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Deliberative
Course Project
HU101I- Fall 1999
This
assignment asks you to continue the work you have been
doing in class by examining an issue concerning nature,
science, and/or medicine in light of the different ways
of seeing, describing, categorizing, and constructing
knowledge in these areas. The issue you choose should
be one that you find interesting and compelling enough
to write about for the next several weeks. However, it
should not be an issue that you feel so strongly about
that you will be unable to suspend your own judgment long
enough to examine the potential validity of other perspectives
offered. Keep in mind that the purpose of deliberative
writing is not about debating a pro/con argument, but
instead is a careful consideration of multiple (more than
two) perspectives and the beliefs that motivate them.
This means that you will need to examine and discuss all
perspectives so that you: can eventually express a strong
belief in your position; can offer adequate and convincing
support for you readers; and can possibly suggest a new
way of resolving or lessening the conflict.
One
useful way to think about this course project is as a
conversation with your audience. As in a conversation,
you want to present your perspectives concerning this
issue to your audience in ways that will be clear, interesting,
and persuasive. You want to provide enough information
so that others understand the context of the issue, without
bogging them down with simplistic, repetitive, or otherwise
unnecessary details.
Project Proposal (Due Thursday, September 30): For this
3-5 page proposal, you will want to research and describe
who the various stakeholders are in the issue you have
selected. Explain who this issue is important to and why.
Who and/or what does this issue affect? What are the environmental,
political, economic, and/or social aspects involved? Why
is in an important issue to continue to research and discuss?
Why is this issue important to you? How does it affect
you directly or indirectly? You should not be attempting
to draw any specific conclusions at this point. This is
an exploratory paper that asks you to momentarily suspend
your opinions to allow you to explore the complexity of
the perspectives relating to this issue.
Intermediate
Drafts (First draft due Tuesday, October 19; Second
draft due in conference, week 9): After you project proposal
has been approved, you will begin writing drafts of what
will eventually become your final essay. As you continue
writing over the quarter, you will be expected to incorporate
a variety of outside sources (a minimum of four) into
your text. Some of these sources must address opposing
or competing viewpoints on the issue. As you continue
revising, you should begin to sort out what you think
the most credible and persuasive perspectives as, and
to provide insights and documentation to support why you
believe they are sound.
Final
Draft (Due in portfolio, Wednesday, November 17):
Your final draft should be 7-10 pages in length, typed
and double-spaced. It should draw from the research and
writing of your previous drafts to present a well-researched
and -reasoned analysis of the perspectives and positions
that surround the issue, including ones you found to be
the most persuasive and informative. Include any possible
options or actions that you feel will be especially important
to how the issue is addressed in the future.
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