Describe your opponents position fairly and accurately

Unit IV: Researched Argument Essay and *Companion Piece

Background
In your proposal, you speculated on a specific issue, proposing certain knowledge, audiences, and potential claims. You then researched that issue and drew up a descriptive list of eight potential sources in your annotated bibliography. Next, in your Rhetorical Think Piece, you analyzed the discourse according to the three main perspectives that surrounded your controversial issue. Now, it is time for you to give your own perspective.

For this paper, you will posit a claim coupled with well-developed reasons. You will use as much of your evidence as you need in order to effectively prove your argument to the intended audience.

Assignment Details
Choose a very specific audience; readers whom you wish to address in your essay. Keep away from vague, generic audiences like todays culture or society or Americans. Instead, your paper should address an audience named with a proper noun and an actual address (either physical or digital). For example, you could address Mitt Romney, Engadget.com, or the FCC. Whatever your choice, you want to make sure that you do a little research on this audience to understand the values and assumptions that will strengthen your argument.

Your audience will want to know about the discourse that is taking place and how you might be advancing it. Give a brief description of the conversation that is taking place and how your argument fits in but also carries on the conversation.

Not only will you need to make a clear claim, but your audience will expect you to have several well-developed reasons why you want to make this claim. Remember, you should draw extensively from your annotated bibliography sources to provide support for your reasons and claim.

Somewhere in your essay, you may also need to address a counterargument (or naysayer). If that is the case, and likely it is, make sure that you do the following:
Name and describe your opponent(s)
Describe your opponents position fairly and accurately
Make any necessary concessions, that is, identify any common ground you might share
Respond with a well-considered and reasonable rebuttal

*Companion Piece (Dont forget to include this related assignment with your research essay–and you may be asked to share in class)
In addition to your paper, you will need to compose a companion text that repurposes the argument of your essay in a different genre/medium. For example, you can create a poster, slideshow/presentation, pamphlet, postcard, website, tumblr, storify essay, or any other appropriate text.

Style and Format
You will want to organize your paper according to the type of argument you are making. Take a look at Chapters 11 and 17-18 in Everyones an Author to determine what type of claim youre proposing and to get an idea as to how best arrange your argument and provide the correct support.
Depending on your audience, you will want to determine how formal you will want to be in your writing. In other words, in reading your paper, it should be obvious that youre writing to the audience youve identified.

Requirements: 6-8 pages, double-spaced, properly formatted

Textbook Help
Arguing a Position, pp. 116-158
Analyzing and Constructing Arguments, pp. 379-418
Strategies for Supporting an Argument, pp. 419-444
Synthesizing Ideas: Moving from What Your Sources Say to What You Say, pp. 505-511
Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing, pp. 512-526
Giving Credit, Avoiding Plagiarism, pp. 527-534