ENGL 1010/McKay/FA16

Formal Writing Assignment #3: Synthesis Essay – aka. Commentary (a thesis-driven researched argument)
“A commentary uses analysis and interpretation to find patterns of meaning in events, trends, and ideas. The purpose of a commentary is not simply to report on things, but to give readers a way to make sense of them.” Many of the essays we have read are commentaries. The authors have looked within a topic, identified an issue, and commented on the significance of this issue – possibly a consequence they have noticed of a trend.
Now it is your turn to comment on an issue from the class readings that interests you. You will write a commentary addressing an issue that has arisen in one or more of the readings from class. While you will use the reading(s) from class as inspiration (your exigency, or what you might be writing in response to), you will also do additional research outside of the assigned class readings to find more perspectives concerning this issue to flesh out/inform your commentary. Since you are not an expert on this issue, you will need to borrow the expertise of others to make your commentary more credible. You can either agree with an author we have read, disagree, agree/disagree in part, add to or extend his/her argument, address something he/she glosses over or fails to consider, etc. Just remember, you are joining the conversation, adding your voice, not simply repeating, summarizing, critiquing, and/or analyzing what someone else has said.

EXIGENCY: Regardless of your stance or your issue, YOU MUST USE AT LEAST ONE READING FROM CLASS LISTED BELOW as the exigency for your commentary. Your commentary should relate to one of the issues discussed in one or more of these pieces.
Choose from the following class readings:
“What Colin Kaepernick's National Anthem Protest Tells Us About America”
“A Quick Lesson On What Trigger Warnings Actually Do”
“The Chilling Effect of Fear at America's Colleges”
SOURCES: Your commentary must be informed by AT LEAST FOUR CREDIBLE SOURCES YOU LOCATE THROUGH ONE OF THE UTC DATABASES (one of the required four sources can be from the class shared readings, but a minimum of three of your sources MUST be ones you located using one the UTC Library databases). You will learn how to navigate these databases during Library instruction on Friday, Oct. 21, in the Library (room 204).

CITATION: Your commentary will use in-text citation of these sources and will include a works cited page (all of which will follow MLA format – refer to pages 517-88 in the Bedford Handbook). We will cover these concepts in class.

PURPOSE: Your commentary should focus on one issue from these larger topics that one or more of our readings dealt with and give your readers a way to make sense of the debated/controversial issue – including your stance or what you have come to think, feel, or believe about the issue.

AUDIENCE: You should consider your audience to be similar to the reader of the original essay to which you are responding. You will be expected to identify your audience, in writing, as part of this assignment – this identification will be part of your invention work and writer’s memo, not the commentary itself. You will be expected to determine and use appropriate rhetorical choices, including tone, for your commentary in consideration of this audience.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Your commentary MUST respond to or be inspired by an issue raised in one of the shared readings from class (see the specific essays to choose from above).
It MUST be informed by and correctly document (cite) at least four credible sources found through the UTC library databases). Students must follow MLA documentation style, including in-text citation and a works cited page.
The commentary should be focused on your stance/position regarding the issue you are exploring (stated as your thesis), and each supporting idea should be developed with sufficient evidence (from credible sources) to satisfy a discerning audience.
The commentary must also include effective consideration of opposing views (counterargument, anticipating objections, rebuttal, conceding a point, etc).
As a result, the finished commentary should be 5-6 full pages (a minimum of 1,500 words) – not including the works cited page. Papers should use standard MLA document layout (1” margins on all sides, 11 point Times New Roman or Calibri font, double spaced).

EVALUATION CRITERIA: Your commentary will be evaluated based on how well you do the following:
-- state your THESIS and FOCUS your commentary on supporting your thesis. See pgs 492 in Bedford Handbook for help with thesis.
-- make effective RHETORICAL CHOICES in an attempt to appeal to your intended audience to achieve your purpose. I will be looking at the TONE you have used, how well you have established credibility with your reader (ETHOS), your choice and use of logic (LOGOS), and your attempts to appeal to the audience’s emotions (PATHOS), if appropriate. I will also expect to see ARGUMENTATION STRATEGY by effectively including OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS in your commentary (anticipating objections, rebuttal, conceding a point, etc.). You will be explaining what rhetorical choices you make and why as part of your writer’s memo.
-- INCORPORATE the words of others through quotations, summary, paraphrasing, signal phrases, and in-text citations. All claims should be supported with credible sources located through the UTC library databases) that are clearly and correctly documented using MLA style (both in-text citations and works cited page). Words of others should be incorporated effectively while avoiding plagiarism. A minimum of four sources (accessed through the UTC library databases must be used to support your claims). Your ability to locate/navigate the UTC library databases and judge/evaluate the credibility of your sources impacts your grade on this assignment. Refer to pages 498-572 in the Bedford Handbook for how to cite sources correctly.
-- ORGANIZE the commentary so that connections between ideas are clear and the reader is able to follow your line of thought. Transitions within and between paragraphs should be used effectively to make the commentary more coherent. Like ideas should be kept together to help minimize/eliminate repetition. Each paragraph should focus on developing one idea fully.
-- DEVELOP your thesis with information from your research (details, facts, and other information about the topic that is clearly related to your thesis). If examples are used, make sure it is clear what point or points they are intended to illustrate (you have framed quoted or summarized material effectively – see handout on Framing Quotes).
-- provide a satisfying sense of closure in the conclusion/ending. Do readers find it easy to see how you arrived at your final point? Does the ending help to emphasize your thesis?
-- follow accepted conventions in grammar, usage, and/or style (is the writing clear, easy to read, engaging, interesting, error free?)

Important Due Dates
Fri., 10/21 LIBRARY DAY: Class meets in Library (room 204).
Complete library homework (including worksheet) prior to session. Bring completed worksheet, printed.
Wed., 10/26 Five potential sources due (complete Evaluation Worksheet for each). These should NOT include in-class readings. These are five sources you have located through your research on the UTC Library databases.
Wed. 11/2 &Thur. 11/3 Conference draft due, incl. in-text citation and works cited page
Make revisions to your draft based on the feedback you receive during conferences.
Mon., 11/7 Peer Review draft due, incl. in-text citation and works cited page
Make revisions to your draft based on the feedback you receive during peer review.
Weds., 11/9 Final Version of Commentary due for a grade