(contributed by Darren Crovitz)
Task
- Choose a particular American "text" that has inspired discussion or controversy as your focus, and present an analysis of the different viewpoints on this issue. The "text" can be a novel, film, program, poem, speech, piece of art or architecture, a symbol, an advertising campaign, a performance, or a song/album. The specific topic is up to you (with instructor approval).
- The primary form for this assignment will be an annotated bibliography. That's right…it's not an essay! The specific format and content for the bibliography will be discussed in class. Briefly, each entry in the bibliography will be a citation of a secondary source about the topic (like a citation on a Works Cited page). Beneath the citation, you will provide a summary of the source, its stance towards the topic, its logic and rationale, and your own informed evaluation.
- Along with the annotated bibliography, you will turn in a 1-2 page summation of the different viewpoints on this issue, and explain where in this field of opinion your emerging stance fits in. That is, you’ll try to position yourself amongst the other viewpoints (that’s where the title of this core fits in). You won’t present an argument against these points in this essay; instead, you will enter into a "dialogue" with other viewpoints, asking yourself questions like "How is my stance similar to/different than others?" This "conversation" will move toward larger awareness of your own beliefs that incorporates the views of others in a meaningful way.
- To find these secondary sources and the viewpoints they contain, you can use traditional research, as well as field research (particularly interviews), to locate various opinions about your text.
- The research you do now will prepare you for writing an argument essay based around the stance you develop towards this issue.
Length of Bibliography: 3-5 pages (about 8-12 sources, with at least 3 non-Internet sources)
Purpose
Why are you doing this kind of assignment? Because in order to argue effectively and convincingly in the next essay, you need to have a keen awareness of the issue, where your beliefs about the subject fit into the larger picture, and what others believe. This research will help you find supporting experts who agree with you, and reveal the logic of those views opposed to yours.
It's important to understand that you cannot simply pretend that other people will all agree with your points. Taking into account differing views and designing ways to deal with them make for stronger arguments….
So, here are the primary objectives of this assignment:
- to explore sources about your chosen issue
- to recognize fallacious arguments and judge credibility
- to practice correct documentation and citation techniques
- to use appropriate academic voice
- to use summary, paraphrase, and quotation effectively
- to explore your own developing stance on the issue, and understand the views of the opposition
Evaluation Criteria: This is what I will look for…
- Thoroughness in analyzing sources and viewpoints
- Recognition and analysis of reasons behind viewpoints, including understanding of appeals, claims, evidence, and logic
- Understanding of how credibility is established in an argument
- Important! Correct format for the annotated bibliography
- Your view accurately positioned in the accompanying paper.
