Essay on Making a Persuasive Argument.
Few will deny that there exists a growing trend in America-a trend toward obesity, that is. As a result, much attention is now being paid to the reasons for American obesity, with diet being fingered as a leading culprit. As both the government and the media cast critical eyes upon fast food, junk food, and soda, questions about who is responsible for Americans' "addiction" to these things arise.
Some say "blame the eater." Others look to the corporations that manufacture and sell these products, with some going so far as to sue these companies. Still, others argue that the government should take on the responsibility and act as a regulating force. Thus, in New York City, for example, all fast food chains must post the caloric content of their items on their menus.
In this essay, you will be entering this clamoring conversation as well. Decide who is primarily responsible for America's obesity trend. Then, in four (4) to five (5) pages, write an essay in which you make an arguable claim about the position that you have chosen, while taking into account the possible counterclaims. Note: You should consult Chapters 10 and 23, "Arguments" and "MLA Documentation Style," in our McGraw-Hill Handbook (available through McGraw-Hill Connect) for supporting materials on the writing processes for this essay. Submission Requirements The essay will adhere to MLA style, according to the following conventions: it will be double-spaced, with one-inch margins, and 12 pt. font (Times New Roman).
The essay should be between 1,300 to 1,500 Words, 4 to 5 pages.
The final version of the essay must be submitted electronically to Turnitin.com, by the due date. No exceptions.
Research Component
1) You are required to include at least four sources in your argument. See "Working With Sources," on pp. 56-61 in the Comp. I Study Guide).
2) Two of your sources must be from HCC library databases such as, EBSCOHost, Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Critical Thinking), SIRS or Academic OneFile.
3) Your third sources can be Radley Balko's essay "What You Eat is Your Business," or William Haygood's Washington Post article "Kentucky Town of Manchester Illustrates National Obesity Crisis." The bibliographic information for each text is below:
Balko, Radley. "What You Eat Is Your Business." They Say/I Say: The Moves the Matter in Academic Writing. With Readings. Ed. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst.
4) While your fourth source can be a video or a documentary, such as Parts I, II, or III of the HBO documentary The Weight of the Nation (see course resources on the learning web), youmay not use articles from textbooks used in this or other classes for this essay. You may notuse Wikipedia, ProCon.org, studymode.com, or any other non-specific or questionable Internet sources. If you are in doubt about source credibility, please see me.
You must include each of the following methods of evidence at least once in your paper in its correct MLA format. Direct Quote (see Comp. I Study Guide pp. 62-63). Remember to use a signal phrase for a complete sentence quotation or a partial sentence quotation.
Argument Component: Your argument must have tension: it cannot be based on a claim that is readily accepted. You must develop a thesis/claim to defend in your essay.