Category: Writing

Toulmin method of argumentation
What you will do………….
Use the Toulmin method of argument to write in an argument essay.
Topic and assignment……………………..
Your topic will be the one you chose for your discussion assignment where you did your research.
You are open to taking any position you want on the topic. However, you may only take one position and you must support that position from both the reading in “Everything’s an Argument” and the article you used for your discussion. You may use more than one article if you need to use the support.
Requirements:
Your paper must be turned in on Canvas.
Late papers will be deducted 20 points
Your paper must be turned in typed, double spaced #12 font
You must use MLA format
You must have a works cited page
You must use at least one quote from the article that you researched and the article from “Everything’s an Argument”
Your paper must be 4-5 pages in length
Your must follow the Toulmin method (pg 156-157
Everything’s an Argument)
You must include an outline of the Toulmin method with your essay.

According to Plato, are the ideas of Beauty and Courage objectively real, or are they notions that we invent in our minds whenever we want to? Do you think these ideas are objectively real? Provide an argument to back up your answer.
Is there any way that you can tell whether you are awake or dreaming? Is Descartes right that he cannot tell the difference? Try to identify and explain at least two ways that dreaming experiences and waking experiences are different.
Complete the
Philosophy
Lab
thought experiment questions on page 288.
will send pdf file of book to email

Task:
In this paper, you will write a document that provides information that an
external
audience can use to inform a decision.
We have read various white papers in the class this semester. White papers can be any one of the following types:
o technical papers
o business benefit papers
o advocacy papers
o hybrid technical/business papers
The CANRIGHT document that is provided in the class in LEO describes all four of these types of white papers.
?
Length:
1200-1600 words
?
Graphics:
at least three graphics, two of which have to be original
?
Format in Citing and Listing Sources:
APA
?
Number and Sources:
at least five sources, at least one of which has to be obtained through OneSearch
Brief Description of the White Paper:
In preparing for this assignment, you will want to review the following video:
“White Papers: An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations,” from the Purdue OWL
You may take any of the following approaches:
? a general white paper to an external audience – written to individuals in a particular industry or field of study, but not an organization you are a part of. The white paper could address a problem you are attempting to solve in the organization or to inform an external audience about a relevant trend.
? a white paper promoting a new product or service to potential customers. This is an example of a white paper to an external audience, but it features different rhetorical considerations than the typical white paper written to an external audience does.
Both options are discussed in the Purdue OWL video mentioned above.
Please note:
You will
not be writing
a white paper to your boss or to superiors in the company for which you work.
That type of paper would be an internal white paper. If you take WRTG 394, you can write that type of paper. For WRTG 393, we ask for a white paper to an external audience.
Strategies to Consider for the White Paper:
Please follow these guidelines:
? have a focused topic. Please see the sample white papers from previous students for examples of how previous topics have been developed for this paper.
? write to a reasonably focused and identified audience
o A white paper to an external audience can have a broad audience or a narrow audience.
? For example, if you do not work for a hair salon and you write a white paper promoting a new billing system for hair salons, the audience will probably be the various hair salons in your neighborhood.
o A white paper that promotes a product or service to potential customers could have a fairly broad audience.
? For example, a white paper promoting a new taxi service in your neighborhood has, theoretically, all residents in the neighborhood as a potential audience.
? integrate thorough research
? do not directly tell the audience what action it should take. Rather, offer
background information
that the audience can use to make a decision. The Purdue OWL video mentions this principle. This is one reason the video refers to the white paper as a
backgrounder report
.
Continue to the next page
How to Organize the White Paper:
Please include the following sections in your white paper:
?
Executive Summary
?
Introduction
?
Previous Approaches
?
New Findings
?
Conclusion
?
References
In the
Executive Summary
, summarize your research and your purpose. The executive summary should be a stand-alone document. It should be written in such a way that a busy executive could read the executive summary and know exactly what the paper is about without reading the rest of the paper.
In the
Introduction
, you lay the groundwork for your readers for the details that will be introduced in the white paper. If you need to define any terms, you will do so here. You might share an anecdote or illustration to describe why this topic is important.
In the
Previous Approaches
section, you will describe the approaches or strategies that have been previously used or are currently used on the topic. For example, if your white paper is being written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you might review what transportation services are provided now. You could show the challenges or problems that the current services involve. In this section of the white paper, your use of sources will be very important. You should integrate research to show that the problems you have identified exist.
In the
New Findings
section, you present perhaps the most important information in the paper. In this section, you will describe the findings of your research and relate these findings to the purpose of your report. You will not only provide data and research, but you will also explain the data and research and why it is relevant to your report’s topic.
For example, if your white paper is being written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you might review what transportation services are provided now and show why the new taxi service fills a need that the current set of transportation services does not fill or solves a problem that the current set of transportation services does not solve. You will provide data and evidence for why the new taxi service has promise in solving the problems you have identified.
In this section of the white paper, your use of sources will be very important as well. You should integrate research to show that the problems you have identified will be solved by your new approach.
In the
Conclusion
section, you review what your research shows in light of the previous approaches used. You will not tell the audience what steps to take next. However, you will summarize what your findings articulate.
In the
References
, you will list your sources that you cited in the paper. You will list them in APA format. Please note that the lectures on white papers that you have viewed and examples of white papers you may have read may not have used APA format. You will be using APA format in this assignment.
You are required to have at least five sources for your paper. In addition, at least one of them is to have been acquired through UMGC Library OneSearch.
Primary sources will be very beneficial for the paper. For example, if your white paper is being written to advertise a new taxi service in your area, you might interview some local residents about the problems they have with the current transportation services in the area. The information in such interviews would be persuasive research to integrate into your white paper.
Length of the Paper:
Your white paper should be 1200-1600 words in length. Again, you are required to use at least five sources, with at least one of them being acquired through UMGC’s Library OneSearch.
Graphics:
Your white paper should incorporate at least three graphics. Graphics can include tables, charts, or graphs showing some research findings. They can also be images that are relevant to the topic of the white paper.
At least two of the graphics must be original
. Original graphics can include photos taken by you or tables, charts, or graphs developed by you.
To see examples of graphics used in white papers, see the Purdue OWL video, “White Papers: An Introduction to the Genre and Its Expectations,” at the 3:27 mark, at the 5:29 mark, at the 6:58 mark, at the 7:01 mark, at the 7:11 mark, at the 7:43 mark, and at the 7:58 mark.
Attachments:
5368496_1_WRTG393-WA4-WP-ExternalAudience—2—1-.docx

1. What changes or improvements did you make to your commentary essay rough draft? Identify specific parts of your paper that you revised. Why did you make these changes to your rough draft? (100 words minimum)
2. How did a suggested revision from a peer, tutor, or anyone else help strengthen your paper? If you chose not to incorporate feedback into your essay, explain why. If, for some reason, you did not receive feedback from someone else, why is feedback from others a necessary step in the writing process? (100 words minimum)
3. What progress do you believe you have made as a writer during the course? In what areas do you still need to grow as a writer? Consider the following areas, created by the Council of Writing Program Administrators (2008), as you answer this question: (1) rhetorical knowledge like purpose, tone, and audience, (2) critical thinking, reading, and writing, (3) writing processes like drafting and revising, (4) knowledge of writing conventions like grammar and formatting, and (5) composing writing in electronic environments like LoudCloud or Microsoft Word. (100 words minimum)
Attachments:
5369426_1_ENG105-Self-Review-Assignment–1-.docx
5369426_2_Commentary-Peer-Review-Worksheet-Revised.docx

Task:
In this assignment, you will write an essay in which you compare and contrast two websites for their use of
proximity
,
alignment
,
repetition
, and
contrast
.
Length:
800-1100 words
Graphics:
You must include at least eight graphics in order to provide support for your claims in the essay
at least two graphics for proximity
at least two graphics for alignment
at least two graphics for repetition
at least two graphics for contrast
Brief Description and Strategies to Follow:
You must select two websites of the same topic or genre. In other words, you can select two banking websites, two shopping websites, two newspapers online, two health provider websites, or something of this nature.
Possibilities include the following:
The New York Times
and
The Wall Street Journal
eBay and Craigslist
Major League Baseball (mlb.com) and the National Football League (nfl.com)
You will write at least six paragraphs:
An introductory paragraph
You do not have to follow this order. However, you do want to cover these four concepts.
A paragraph on proximity
A paragraph on alignment
A paragraph on repetition
A paragraph on contrast
A concluding paragraph
Again, each paragraph will incorporate at least two graphics in order to show how each of the four areas compares and contrasts between the two websites

It is important to distinguish between your perspective and other perspectives regarding your commentary topic. What are some of the other perspectives you see? Summarize them briefly.
Some believe that personal experiences shape one’s perspective significantly, leading to a more subjective view.
Others argue that societal influences and cultural background play a crucial role in forming perspectives.
There are also those who emphasize the importance of empirical evidence and logical reasoning in shaping a perspective.
Next, summarize your own perspective. In what ways does your perspective differ from other perspectives? Why is your perspective different?
My perspective is that while personal experiences and societal influences are important, critical thinking and open-mindedness are essential for a well-rounded view. This differs from others who may prioritize personal experience over analytical reasoning, as I believe that a balance between the two leads to a more informed perspective.
Attachments:
5369226_1_Sophia-Richardson-Commentary-Assignment.docx