Tips for Formatting Assignment 1.1
This assignment is a little different from your traditional paper, so here are some tips for formatting Assignment 1.1: Conflicting Viewpoints Essay - Part 1.
First off, make sure you follow all instructions for this Assignment 1.1 “prewriting activity.” Spend some time looking at the www.procon.org website and find a topic that you find interesting, and preferably one that you have an opinion about. Start by stating your position on the topic in your introduction.
But do not continue writing in support of your position - you need to save that for the next paper. For this paper we will be exploring the opposing viewpoints, so your paper will discuss premises that you do not agree with. So, the next step is to choose three premises that you disagree with, premises that would support an opposing party’s perspective.
For example, if you are writing about the death penalty, in the introduction, you should clearly express your position on the subject, such as: “I believe the death penalty is immoral and it has no place in a civilized society,” or “Under certain circumstances, the death penalty is an appropriate sentence.”
Then in the body of the paper, explore the three opposing premises you chose using the “Believing Game” questions (this information is included in the assignment instructions). As an example, if you opposed the use of the death penalty, you would explore premises that are in support of it:
Opposing Premise 1.
The death penalty acts as a deterrent. (Explain how the opposition supports this premise.) Then answer the three “Believing Game” questions:
What’s interesting or helpful about this view?
What would I notice if I believed this view?
In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?
Repeat that for at least 2 more opposing premises.
Then finish with a conclusion: Your conclusion should discuss ideas that the reader can gather from your paper, but that you haven’t directly stated yet. Since you are writing about the opposing position, you could include reasons why it is important to look at the opposing position, or indicate an area where you may have changed your mind on the subject.
After you finish your paper, please view the rubric and make sure you included all the components of the instructions in your essay.
Recommendation: I suggest you create an outline format first to ensure that you answer all the questions. Once you do that, to convert your outline into a paper, you go back and fill in each section, keeping the headings! As an example:
Paper Outline
Cover Sheet
Paper Body
Introduction
Opposing Premise 1
What’s interesting or helpful about this view?
What would I notice if I believed this view?
In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?
Opposing Premise 2
What’s interesting or helpful about this view?
What would I notice if I believed this view?
In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?
Opposing Premise 3
What’s interesting or helpful about this view?
What would I notice if I believed this view?
In what sense or under what conditions might this idea be true?
Conclusion
The topic I chose is Medical Marijuana. The question is "Should Medical Marijuana Be A Medical Option?"