Palo Verde College Formal Unit 4: Maggie Koerth-Baker Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy – Description
This is a double spaced essay, 5-6 pages, formal
This is formal writing, so you are addressing a large audience of co-workers, colleagues, and people who are interested in hearing an authority and mention of experts (a way of showing that you research ideas instead of relying on opinion, guesswork, or gossip).
Be sure to give:
an informative title;
an opening with interest;
consideration of audience;
a clear thesis that states position to answer the prompt;
well-considered academic word choice and tone;
avoiding subjective “I” needlessly (formal writing emphasizes the material not personal reaction);
avoiding “dead” words like “it” or “things”;
transitions between ideas;
supporting evidence/details/specificity/authority/fact/data, etc.;
using researched material accurately when referencing;
commentary as demonstration of your developing skills in using research to forward/prove your thesis;
a conclusive ending
a works cited for the sources used after the required page count
Prompt
Analyze the rhetorical strategies in the piece that you have chosen to evaluate the choices for how thoroughly they demonstrate critical thinking at work–does the author succeed at being persuasive? fully? somewhat? not really? Approach the stance as an informed and culturally aware individual communicating to a varied–and also informed–audience.
Suggestions for Organization
This map contains suggestions for organizing your essay; there are some options. Key elements to observe are the content of the intro and the necessity for each body paragraph to have a topic sentence that directly “plugs in” to the thesis and has specific support and discussion from sources.
I. Intro
A. Orient the topic-zone in
Hook/orientation about topic
Id title and author(s) and essential stance/background
Thesis—Author(s) succeed in being persuasive about ___ (or not) because. . .
II. Body of the paper
A. might be a paragraph to explain why the issue is an issue (if you do research, be sure to cite)
B. Topic Sentence: initial observations about strengths/weaknesses
Evidence and analysis
Evidence and analysis
Evidence and analysis
Comment in response to every piece of evidence!!!! “This observation means, suggests, indicates, helps us understand. . . “
C. TS: observations about another level of strengths/weaknesses
D. TS: strongest observations about strengths/weaknesses
Closure
SO WHAT?!!!!!! Good, bad, ugly. . .what do we need to recognize/take-away about what the way the topic has been treated means to individuals, our society, etc.?
Remember works cited! Consult the format for the article from the handbook or MLA website.
Tips: Avoid summarizing the plots/retelling the article or what quotes say (get to what the quotes mean); avoid generalizations (all, everybody, anybody); minimize personal reaction, although you might make readers aware that certain groups (e.g. students, service workers, law enforcement, etc.) might or could respond with certain concerns, etc.
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