Application: Create a Position in Response to a Reading: “Cyberschools”
When you write a persuasive essay in response to a reading, it is important to have a well-defined position on the subject you are discussing. You guide your writing by developing a strong thesis statement at the beginning of your essay. The thesis statement sets the tone and context of the essay. Once you have a thesis in place, it is easier to visualize the rest of the essay.
As you respond to the reading, be aware of how you are supporting your overall position. For your essay to be convincing, each of your arguments requires solid supportive evidence such as examples,anecdotes, facts and statistics, quotations, or summaries of other works. You ultimately use this supportive evidence to prove to your audience that your position on the essay topic is a valid one.
In this Assignment, you write a persuasive essay in response to a reading. You develop a thesis statement and support your arguments with evidence.
Questions about this Assignment? Post them in the Contact the Instructor area. That way, everyone in the class will see and benefit from the Instructor's response.
To prepare for this Assignment:
Review the following in The Longman Writer: Rhetoric, Reader, Research Guide, and Handbook:
- Chapter 3, "Identifying a Thesis" (pp. 34–39): What are the characteristics of a weak thesis statement? How can these issues be corrected?
- Chapter 14 selection, "Cyberschool" by Clifford Stoll (pp. 282–284)
- Chapter 18, "Argumentation-Persuasion" (pp. 398–420 only): How can a strong thesis contribute to the overall effectiveness of an argumentation-persuasion essay?
- Chapter 19, "Locating, Evaluating, and Integrating Research Sources" (pp. 465–470, 478–492 only)
Then, read the following statement:
- Cyberschools will create a better learning environment and provide a better education to prepare students to be successful later in life.
- Select a position to argue. Either agree or disagree with the above statement.
Next, consider the following:
- How will you find supportive evidence for your position? What persuasive strategies might you use to research outside resources?
- How you will ensure your thesis statement is strong?
The Assignment:
Write a 1-page essay in response to the statement about cyberschools. Be sure to include the following:
- An introductory paragraph that includes your thesis statement regarding your position in favor of or against the statement. Underline the thesis statement in your response.
- 1–2 paragraphs of supportive evidence for your position
- Cite at least two examples from the reading or outside sources (e.g., books, journal articles, web articles) in support of your position. Note: Wikipedia will not be accepted as an outside resource.
Formatting Expectations:
- Indent the first sentence of each paragraph. Block paragraphs are not acceptable for this Assignment.
Your final document should:
- Be in a 10- or 12-point font, such as Arial or Verdana
- Be double-spaced throughout
- Have 1-inch margins for top, bottom, left, and right
- Include your full name and the Assignment title on the document
Contact the Student Support Team for assistance with word processing. The contact information is in the Student Support section. Word Processing help is also available in the Writing Center website.
Submit your Assignment by Day 7. In order to receive full credit, all Assignments must be submitted on time. Should you encounter an unanticipated and uncontrollable life event that may prevent you from meeting an Assignment deadline, contact the Instructor immediately to request an extension. Your Instructor's contact information is in the Contact the Instructor area. For a full description of the late policy, please refer to the "Policies on Late Assignments" section of your Syllabus.
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