write an essay on the topic.

Paper 1 – Issue Proposal
English 1302: Rhetoric and Composition II

The Rhetorical Situation

Your Research Plan

You Your Classmates and Instructor

For this paper you will propose a research project that will span the entire semester. Your
audience will be your classmates and I.

Any academic or public policy research project begins by identifying an issue, which is simply
an unsettled question that matters to a community. In the proposal stage, a writer takes stock of
her or his current knowledge of and position on the issue and develops a research plan. A well-
constructed issue proposal serves as a blueprint for the project as a whole and helps define a
feasible scope for the project.

Invention

In rhetorical studies, invention refers to the systematic search for ideas that can be shaped into an
effective composition. (The term “prewriting” is sometimes used to refer to the concept of
invention.) This section of the assignment, then, is designed to help you generate the required
content for your Issue Proposal. Please note that the following steps are not intended to serve
as an outline for your paper. Rather, these steps will help you produce the “raw materials” that
you will then refine into a well-organized proposal, and these steps are likely to produce more
material than you can actually use in the draft you submit to readers.

1. You must first make sure the issue you’ve selected is arguable. Apply the “Twelve Tests of an
Arguable Issue.” If you cannot answer “yes” to all twelve questions, change or modify your issue
until you can. Please note: all the major assignments in this course build on one another, so once
you select an issue, you may not change it.

2. It’s always a good idea to start a research project by taking inventory of your current
knowledge of the topic. Draft answers to the following questions:

• What do you know about the topic already? Try to be as methodical and comprehensive
as possible in detailing your current knowledge.

• How did you acquire your knowledge of the topic? Rack your memory to recall the
specific sources of your current knowledge, and think about how your knowledge of the
topic has evolved over time.

3. The most important goals of an issue proposal are to narrow the general topic to a specific
issue and to construct a specific plan for research. Draft answers to the following questions:

• What are the main questions you want to answer in your final project? Be specific!
Obviously your research questions may change and evolve as you learn more about your
issue, but specific research questions will give you a place to start.

• How would you answer these questions right now? Your answers may change
significantly as you research the issue further, but it will be helpful to record where you
stand at the moment. Your answers may be highly speculative at this point, but even
speculative answers can help provide a framework for your subsequent reading and
research.

• Where will you go to learn more about the issue and to find answers to your research
questions? Be specific as possible in describing the sources you’ll turn to first, perhaps
even mentioning specific authors, titles, websites, etc.

4. You should also be thinking about potential audiences for your final project. Draft answers to
the following questions:

• What audiences would be interested in your ideas on the issue?
• What types of scholars, stakeholders, decision makers, and pundits are interested

in/affected by the issue?
• What sorts of people are likely to be your opponents? Your allies?

5. The previous four inventional steps will help you generate the logos appeals (Everything’s an
Argument, p. 24) of your Issue Proposal, the logical proofs that will help you convince your
classmates and me that you have selected an issue that will sustain a semester’s worth of research
and writing. You will also make ethos appeals (Everything’s an Argument, pp. 23-24) to your
classmates and me in order to convince us that you are a person of good character, good sense,
and good will. To make effective ethos appeals, make sure you:

• are knowledgeable about the issue. Provide specific answers to the questions listed in
steps 1-4 above. If you do not yet know enough about your issue to provide specific
answers to those questions, you will need to conduct some preliminary research to find
the information you need.

• show regard for your readers. Try to come across as approachable and thoughtful, not
arrogant or insensitive.

• are careful and meticulous in your writing, not sloppy or disorganized.

6. Finally, you will make pathos appeals (Everything’s an Argument, p. 23) to your classmates
and me in order to sway our emotions, connect with our values, and stir our imaginations. To
make effective pathos appeals, make sure you:

• draw on the lessons of Ch. 9 in They Say/I Say in order to mix standard written English
with “the kinds of expressions and turns of phrase that you use every day when texting or
conversing with family and friends” (121). No need to stick to stuffy academic prose in
this paper, but you also don’t want to be so informal that your classmates and I can’t
understand you.

• evoke emotions (sympathy, outrage, anger, delight, awe, horror, etc.) in your classmates
and me that make your paper more moving.

• evoke sensations (seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling) in your classmates and me

that make your writing vivid and help us to experience things imaginatively.

• appeal to values (freedom, justice, tolerance, fairness, equality, etc.) that your classmates
and I share.

Arrangement

In rhetorical studies, arrangement refers to the selection of content generated during the
inventional stage and the organization of that content into an effective composition.

To begin your paper, follow the advice offered in Ch. 1 of They Say/I Say: “To give your writing
the most important thing of all—namely, a point—a writer needs to indicate clearly not only
what his or her thesis is, but also what larger conversation that thesis is responding to” (20). In
this case, the conversation you’re responding to is the one surrounding the issue you’ve selected.
Indicate at the beginning of your paper that you’re writing in response to that conversation; then
state a thesis that previews what you’ll be discussing in your proposal.

Also mind the lesson of Ch. 7 in They Say/I Say: “Regardless of how interesting a topic may be
to you as a writer, readers always need to know what is at stake in a text and why they should
care. . . . Rather than assume that audiences will know why their claims matter, all writers need
to answer the ‘so what?’ and ‘who cares?’ questions up front” (92-93). Don’t assume that your
classmates and I will understand why your issue matters—make us understand by explaining
why your issue is important and why it matters to a community. Feel free to use the templates in
Ch. 7 of They Say/I Say.

After you’ve completed these introductory moves, the arrangement of your analysis is up to you.
You should include material from each step in the inventional stage, but your selection and
organization of that material should follow your own judgment as to what will prove most
effective with your classmates and me.

Style

In rhetorical studies, style refers to the appropriate language for the occasion, subject matter, and
audience.

One purpose of ENGL 1302 is give you practice writing in a variety of styles. For this paper,
your style should be clear but informal. As mentioned earlier, you should follow the advice in
Ch. 9 of They Say/I Say and mix standard written English with “the kinds of expressions and
turns of phrase that you use every day when texting or conversing with family and friends”
(121). This paper will allow your classmates and me to get to know you better, so write in a style
that is your own.

Readers appreciate coherent, unified paragraphs, even when reading an informal piece of
writing. Your paragraphs should include a topic sentence that clearly states the main idea of the
paragraph and supporting sentences that cluster around the main idea without detours.

Proofread carefully; avoid errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. Visit the
Purdue OWL website (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/) for questions you have regarding
style.

Other Requirements

Your paper should be no longer than five pages—anything beyond that length will be
considered a failure to adhere to one of the assignment’s basic requirements. It should be double-
spaced, typed in Times New Roman font, with 12-point character size and one-inch margins all
the way around.

Your first submission is due at the beginning of class on , and you should think of it
as a final draft—something that is ready for your classmates and me to read. If your first
submission does not meet every requirement of this assignment sheet, I will return it to you and
count it as late. Both your first and final submissions must be turned in on time—you will be
docked a full letter grade for each day either is late.

Peer reviews are due .

Final drafts are due .

• Grading Criteria

English 1302

Professor Rowntree

September 11, 2014

Issue Proposal

Over the years, an increasing emphasis has been placed on education. Many parents tell and expect their children to further their education so that they can have successful careers, believing that without it their children would suffer in their adult lives. Throughout the past few years, I have witnessed many of my former classmates, friends, and family members argue with their parents over their future. With the rapidly growing need for higher education, many children, some of whom may be reading this, are being denied the chance to pursue other “unsuccessful” careers such as music, art, or even journalism because parents believe it will not bring them success. Having seen many people go through this situation, I am aware that there are a great, diverse amount people with similar experiences, even in this very classroom or university. Growing up, following my parents’ wishes was what I wanted; graduate high school in the top ten students of the class. During senior year of high school, my parents chose the university I was to attend and what major I would be enrolling in. Now that I’m in college, I realized that what they wanted for me was not what I wanted for myself, leading to several arguments and an abundance of anxiety and stress on my part as I tried to meet their expectations. For this semester’s paper, I plan to write about the different sides, the pros and cons, of this topic. I chose this topic because not only is it important and relevant to me, but because it is also relatable and important to numerous individuals going through a similar experience as well.

While I am currently experiencing this issue myself, I cannot base ideas on my experiences alone. Therefore, there are numerous things I would like to investigate, such as the futures of children who did and did not go through with their parents’ wishes. Statistically, what percentage of kids obeyed? Disobeyed? Out of the two, how many went back to school later in life? Though these statistics may be hard to acquire, there are other points that can be looked into. One of them may be to research the psychological and emotional damage going through this process could cause, if any. Another may be to look into why some parents choose their child’s career, and if they do what the most commonly chosen careers are and whether they are worth it. Overall, finding information about the effects of choosing and pressuring children into a certain career, whether short or long-term, is important in deciding whether or not parents should or should not choose a career for their children.

From personal experience and from hearing the stories of others who have went through similar situations, being ridden with anxiety and feeling hopeless and like you have failed are common effects. To learn more about the issue, I plan to look on the web for articles and research pertaining to this situation. To elaborate, searching through psychology-related or college-related (more specifically, major exploration) websites may give me some information. Otherwise, I can look at the people being put through this situation by searching through student’s personal blogs and maybe even some social media. If it is possible, looking on certain online databases and books may help if they can contribute to this topic. Another route would be to ask the people who may or may not be involved, such as fellow students, parents, and maybe even psychologists if it comes to it. Lastly, if I cannot find statistics for the questions above, it is a possibility that I can carry out my own statistical survey.

As mentioned before, I believe that this is a fairly common situation in our society today. Therefore, I believe that possible audiences would be students (though this may impact college freshmen more than other ages), parents (possibly even couples who are planning to have kids), and student advisors and counselors, since they are the most likely to be exposed to children who are at loss as to what they want to do with their lives. Similarly, the students who could’ve been or were pressured into being certain professionals would be interested in this issue. Even if some people weren’t pressured into a career, they might be able to relate due to feeling of being pressured, whether it be by their peers or about the clothes they wear. Though the groups I have listed are very vague and can mean about anybody, the truth is that we should all be concerned about this issue because those children who are being forced into a career may be our future doctors, lawyers, engineers, politicians, or other career professionals that are believed to be economically successful by parents. For this topic, my allies would most likely be those who are going through or went through this situation, whether they ended up following their parents’ intention or not. Other allies could be those who end up siding with those who were being pressured, which could mean various people depending on their opinions on this particular issue. As a result, a group of allies could potentially be the younger generation of children here in the United States, who are thought of as extremely fortunate for all the technological advantages and educational opportunity, and the first-generation children in the U.S., because they seem to have the extra pressure of trying to prove to their parents that their sacrifice to move was worth it. On the other side of the coin, my opponents could be the parents who are pressuring their kids into a certain field, especially ones who immigrated into the U.S. to give their child a better future, and older adults who think down on the newer generations; those who say that kids these days have it easy and that they should stop complaining and whining about their circumstances. For example, a friend of mine is the first generation child, and her parents desperately wanted her to pursue a career in the medical field, but she wanted to major in music. They have had numerous arguments over the duration of my friend’s high school years. She has even tried to compromise, offering to go towards becoming a musical therapist, but they were still insistent. In the end, my friend pursued her dreams by majoring in music. In this situation, she would be my ally and her parents would be my opponents.

Since this issue is growing more prominent, a good way to introduce it to my audience would be to explain it as in the introduction and then state statistics (if they are available) to show that parents pressuring their children into careers may seriously affect them in the future, for good or for bad. Then, I can discuss my own personal experiences and those of friends and family who have gone through the same situation. That way, the audience would be able to emphasize, one way or another, wholeheartedly or just a little bit, with the children of this generation who are torn between pursing their own passions or their parents’ wishes. Due to this, I believe that this is a viable topic that can be researched and written about for the duration of this semester.

Issue Proposal: Should consuming raw milk or raw milk-based products be avoided?

Consumption of raw milk in the United States is increasing. The movement toward more natural food intake and concern regarding the possible risks of consuming processed foods is causing more and more people to consider raw milk as an option for their families. Scientists argue that consumption of raw milk and raw milk-based products can lead to a number of conditions, some with chronic health implications, or even death. However, proponents of raw milk argue that pasteurization and over processing result in nutrient loss, do not adequately reduce the risk of infection, and that the benefits of raw milk outweigh any alleged risks. The issues surrounding raw milk are important ones because they do not just affect the health of those who chose to consume it, but also the rest of the population. It is essential, therefore, that we examine all sides of the issue in order to determine how consuming raw milk or raw milk-based products could affect public health. In this paper, I will be outlining the information I know regarding raw milk and its potential risks, as well as looking at what questions I will be researching and what I may still be able to learn regarding the potential holistic benefits of raw milk. Lastly, I will be laying out my research plan regarding this topic and identifying potential interested audiences.

Historically, consumption of raw milk or milk-based products has been identified as the source for infections such as E.coli, salmonella, brucellosis, and others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has done several studies regarding disease outbreaks linked to consumption of unpasteurized (raw) dairy products, most recently looking at outbreaks reported from 2007 to 20

1

2. This most recent study concluded there has been an increase in disease outbreaks linked to consumption of raw milk. Because of my previous job as a zoonotic epidemiologist for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), I knew there had been cases of illness linked to consumption of unpasteurized milk products. However, most of those were linked to unpasteurized milk products either consumed in or imported from other countries. In 2017, the CDC issued press releases and health advisories advising against consuming raw milk or raw milk-based products. This was the direct result of a DSHS investigation into the first documented case of human RB51 brucellosis infection linked to raw milk consumption. Currently, both the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have pages on their websites dedicated to warning against the dangers or raw milk. Before last year, I had no idea there was a widespread raw vs. pasteurized milk debate. However, as a member of the team investigating the RB51 brucellosis infection, I spoke with hundreds of different people who ardently endorsed raw milk’s benefits. They claimed drinking raw milk gave them healthier skin and nails, stronger immune systems, helped their allergies, and even helped them lose weight. I discovered there is a vast and close-knit pro-raw milk community.

The main questions I want to answer in this project are whether or not raw milk consumption should be avoided and, more specifically, do the alleged benefits of consuming raw milk or raw milk-based products outweigh the potential health risks to us as individuals and to the population as a whole. Currently, there are numerous papers and publications supporting both sides of the raw milk argument. My take on the issue, however, will examine the history of human illnesses conclusively linked to raw milk consumption and the negative implications that widespread consumption can have on public health. I also want to look at the science of pasteurization in order to determine if the scientific data available support the nutrient loss concerns of raw milk advocates. There are many pro-raw milk arguments positing the more holistic effects of consuming something “all natural.” What are the purported benefits of consuming raw milk and what is the role of raw milk in the holistic approach to nutrition? These are questions for which I do not currently have an answer, but I believe are an integral part of the ongoing conversation. While mine will be a science-based approach at both sides of the issue, I will also be looking at these claims and trying to find what evidence there might be to support them. All of this will help me better understand why people might choose raw milk over pasteurized.

To research the issue, I will look at scientific publications regarding raw milk disease outbreaks and illnesses linked to raw milk consumption. I will also look at the literature from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While I will not be focusing on the “should they or shouldn’t they” of raw milk sales, it may be worthwhile, as well, to research legislative arguments both in favor and opposed to allowing the sale or consumption of raw milk. For the pro-raw milk perspective, I will be looking for publications regarding the benefits of raw milk, as well as comparative analysis works weighing the benefits and risks. I will also be looking at publications regarding raw milk’s holistic benefits and the history of raw milk in holistic nutrition and medicine.

Opponents of my view would probably be people who prefer a more all-natural or holistic way of living and dairy owners who sell and distribute raw milk. Proponents of raw milk’s benefits would argue that pasteurization and what they view as over-processing destroy nutrients we need and do not completely eliminate the risk of foodborne disease. Another potential opponent group would be persons who advocate for a smaller central government or those with anti-government sentiment, since pasteurized milk is heavily regulated by the federal government. My most likely allies would be the CDC, the FDA, and the greater scientific community. The CDC and FDA have studied extensively the epidemiological link between outbreaks of disease and the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. The greater scientific community continues to do work into the various existing and emerging foodborne diseases, as well as newly documented and previously undocumented modes of transmission. Other possible allies would be public health workers, medical practitioners, and persons who have contracted diseases linked to their consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. Public health workers work every day to educate the public in order to prevent the occurrence of foodborne illnesses and improve the well-being of their stakeholders. Medical practitioners educate their patients on their risk factors for illness in order to prevent the spread of infection, and the recurrence of infection in previously ill patients or patients with weakened immune systems. Persons who have contracted diseases linked to their consumption of raw milk or milk-based products have first-hand knowledge, and many were ardent pro-milk advocates prior to their illness. All of these stakeholders represent the differing views in the raw vs. pasteurized milk debate. It is in their best interest, as well as that of the general public, that this issue be examined in detail in order to determine the best way to protect the well-being of our communities.

1