These chapters provide lots of information about taking a position on a controversial subject. For the next paper, you will expand your report/review of the literature into a claim-based paper in which you present your position on the controversy you’ve chosen. This paper will be 1000-1500 words, not as long as your final paper, so if you have additional sub-topics to discuss, save them for the longer final paper.

Please note that “research paper” is not equivalent to “report.” Many students assume that “research paper” means that the goal is to write a report, as you have just done. You need research, however, to support an argument, which is what we will be doing for this assignment and for the longer final paper. Be sure, whenever you are assigned a “research paper,” that you are clear about whether you are writing a report or an argument–because they both require research!

This paper requires that you use the skills you’ve developed in presenting both sides of an argument fairly–but this time you want to show why you support one side rather than the other. Does this mean that you ignore or trash the other side? No, it doesn’t. But you will need to determine more precisely what exactly your purpose is and who your ideal audience is (see page 185). You’ll also need to either accommodate or refute your opposition (see pages 376-378 in your textbook in particular).

After you have read the chapters for the week, please post here a working thesis (or “hypothesis”) for this argument paper (see pages 215 and 367-369 in your textbook and page 46 in your handbook in particular). You may post a complete introductory paragraph, as long as it contains a clear, properly-qualified thesis statement.

I’m working on Discriminatory Employment Practices for the Ex-convict who have felonies on their records