college education

dialogue RESEARCH PAPER about ( What is the purpose of a college education? )

you will write a formal, traditional 6-8 page argumentative research paper about education. You MUST use at least three of our unit’s readings AND at least THREE sources found on the CUYAMACA COLLEGE LIBRARY website (see the library research demonstration video on Blackboard), for a minimum of six total sources. Your paper must also include at least one counterargument (argument which opposes your thesis) with a rebuttal.

Questions:

What is the purpose of a college education?

sources: total 6 sources

1- Deblanco, “3 Reasons College Still Matters”

https://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2012/03/04/reasons-college-still-matters/Dfav44acJ8HpkU6Xu2D5CN/story.html

2-Rotella, “No, it Doesn’t Matter What you Majored in” (467)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2011/12/24/doesn-matter-what-you-majored/ov7sZQQIY7nRoTFYXLBGiK/story.html

3- Malala Yousafzai, “Interview with Jon Stewart”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjGL6YY6oMs6

also, AT LEAST THREE sources found on the CUYAMACA College library website

https://www.cuyamaca.edu/academics/support/library/default.aspx

Final Essay Project Outline: OPTION 2 DIALOGUE ESSAY

**The brief outline here is simply to help you visualize the structure of this paper. Students are encouraged to use the best structure that works for their specific topic. Outlines will vary depending on number of characters and sub-points covered in the paper.**

• Introduction:
  • description of your characters, their positions on the given issue
  • background information needed to help your “intelligent, naïve” reader to understand your topic
• Body
  • Character 1 brings up first point in discussion
    • Evidence
    • Advances the conversation so that next character responds
  • Character 2 responds to first point in discussion (and character 3, 4, etc. if necessary)
    • Evidence
    • Advances the conversation so that next character responds
  • A character advances the discussion by bringing up 2nd point
    • Evidence
    • Advances the conversation so that next character responds
  • Outlie continues in conversation format for the rest of the paper (it is up to the student to determine the most effective structure)
• Conclusion (You don’t need to write anything for the conclusion for your outline)

: DIALOGUE ESSAY

you will use a variety of sources to show a spectrum of perspectives on our education topic. It will take the form of a 5-8 page debate, which will look somewhat like a screenplay. The challenge will be to offer coherent arguments by characters who represent not just different points of view, but also different styles of argumentation arising from their varied backgrounds, educational background, cultural and ethnic differences, and personal experience.

The introduction will consist of a description of your characters, their positions on the given issue, and background information needed to help your “intelligent, naïve” reader to understand your topic. Most of the explanation can be included in the context of the discussion. Assume your audience is educated, but isn’t necessarily knowledgeable about the subject. Also assume that they are very sensitive to bias—they shouldn’t see yours, even if you personally have strong feelings about it.

You can choose the setting, but it usually is helpful to think in terms of a venue that encourages high-level discourse. Feel free to be as creative as you would like as long as you think PBS level discussion, not Jerry Springer. The more you can envision the personalities of your characters, the better your choice of rhetorical strategies can be. The context of this debate should encourage the most intelligent arguments possible.

Your characters will be fictional, but can be based on actual people. While they should be representational of certain groups and belief systems, they must not be stereotypes. Theyshould be people whom you would be willing to listen to even if you vehemently disagreed with their particular point of view. If the person has an unpopular viewpoint, you might want to contrast it with an especially appealing personality or intriguing life situation. Each should bring something unique to the discussion. You will write as though they are speaking to each other, and your sources will be part of that speech. (Each quote or paraphrase must be documented in the MLA style to avoid plagiarism.)

It can be difficult to distance yourself from your own words—some people feel very awkward making a strong argument for something they do not believe—but this is an excellent way to train yourself to think critically and be able to articulate others’ points of view honestly and fairly.

The debate itself will be in script form, with speakers asking and answering questions. Characters will address one another’s points, and then go on to bring up new arguments. Make sure that the debate is not just a series of monologues, but is a real conversation.Normally there will be three to five speakers per page—more than that means you might be lacking in your use of sources, and fewer would sound more like speeches than debate.

Speakers will quote or paraphrase their sources as though they are stating their own ideas. Your [minimum of five–at least three readings from our unit AND AT LEAST THREE sources found on the CUYAMACA College Library

website] sources need to include academic journals, transcripts of radio and television shows, oral interviews, on-line discussion, news sources, books, and others. The personality of the individual character will dictate which kind of source s/he might use.

Again…each side should be so persuasive that the reader won’t know your bias. In the conclusion, you can enlighten your audience as to your true beliefs. Talk about why you believe what you do, and how your views might have changed as you did your research and formulated your arguments.

Students may create a context which inspires them, and which encourages strong argumentation. There is often a tendency to demonize those with whom the writer personally disagrees even though most students claim to be “tolerant” of others’ beliefs. This assignment will help students practice how to be able to articulate other sides, a step toward respecting those who hold the opinions.

THREE sources found on the Cuyamaca College Library website

MLA format. 12-point font, Times New Roman. A creative title that hints at the subject matter.

Fully developed analysis of how the evidence supports each topic sentence and overall thesis statement.

Implements proper stylistic conventions to include: sentence variation, college-level vocabulary, target audience, complex sentence structure.

Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.

Write the paper as if addressing a scholarly audience.