For this essay, you will take a stance on
a controversial issue, arguing for a specific position. Controversial
issues are, by definition, issues about which people feel strongly and often
disagree vehemently. Controversial topics have no obvious “right”
answer, no truth that everyone accepts, no single authority on which everyone
relies. It is impossible to prove a stance on controversial issues like the
death penalty, gun control, or euthanasia.
You must use the Opposing Viewpoints database to find and cite
sources; you can copy and paste predone MLA Works Cited for sources and use
Mybib to manage your Works Cited
How do we handle the challenges of upholding freedom of
speech in the era of social media and digital communication? How should hate
speech, misinformation, and online bullying be managed while respecting free
speech rights? Discuss the role of tech companies and governments in regulating
online content.
In your essay,
use and cite “State Dept. Fight
Against Disinformation Comes Under Attack” and two
appropriate sources from the Opposing Viewpoints database.
Your thesis
should be something like this:
Tech
companies should not be called upon to regulate speech in their online
platforms because A, B, and C.
OR
Social media companies should be held responsible for what
they allow their users to post because A, B, and C.
OR
There should be no restrictions for online speech because A,
B, and C.
OR
The government can allow free speech while doing A, B, and C
to stop deliberate misinformation.
Thesis statements in arguments about controversies have a commonly
used format — an enthymeme.
Your paper should
support one central claim (Examples:
Pit bulls make good pets for children; Public schools should not require
uniforms; the minimum wage should be raised to $10 an hour, etc.). The body of
your essay will be devoted to supplying the justification for that
claim; it will tell the reader why pit bulls make good
pets, why schools should not require uniforms, or why the
minimum wage should be raised.
This will result
in a thesis like this:
Claim because A, B and C.
The claim is
your stance on the issue, and A, B, and C will be replaced with statements of
justification that connect to each topic sentence.
For example:
College
students should be required to live on campus because this results in a higher GPA, better access to campus resources, and more involvement with school activities.
The italicized
part of the sentence is the claim. The blue, red, and green phrases are the justification (A, B, and C) that
provide the structure and connect to the topic sentences. (Don’t actually use
the colors in your essay; they are for demonstration purposes only).
If you follow the format of the suggested thesis in each
prompt, you won’t have any troubles with this. Although, feel free to
change the wording of the formula.
Your goal for every essay assignment in this course
is to write a paper organized around a central idea, which should be presented
in a thesis statement at the end of the introductory paragraph. Body paragraphs
should be arranged in a logical order with topic sentences and should use
appropriate examples, dialogue, action, and sensory descriptions while also
showing the reader who, what, where, when how, and why to develop each main
point. The finished essay should:
adhere to the
guidelines in the Essay
Guide.
use the
classical essay structure presented in the Fundamentals module.
use complete
and grammatically correct sentences (use a grammar checker).
be editted for
five-point list infractions.
