Instructions
Polemic (Research) Essay
You will research and write a 1,500-word polemic essay. You will choose your own topic, but it must be related to global governance. You are expected to turn in paper topics, including your thesis statement by Wednesday, February 19.
A polemic or analytical essay is one that takes a position on a controversial or debated issue and presents arguments, while refuting counter-arguments. It is NOT a descriptive essay. These types of essays are meant to convince the reader of a particular position by effectively articulating arguments supported by strong evidence.
Due date: March 11th, start of class (5:30) on Sakai. Please use APA citation and reference style for this essay.
Some Tips for Writing a Polemic Essay
Choose an essay topic from the literature which is controversial/debated and relevant. It should be a topic that relates to the global governance and human security issues we have covered in the course.
Make sure you have done considerable research before choosing a topic. Keep your essay topic narrow in scope in order to include only information that is necessary to supporting your thesis statement (or main position/stance on a given issue). Make sure you have collected enough evidence from academic sources, established news agencies, policy research centers/think tanks, and IGOs. Sources that are not appropriate would include Wikipedia, personal blogs, and other web sites that have not been peer-reviewed. Assemble all your ideas and categorize them in subtopics. You should cite at least 7 academic sources.
Develop a coherent essay structure in your outline. Your essay should argue a particular position while also demonstrating why the counter-claims (opposing arguments) are less convincing, or no longer relevant, or biased, etc. Your essay (and outline) should include a thesis statement (where you clearly state your position, and list your 3 or 4 main arguments to support it), topic sentences for each paragraph (each paragraph should discuss one of your main arguments, and include evidence to support your claims, and assessments of the counter-claims), and an intro and conclusion. You should make use of a consistent citation style (APA), and use correct grammar, spelling, and word choice.
Once you have the essay structure, you can begin with your first essay draft. Introduce your topic briefly in an introduction stating your position in your thesis statement. Make the introduction striking and interesting by beginning with the relevance of your topic moving from general to specific. Your intro should allow the reader to get pulled in and understand why you have chosen to address your selected topic, i.e. your reader should be able to answer the “so what?” question after reading your intro, that is, your reader should be able to understand why your essay is relevant and interesting.
In the body of your essay, each paragraph will focus on one of your main arguments. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the argument explored in this section. Keep your points clear and concise as you juxtapose varied counter-arguments against your own. The placement of the points should be logical and consistent. This can be done by keeping a track of the words or the viewpoints.
Conclude your essay briefly summarizing your thesis statement and arguments. You may also provide the readers with an alternative or a solution to the problem stated.
Finally, check your essay for any logical lapses, fallacies, language and structure issues. Edit and proofread the essay before submitting.
* Don’t forget to save your essay as A SINGLE WORD DOCUMENT (cover page, essay, and reference page)
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