Penn Foster 50044500 The widespread accessibility of modern technology has given us many new possibilities. We’re now able to obtain information quickly and easily than ever before. We can keep in touch family and friends online and make friends with people we may never meet. We’re able to program destinations into navigation systems and follow spoken directions without ever consulting a map. However, many believe that this constant access to different kinds of technology makes us more distracted, less able to communicate meaningfully with each other, and generally less capable. Topic To write a 2,200-2,500 word argument essay in which you identify one facet of modern technology that is debatable or controversial because people may or may not rely on it too much. Purpose To persuade your audience that this particular facet of modern technology either should or should not be limited due to people’s reliance on it. Methods To use at least six secondary sources to support your argument including 1. A minimum of three articles from Expanded Academic ASAP 2. A minimum of three secondary sources that you have evaluated according to the guidelines in your textbook (583-592). Audience Junior and senior-level distance education students enrolled at PennFoster College Process Prewriting Since you are working with a very broad subject, technology, you need to narrow it down to a manageable level. 1. Review chapter 5 in your textbook on “Prewriting”, specifically, Choosing and Narrowing a topic (102-106). 2. Reread chapter 21 in your textbook, “Writing Arguments,” to help you choose a sufficiently narrow topic for your argument essay (544-549) a. Your argument should make a claim. b. Your argument may also call for action. 3. Use one of the techniques from chapter 5 (freewriting, brainstorming, clustering, etc.) to develop your ideas for a topic. Remember: technology is too broad to write about in a short essay, so you need to focus on a specific facet of technology. 4. When you have a list of possible topics for your essay, choose one or two to explore in detail with more prewriting, such as freewriting or brainstorming (110-117). a. Write as much as possible based on what you know, think, and believe to be the case, or have heard about your topic. b. What do you think should be done to address the issues you’ve raised? 5. Draft a “tentative claim” (558-561) that represents your point of view on the topic. Because an argument essay also acknowledges the opposing point of view (552, 561562), draft a claim that represents the alternative point of view and brainstorm reasons and evidence you know, think, believe to be the case, or have heard about this side of the issue. Researching Your research is integral to your argument essay, however, it plays only a supporting role. At this point, only after you have gathered content in the prewriting process, should you begin the research process because 1. Your use of secondary sources should be limited 2. Secondary sources provide evidence to support your claims You shouldn’t allow secondary sources to take over your argument Use your prewriting to guide your research. Look for evidence that will help to confirm what you know, clarify point of view, or correct your mistaken beliefs. Go to the library. Your Penn Foster digital library provides resources that will help you to meet the research requirements for your essay, but keep in mind that research in a library, even a digital one, isn’t like searching online. To learn more, visit the Penn Foster Library site on the Community here: http://community.pennfoster.edu/community/academic-groups/digital- library-information-literacy. Keep careful notes on your sources and a working bibliography in order to avoid plagiarism. Organizing Use the graphic organizer on page 554 to organize your argu- ment before you begin drafting. 1. Identify each reason clearly and provide related support- ing evidence so that you can see your argument in outline form. 2. The outline will help you to identify the parts of your argument that do not fit your thesis statement, where you need more evidence, and where you can reorganize points to make the overall essay more persuasive. Drafting When you have completed your graphic organizer or outline, follow your plan to draft your essay. 1. Use topic sentences to state your reasons, develop the body of each paragraph logically using the evidence you found in your research 2. Review Chapter 24 on incorporating research into your essay. Be sure to a. introduce borrowed content b. properly punctuate quotations c. provide in-text, or parenthetical, citations for all secondary sources in MLA format d. Use MLA format for your list of works cited. 3. Use transitions to help guide you readers to your next point and to move smoothly throughout the argument.
