Rhetoric and Science Final Paper Assignment

THE AUSTISM DEBATE

Your final paper will be a 5-8 page analysis of one document from one of the case studies we have covered this semester.  The paper is due by the end of the day on Saturday, July 16. 

The final paper folder on Blackboard has a list of suggested items for your paper organized by topic.  You can also look over any of the case study folders to find other options, or you can suggest some document related to the case study but not included in any folder

You should post a brief proposal for your paper on Blackboard by the start of class on (10% of your grade).  Use the topic outline below and provide a 1-3 sentence answer for each item.

Your paper will draw from the basic framework we have used in this course to analyze and attempt to clarify how various modes of discourse and notions of agency are entangled in your document or entity.

Your paper should cover the following topics:

1.       Entity type: What is the entity - primary research article, review article, professional guidelines, policy document, editorial, feature story, documentary, etc.?

2.       Author and medium: Who created and distributed the entity?  What are the credentials of the author and status of the distributing medium?

3.       Audience: Who is the intended audience - scientific specialists, all scientists, policy makers, political activists, consumers, etc.?

4.       Purpose and context: Why was the entity created and distributed; what is the immediate context for its distribution?

5.       Epistemic mode:How does the entity report or treat basic epistemic issues related to the use of "scientific" facts and evidence?

6.       Rhetorical mode: What claims does the entity make and what grounds and warrants are offered to support those claims? Does it adopt a deficit or contextual model?

7.       Cultural mode:  How is the document's discourse or narrative informed by explicit or implicit socially constructed or culturally variable values and assumptions?

8.       Discussion:   How are the three modes related to the entity's audience, purpose, and context?  Does the entity primarily operate in a single mode and is that mode appropriate for the audience and purpose?  How and to what extent  do the other modes play a role in the entity?  Are the modes clearly demarcated  or endemically entangled in the discourse and structure?

Organization
The paper should be doubled spaced in 12 pt. type.

Then give your paper a descriptive title and provide a brief (3-4 sentences) introduction that succinctly summarizes the paper.  You can organize the body of the paper using the eight topic headings above.

Citing Sources
The paper is not a formal research paper, but you will need to document any sources you cite (including the entity itself) using any one of the following citation styles (see Cook Library Citing Sources page and also Wikipedia: Academic Use):

ACS Style - American Chemical Society
APA Style - American Psychological Association
APSA Style - American Political Science Association
ASA Style - American Sociological Association
CSE Style - Council of Science Editors
MLA Style - Modern Language Association

Grading rubric (4 point scale)

• 0 - Does not meet minimum requirements of the assignment; does not reflect minimal expectations for a university level writing assignment in terms of grammar, structure, or presentation; does not reflect any critical engagement with the material.
• 1 - Meets minimum requirements of assignment; significant issues with grammar, structure, or presentation; demonstrates minimal critical engagement with material
• 2 - Meets minimum requirements of assignment, but demonstrates greater effort in engaging with material and attempts to make critical connections and generate original insights; may have some issues with grammar, structure, or presentation that impair the overall quality of the assignment.
• 3 - Exceeds minimum requirements of the assignment and demonstrates in-depth critical engagement with the materials, generates original critical insights and supports them with well-structured argument; only minor issues with grammar or structure that do not impair the overall quality of the assignment.
• 4 - Exceeds minimum requirements of the assignment and demonstrates advanced engagement with the materials and publication or conference-ready style, grammar, and structure.