An Essay On A Debatable Issue: "Most Say Immigration Policy Needs Big Changes"

This assignment asks you to write an essay justifying a given position on a current debatable issue.Choose a social or political policy that you believe needs to be changed. Your first goal for this assignment is to choose a topic, research that topic, and discover what the areas of controversy are for that issue. Once you've done some research on your chosen topic, where do you see your position within the range of possible ones that writers take on this issue? Why? 

An effective position paper should include:

1. A statement of position (your claim/thesis) 
2. Arguments for your position (support for your claim/thesis)
3. An overview of alternative positions 
4. A critique of alternative positions 

An effective position paper will have all four of these elements so that you are saying to your reader: 

1. Here's my position on this issue
2. Here are my reasons for thinking my position is best
3. Here are some valid, alternative positions people often take on this issue
4. Here's why I believe my position is more sound

Argumentation:

The Position Paper is an argumentative essay. In order to develop a persuasive argument, you will need to do much more than simply state your opinion about a debatable issue. You will also need to support youropinion with facts, statistics, and other relevant information you find in your sources. So in other words, you will need to form convincing
reasons for why your position on the issue has merit or is better than other positions taken on the subject. Since your essay should anticipate objection and skepticism, you will need to be aware of opposing  viewpoints and address them in your essay. If you cannot discount an  opposing viewpoint, you may need to rethink your position. Becoming well informed about your topic is necessary before writing an argumentative essay. 

Strategies:
* Select the position you want to take on the
issue. Remember you need to use other sources to support your position,so take a stance that fits into the conversation on this topic. 

* Think about why you take the position you do. Do some free-writing on what, in your own experience, might lead you to feel this way. 

As you begin your essay, consider the following questions:

• What information will my audience be most interested in hearing? 
• How can I select the sources that will best support my points? 
• What kind of organization will be most useful for my reader? 
• What's the most effective balance of my own thoughts and outside source material? 

Some more tips:

• Use a variety of different source forms (not all books).
• Avoid using dictionaries, textbooks, encyclopedias or the Bible as sources.
• Use only quality Internet sources. Articles from electronic databases are not considered internet sources.
• Cite your sources properly using MLA format.
• Use professional sources only.
• Be aware of all sides (positions) of the issue. 

Annotated Bibliography Guidelines

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and other research documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 100-150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research. 

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review these research  items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives onyour topic. 

Cite the book, article, or document using MLA Format.
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. You may also include sentences that 

• Evaluate the authority or background of the author, 
• Comment on the intended   audience, 
• Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or 
• Explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Example of MLA Annotated Bibliography Entry

Hofstede, Geert. Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.

Drawing on his research in different offices of a multinational firm, Hofstede provides a framework of cultural dimensions for understanding cultural  differences. Based on the data he collected, Hofstede shows how individuals from different national cultures compare to one another along four main dimensions: individualism/collectivism, power distance,
uncertainty avoidance, and masculinity/femininity. Individualism/collectivism refers to the way in which members of a culture view themselves, as either individuals or as group members. 

Power distance addresses high versus low power distance and describes the distribution of power in an organization. Uncertainty avoidance refers to the degree of ambiguity with which cultural members feel comfortable. Masculinity/femininity refers to the value a culture placeson assertiveness and material success versus relationship maintenance and high quality of life. Hofstede also explores other frameworks for understanding cultural differences in Eastern cultures. 

Hofstede's book is rich in theory and provides a framework for understanding the complexities of intercultural interaction and some of the underlying causes of intercultural conflict such as differences in the meaning of time, the use of physical space, and the acknowledgment of power. In particular, these concepts are useful for employees in international corporations.