The Toulmin assignment directions are as follows:
This essay, not the quiz, should be between 900 and 1000 words. This essay will help you practice what you have learned so far in this course. First, you will choose a topic of interest. Make sure that you choose a topic with two opposing sides. Then, you need to research that topic in order to specify the topic's scope, so it can be easily discussed in a shorter, 1000 word essay. For example, you may be interested in learning more about traffic issues in the United States. However, that topic is too large to cover in a 1000 word essay. After researching peer reviewed articles that discuss US traffic issues in general, you may discover that the metro system in the District of Columbia is underfunded and underutilized. Through your research, you found that you could make a claim that more funds should be made available in order to upgrade the metro system, which would improve traffic issues in the District of Columbia. This would make for a stronger, specific argument.
The following overused topics may not be used in your essay: gun control, abortion, capital punishment, gay marriage, gays in the military, mandatory drug testing, euthanasia, childhood obesity, women in the military, diets (including the Paleo diet), workout regimens (including CrossFit), underage drinking, and the legalization of marijuana.
This essay must include a minimum of five sources. Three should peer-reviewed sources preferably from the APUS databases. You may use eBooks; however, as discussed earlier this semester, books generally are not as current as peer-reviewed articles. You may also use primary sources (interviews, statistics, etc); however, these primary sources should be obtained from experts within that field. If you cannot find strong sources for your chosen topic, then change your topic. If you have a question about the validity of a source, please email me, or post your question to the open forum.
Make sure to include the following sections in your essay: introduction and claim, background, body, and conclusion. Within the body of your Toumin essay, make sure to include the following in any order: support for your claim, opposing or alternate views, scholarly research, and rebuttals.
After you have written your essay, please make sure to revise the content of your essay. Lastly, be sure to edit your essay by checking grammar, format, and smaller technical details. Please make sure your essay is written in third person.
Please note that this is manually graded so you won't have an instant grade on this. If you do not receive feedback on any of the five submitted answers, let your instructor know.