Choose a controversial issue on which to take a position.
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When choosing an issue, keep in mind that the issue must be
- controversial—an issue that people disagree about;
- arguable—a matter of opinion on which there is no absolute proof or authority;
- one that you can research, as necessary, in the time you have; and
- one that you care about.
Choosing an issue about which you have special interest or knowledge usually works best. For example, if you are thinking of addressing an issue of national concern, focus on a local or at least a specific aspect of it: For example, instead of addressing censorship in general, write about a recent lawmaker’s effort to propose a law censoring the Internet, a city council attempt to block access to Internet sites at the public library, or a school board’s ban on certain textbooks.
You may already have an issue in mind. If you do, skip to Test Your Choice (p. 277). If you do not, the topics that follow, in addition to those following the readings (pp. 260, 265, 272), may suggest an issue you can make your own:
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- Should particular courses, community service, or an internship be a graduation requirement at your high school or college?
- Should students attending public colleges be required to pay higher tuition fees if they have been full-time students but have not graduated within four years?
- Should your large lecture or online courses have frequent (weekly or biweekly) exams instead of only a midterm and final?
Issues Related to Your Community
- Should children raised in this country whose parents entered illegally be given an opportunity to become citizens upon finishing college or serving in the military?
- Should the racial, ethnic, or gender makeup of the police force resemble the makeup of the community it serves?
- Should the football conference your school (or another school in the area) participates in be allowed to expand?
- Should you look primarily for a job that is well paid or for a job that is personally fulfilling or socially responsible?
- Should public employees be allowed to unionize and to bargain collectively for improved working conditions, pay, or pensions?
- Should the state or federal government provide job training for those who are unemployed but able to work?
TEST YOUR CHOICE
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Does the issue matter to me and to my readers? If the issue is not currently one of widespread concern, would I be able to argue convincingly at the beginning of my essay that it ought to be of concern?
- Do I know enough about the issue to take a position that I can support effectively, or can I learn what I need to know in the time I have?
- Have I begun to understand the issue well enough to frame or reframe it in a way that might open readers to my point of view?
- What can I realistically hope to achieve with my readers—convince them to adopt my point of view; get them to reconsider what’s at stake; show them that arguments they trust are unfair, inaccurate, or logically flawed?
As you plan and draft your argument, you will probably want to consider these questions. If at any point you cannot answer them with a confident yes, you may want to consider modifying your position on the issue or choosing a different issue to write about. If you have serious doubts, discuss them with your instructor.