Essay #3 Comparison/Contrast Essay

Spring 08 English 1020 Watkins

Midterm Essay— DUE DATE: Thursday, February 28, 2008 (DIGITALLY AND BEFORE CLASS) Assignment: Write a six to eight page essay arguing for or against some aspect of popular culture as connected to audience. Answer a question that you have written that is NOT a yes or no question. (i.e. Why did Napoleon Dynamite become a cult film? What aspects of contemporary culture contribute to the rise of online, role-playing games? How and why is classical music represented in contemporary advertising?) THE QUESTION YOU WILL BE ANSWERING IS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON THURSDAY! You audience is a professor of cultural studies who does NOT agree with you.

*Please DO NOT ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE DIRECTLY IN YOUR ESSAY!

The purpose of this assignment is learning to back an opinion with factual evidence and learning to write for an academic audience; first (1.) state your position; then, (2.) convince your audience of your stance. The final draft of this assignment will be evaluated on general levels: how effective your introduction is, how well you use primary and secondary support (examples and details) to describe your specified topic and support your thesis, how well you organize the entire essay and individual internal paragraphs, and how well the overall paper is edited for grammar, mechanics, and spelling. In addition to the above criteria which are usually evaluated, make sure you include the following which are particularly important for an argumentative essay: a clear position and purpose, a clear audience, details that logically support your argument, and consideration/refutation of your opposition. You will be given class time for a conference with me and a revision workshop; you need to make sure that you take these opportunities quite seriously before turning in your paper for grading. Make sure your paper is double-spaced, has one-inch margins, is in a dark 12 point Times New Roman font, and has the following title block, also Your Name double-spaced, at the top of the left side of the paper: Prof. Watkins Traps to Avoid: English 1020-100 28 February 2008  Failing to assert a clear and strong judgment  Overusing first or second person (i.e. “I,” “me,” :my,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “you”)  Forgetting that an effective argument ALWAYS considers and rebutts the opposing point of view by counter-arguing.  Writing to a generic audience!  Failing to support the judgments with evidence, examples, details, quotes; using evidence based on memory only  Failing properly document ALL information that you take from the text or from other sources BOTH internally and in a Works Cited page. When you quote, paraphrase or summarize any information from any source you must document; incorrectly citing a source may result in an automatic 55 F. Due Date for First Draft: Your conference date, either Feb. 19 OR 21 Revision Workshop (bring two hard copies): Tues., February 26, 2008 ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2008: Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 must bring hard copies of page one to present intro/concl. paragraphs.