Premise: The second essay asks you to identify a “local” or “community” conflict that needs a resolution. You will be asked to go into your community to identify conflict: your workplace, a local school, community center, soup kitchen, organization, even your own home. You will conduct interviews and determine a problem in our small communities that affects America beyond our towns– This conflict needs to move from “personal” to “universal.” We must begin to see how our “small” worlds interact, intersect, and impact the larger world and vice versa.
The second research project/essay also asks you to consider the discoveries we made in Essay 1 about how change happens and ways that rhetoric (public art and communication) can enact change. You will create your own piece of rhetoric to help raise awareness for/inspire action.
Successful Problem-Solution essays/projects from a community conflict include: arts education funding, the Confederate flag in NH, the Northern Pass, high school overcrowding, resources for refugees, heating for families in need, lack of addiction treatment resources, homelessness, hunger, cost of college, texting (and driving and human communication), lack of healthcare, affordable housing, English Language Learners in higher education…
Problem-solution process: Determine conflict, identify major arguments, weigh consequences, find a compromise.
The essay should be at least 6 pages in length and cite from at least 5 credible sources in the body of the essay. A Works Cited with 5 or more sources should be included and all citations need to be in correct MLA or APA format. This is a persuasive essay – the essay should clearly identify your argument, develop main points that support the argument, and provide evidence to give credibility to your main points.
Sources should come from “local” research:
Interviews: With community members “living” and/or “working” this issue “Talk of the town:” Newspapers, museums, town meetings Observation: visiting or observing the “site” of the conflict And a combination of library “universal” resources:
Google
Credo-Reference
CQ Researcher
Points-of-View
Newspaper Source or US Newstream
Academic Search Premier
Proquest Central
Original Piece of Rhetoric can be any of the following:
Artwork
Pamphlet
Advertisement/print image and slogan
Song or piece of music
Speech (must be spoken in public)
Editorial/Letter
Poem, short story, or short essay
Brief documentary or film
Other ideas?
