper should be… 3-4 pages in length and use at least three (3) various sources (you can use more if needed)–Amusing Ourselves to Death can be used as one of the sources for your paper–Typed in 12 pt Times New Roman font and double-spaced Formatted in accordance with MLA or APA guidelines as found in A Writer’s Reference or online at the Purdue Owl (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/)–In possession of properly formatted page numbers, header, title, and Works Cited/References page. Well-referenced and cited Proofread to college-level standards (this will be scrutinized)