George Mason University ENG101 Ways of Preventing School Shooting

Project #1: Narrative Argument

For your first essay, you’ll use the personal essay form to engage in a standard academic convention: argument.

Your purpose is to persuade an audience of your peers—other Mason college students—to consider your perspective.If you want to write to a different or more specific audience, talk to me. A narrative argument is a loose (or open-form)genre, but we’ll come to understand the genre conventions by reading and discussing samples.

Additional Details

We will brainstorm and discuss possible topics in class, but here are things to keep in mind:

•             Your topic must be something that you can make relevant toyour student audience. But it does not have to be about academics or Mason; generally, successful arguments aren’t about Mason. Pick something about which care and have an experience-based opinion.

•             Don’t focus solely on the narrative/experience; think about the larger argument that you want to write about and how to make it relevant to your Mason student audience.

o             Part of making an audience-relevant and aware argument is that the audience has a stake in the issue and/or power to help enact the argument. So don’t write about something trivial or that students don’t have power to change (like parking!). 

•             Be wary of a topic that could seem trite or familiar.Try tohave something unique to say. 

The complexity of your argument may influence your essay’s length, but a default length is approximately four pages (1,000-1,250 words).

Remember: word counts are approximate guidelines; don’t fixate on them as you draft.

Research Requirement: Complexities and Counter-Argument

While you’ll start with your own opinion and experience, effective writers don’t end there. Instead, they are inquisitive and consider perspectives that challenge or complicate their own.

You must look beyond your own opinions and respond to possible objections and concerns.In addition to exchanging ideas with classmates, you can read a few opposing or complicating sources or talk to Mason students who don’t share your experience and beliefs to understand what counter-arguments you’ll need to respond to.

No formal (print or online sources) are required, but many narrative arguments use them to further develop and support the ideas. If you choose to formally incorporate research into your paper, by paraphrasing or quoting interview subjects or using formal sources, you must provide parenthetical citations and a works cited page. Do your best to cite the research, and see me if you need help, but there’s no grade weight for citation errors as we’ll start focusing on research and citations during your next essay.

Learning Objectives

We’ll focus on the following throughout this project:

•             Understanding the complexities of argument and honing your persuasive writing skills

•             Responding to the rhetorical situation: We’ll focus specifically on the nuances of audience awareness (understanding and writing to a complex target audience) while achieving your purpose

•             Anticipating and responding to reader objections (counter-argument) and using outside ideas to shape your argument and stance

•             Using evidence to support your claims (even if just personal and anecdotal evidence)

•             Honing your ability to produce clear, well-organized, rhetorically-aware writing

Post Script Questions:

This is informal writing, but it must be submitted with your essay. Remember: I will not grade an essay without a meaningful post-script, and your paper will accrue late penalties while I wait for it. Please include your post-script as a new page at the end of your essay (after your works cited page, if you need one).

1.            *Explain at least three ways that you served your audience. Be specific. For example, don't say that you "used appropriate language”; instead, discuss specific language choices that you made.

2.            *What “sources” (formal or informal) did you consult to go beyond your own experience and opinion and to understand possible reader objections? What impact did these “sources” have on your opinions and essay?

3.            What’s your argument/thesis (just in case it’s not clear)?

4.            Discuss what you learned from this essay: about writing, argument, yourself as a writer, etc.

5.            What process steps would you use for another assignment? For what types of assignment, and why? What would you rethink, and why?

6.            What do you like best about your essay?

7.            What concerns do you have about your essay? What do you want me to pay special attention to or comment on?

8.            Anything else?