To earn credit for English 005, writers must produce a passing researched essay on the deadline, an essay that demonstrates online prewriting and documentation to support an argumentative thesis as a solution to the problem of blind “silo thinking,” which separates and excludes other thinking. Writers mediate this thinking by applying and advocating critical thinking skills. Writers are asked to organize the essay as an acceptable, relevant, sufficient, and rebuttable argument, mediating two separated kinds of thinking, using six to ten pages of multiple paragraphs and readable, correct sentences. The essay should demonstrate a consistent use of MLA or APA format. In addition to the essay itself, writers must complete graded pre-writing assignments: written start-up position, argument brief, a rough planning outline, and a proposed works cited page. Separate instructions on pre-writing assignments are available on the Canvas Module page. It is not necessary to to provide peer reviewed evidence, but the argument must be distinguished from unsupported opinion by retrieved, credible outside sources. The minimal essay length is six pages but not longer than ten pages, not including the Works Cited or Reference page.
Reading Reference Needs: Use a minimum of three retrieved sources, not including sources already published on the Course Canvas Modules page on the problem and issues relevant to global warming and climate change guiding purpose, containing enough information from which to conclude and clearly state an effective thesis. The thesis cannot be a statement of fact or a question. Sources should be properly introduced and cited throughout the essay, using introductory patterns and accurate signal verbs and correct in-text citations
Previous assignment reading selections, including other independent selections
Course Critical Thinking Resources and Argumentation Handouts
The Merritt College Library and other libraries
Writing Task: In addition to the prewriting pieces, compose a minimum six page argumentative researched essay, based on findings in primary and secondary reading sources, in addition to any appropriate arguments from any authors we have already read or discussed. Argue for a solution or counter balancing response on two current existential threat issues: global warming and climate change; and the issues of social inequality (comparable or relevant in kind to other, previous social justice issues exposed in English 5). As well, the issues can be exposed by online, print media and articles in current periodicals, textbooks, encyclopedias, critical arguments, literary works of art, and books. To do the research, writers focus issues defined by sources that agree and disagree about solutions to a problem. In fact, writers can use serious issues within the two issues of environmental and social justice, calling for resolutions to questions at issue for the audience.
Topics, Issues, and Requirements
The essay must propose a mediating argument on social and environmental justice and related issues: a way of thinking, feeling, and action toward equality and equity for earth’s environment and its societies. To what extent have social inequalities and climate change issues created an existential threat for humanity and other inhabitants of the planet and its world? It is not advisable to write a very long “term paper” essay, and especially not for the purpose of reporting on or exposing a big body of facts and information—sometimes called a “data dump.” Such a production will not be acceptable or sufficient. Therefore, papers should be focused on the controversial and relevant issues identified above. Broad topics such as nativism, fascism, colorism, consumerism, criminalization, mass incarceration, misogyny, racism, bullying, tribalism, gender discrimination, nationalism, and political nepotism are too big for this brief assignment. In other words, narrow the topic to a specific critical question at issue from research on social and environmental justice, or even an issue that emerges from your the inquiry, potentially relevant to your educational and professional goals. If you are unsure on the nature of a topic size and purpose, please read and use the model research paper listed on the Module page as a guide or ask the Instructor, the Library, or the Learning Center.
Apply concepts and principles of critical thinking to make a coherent argument that supports an effective mediating thesis statement on an issue. In other words, the essay will be more than adequate if it applies the elements, terms, and vocabulary of critical thinking as well as the five parts of good arguments, making a case, appeals to logic, facts, judgments, causal arguments, convincing arguments, four kinds of claims, acknowledgments, warrants, and good reasons. Consider that effective strategies should be applied to a solution on a problem that has itself been caused by a lack of critical thinking.
Writers need to argue from reasons and evidence to support a thesis of a new or third viewpoint concluded from and supported by facts and judgments from valid and reliable sources: books, online articles, and other articles from recent periodical publications, to change or resolve the impasse of problematic “silo” thinking.
You may be able to form discussion groups to explore reading and writing ideas; discussion on common topics can facilitate or augment comparisons and contrasts on new or existing solutions or claims. Again, writers should use research writing models, research guidelines and methods among the sources. If possible, sources should be peer reviewed. Approaches can be applied from previous assignments, to do inquiry, research, and argument for the purpose of mediating, convincing and/or persuading a real audience on key authors such as Thunberg, Davis, and other resources that argue to resolve effects of global warming emissions and social justice inequalities, integrating a new argument improving on the old arguments.
Refuting Arguments
A worthwhile strategy is to refute arguments and solutions that might be made against the support of your position or other positions on an issue. For example, acknowledging the objections you find and/or anticipate from an opposing argument— including government, media, or political propaganda—should help your case. Conceding the existence of other viewpoints in order to argue against the flaws in the opposing arguments keeps your argument from being one-sided. If you make an argument that only proposes your side, another arguer could object, but you won’t be there to respond.
General Guiding Purposes:
Convince: Make a case against or in favor of an idea or principle for reasons and evidence that your audience should accept.
Mediate: Argue against or in favor of a solution that the audience can use to integrate an idea or action acceptable as a new solution compared to the two sides of the issue.
Prewriting Sequence: 100 pts
Start Up Position Paper: 50 points (Writers can include this piece or a revised version in the essay itself.)
Argument Brief: 25 points
Planning Outline 15 points
Proposed (unfinished) Works Cite Page: 10 points
Final Draft: 200 points. This stage should be submitted by Friday 17 December for a grade.
Review
Get Started and Go Ahead through the following stages:
Using the topic above, write a start up position paper, based on an arguable issue that involves several perspectives.
As you are writing your solution, you should add other viewpoints, including objections to your viewpoint.
Use the two issues to formulate a trial thesis, leaving room for changes as your research proceeds.
You may need to state your completed thesis at the beginning (deductive) or at the end of your essay (inductive), but you must tell a position or possible positions near the beginning.
After completing the main part of the research, decide why an effective thesis can be concluded from the research.
Arguments can be inductive or deductive, but the evidence for the thesis must be properly introduced, not over-quoted, cited in-text, and not leave doubt in the reader’s mind.
Examples of MLA and APA formats are displayed on the OWL Website; sources must be listed alphabetically on a separate Works Cited page or References Page, according to models of format.
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