"I Say"
Assignment Guidelines

Objective

Develop an argument that adopts a clear position on a topic of interest to you and finds support in previously published works on that topic.

Procedure

1. Choose a new They Say / I Say topic area--different from the one in your previous paper. Select 1-2 articles in They Say / I Say that you find particularly engaging. Use library resources to research 3-4 additional works outside of They Say / I Say that address this new topic area, for a minimum of five sources.
2. Take notes identifying aspects of this topic area that make it particularly appealing or thought-provoking. Which information will be of the greatest interest to an audience consisting of your fellow students at UMD?
3. Write an Annotated Bibliography listing five sources in accordance with APA format. Follow each source with a brief summary and evaluative statement (~120 words). Submit via Canvas by the end of the day on 16 March 2021.
4. Formulate an outline consisting of a thesis statement and three to four subtopics backing this thesis up, and bring this to class on 23 March 2021.
5. Write a working draft of at least 4 pages, and share it with peer reviewers as a Google Doc on 1 April 2021, for peer-editing in accordance with guidelines that I will provide. Be sure to share access to peer-edited drafts once editing is complete, so I can assign a peer-editing grade.
6. Revise this draft with the help of peer-editing feedback, and share the final draft with me as directed on 20 April 2021.
7. Present your argument with the help of visual aids and in accordance with presentation assignment guidelines below.

Annotated Bibliography (7 sources)—18 March 2021

List seven sources in accordance with APA format. Follow each entry with a concise summary of the source and an evaluative statement explaining how helpful it will be to you and why it will be helpful (~100 words). Submit via Canvas by the end of the day.

Proposal (300-500 words)—23 March 2021

Write an outline of a paper that addresses your topic according the following model:

THESIS STATEMENT: One sentence putting forward an arguable claim pertaining to one of the five topic areas. Make an argument about a course of action like you did for the op-ed assignment.

1. Sub-topic related to the thesis statement.

2. Sub-topic related to the thesis statement.

3. Sub-topic related to the thesis statement.

Submit via Canvas by 8am so you can discuss it with classmates in breakout rooms.

Working draft (4-5 pages)—1 April 2021

Re-work the outline into an essay that elaborates and add quotations and paraphrases from your sources to support your claims. Make an argument and, at some point in your paper, include a naysayer argument along with your refutation of it. Include APA-formatted in-text references and a list of References at the end. Introduce your argument with some claims about the importance of the chosen topic, and conclude with a brief review of what you have argued and concluding thoughts about how readers might use this information.

Share this draft with peer editors as a Google Doc by class-time on 1 April 2021 so they can provide you with feedback in accordance with peer-editing guidelines that I will distribute during class.

Final draft 20 April 2021

Revise your working draft in response to feedback you receive from peer-editors and from me at the one-on-one conference, and submit it by the end of the day.

Grading standards

I will base your paper grade on the following criteria:

1. Clarity and focus of an arguable stance on your topic.
2. Appropriate support of claims in the essay, especially the use of direct quotations from supporting sources.
3. A coherent approach to a specific audience, including acknowledgment of possible counterarguments.
4. Effective organization of the argument, sign-posted with clear topic sentences, transitional expressions and keywords.
5. Adequate documentation of sources in accordance with the APA format.
6. A command of Edited Standard Written English demonstrating that the writer has carefully revised and proofread to remove grammatical and spelling errors.
7. Page design and layout, including an APA-formatted list of References at the end.

Presentation—sign up for a presentation time on 20, 22, or 27 April 2021

Individually, or in groups of up to 4 people, present your topic to the rest of class in a presentation in which each group member speaks for five minutes minimum. Support this presentation with visual aids of some sort—a GoogleSlides or Prezi production, or some other creative means of supplementing your argument with visuals.

Each presentation will conclude with a question-and-answer session. Students should definitely plan to pose questions in response to what they hear.

I will score your presentations based on the following criteria:

1. Clarity and focus, again. Make a clear argument.
2. Appropriateness of support for claims. A minimum of two outside sources in this presentation.
3. How well this presentation engages with an audience of your classmates.
4. Organization of ideas.
5. Effectiveness of visual aids, including layout.
6. Speaking style.