INSTRUCTIONS

Enter your responses to the follow questions directly on this Word document. Save the document using the following file name: LastNameAnalysis

Some questions will require more content to answer than others, but you should aim for two substantive paragraphs for each question. Make sure you cite your sources, and cite only sources your audience would respect. Your evidence should include information from at least one scholarly source.

QUESTIONS 

NAME OF YOUR DISCIPLINE: <enter your response here>

YOUR refined and narrowed RESEARCH QUESTION: <enter your response here>

1. THE ISSUE: Describe the appropriately narrowed, current, and unresolved issue relevant to your field of study. Explain what caused this controversial issue to arise and why people disagree about how it should be resolved. Make sure it is either about to happen or is just getting underway, which means it have arisen as a controversy within the last 18-24 months.

Be specific. Do not choose overly broad issues that have been debated for a long time, such as “legalizing marijuana.” Think much more narrowly, such as a specific piece of legislation at the federal or state level that has not yet been voted upon (e.g., how a specific state considering legalizing marijuana plans to negotiate the federal prohibition against its use). Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately.

<enter your response here>

2. THE AUDIENCE: Identify and describe a primary audience who has interest and influence over the issue you researched and analyzed in your annotated bibliography. Explain the audience’s vested interest in the issue and describe any current events or trends that may be currently affecting your audience’s interests. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately.

<enter your response here>

3. AUDIENCE’S POSITION (the audience’s argument): What position does the audience have on the issue you chose? Note that audiences do not always spell out their positions. You will need to conduct research in newspapers, trade publications, and journals to collect the necessary information about your audience’s position. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately.

<enter your response here>

4. AUDIENCE BIAS: What values and beliefs does your audience have that would create biases against your position? Remember that everyone involved in a controversy will have biases, so having them is not a sign of weakness. It just means you would need to consider those biases when writing to the audience. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately.

<enter your response here>

5. YOUR POSITION ON THE ISSUE: Identify and explain your stance on this issue and why you disagree with the audience. THE FIRST SENTENCE OF YOUR RESPONSE WILL BE YOUR THESIS, OR THE ANSWER TO YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT WITH EVIDENCE.

Provide reasons for your position. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately. Use the evidence to defend your position.

<enter your response here>

6. CONCESSION and COUNTERARGUMENT: Describe elements of your audience’s position that you sympathize with (concession) so that you can acknowledge the counterarguments to your stance. Next, refute what you can about the audience’s position with evidence-based counterargument of your own. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately. 

<enter your response here>

7. EVIDENCE: What types of evidence would your audience expect to see in order to be persuaded by your argument? Think carefully about what it would take to persuade your audience to change its stance or at least agree to a compromise on the issue. Use credible evidence to indicate the source of your information, integrate it effectively and ethically, and cite it accurately. 

<enter your response here>

8. GENRE:  Find two examples of the genre you intend to use that includes cited sources. (Provide links to these examples or submit them along with your completed worksheet).

Describe the way in which the authors establish their ethos, or credibility to speak about the issue. Why would the target audience be interested in these authors? How does that structure and format shape what the authors say and how they say it?

<enter your response here>

END-PAGE REFLECTION

1. Describe any challenges you encountered in identifying a current and unresolved issue relevant to your field. What types of questions (inquiry) about the topic you chose did you use to identify the issue?

2. Describe the process you used to identify an audience with a vested interest in this issue and with whom you disagree.

3. Identify one thing you learned about your audience that will have the greatest impact on how you shape your argument.

Failure to include the End-Page Reflection results in an automatic 10-point deduction in your essay.

Make sure you include a works cited or reference page.