he purpose of this assignment is to try to help you to see writing as it is—an important means of communication. To accomplish this, please analyze your research topic more fully by identifying your thesis statement and carefully considering your rhetorical situation.   Remember: your challenge in the research paper is to communicate your purpose clearly to your reader.

Place your thesis statement at the top of the page, below the required heading, and answer the questions shown in the box below. Be sure that the questions are copied to your assignment; each question should be followed by a one to two paragraph answer. The purpose of this assignment is to help direct your research and organize your thinking on the topic.   Remember that your thesis statement should be a single, complete sentence that is NOT a question. 

Write your thesis statement here (one complete sentence that is not a question):

Write paragraphs that respond to the questions below: 

1. What research question(s) led me to this thesis statement?
2. What is my purpose in writing this paper?
3. What do I already know about my topic?  What are my feelings toward this topic?
4. What do my readers already know? What are my readers’ feelings toward the topic?
5. What do my readers need to know to understand my point?
6. What information do I need to research and add to my paper?

Peter Planner

Professor Sandra Anderson

COLL 300

Thesis Statement and Analysis of Rhetorical Situation

Thesis Statement: Because homeland security vulnerabilities are at the forefront of national defense policies, especially concerning seaport security in the United States, it is essential to leverage technology and finance the protection of American ports.

1. What research question(s) led me to this thesis statement? What are key vulnerabilities affecting the security of American seaports? What are the characteristics of threats to their security? What steps should be taken to improve seaport security?

2. What is the purpose in writing this paper? Since I am a homeland security major, I am very familiar with the vulnerabilities which affect our seaports. I would like to share this knowledge with readers (so a purpose would be to inform) and to convince them that action is needed (so a purpose would be to persuade).

3. What do I already know about my topic? What are my feelings toward the topic? Since I am a homeland security major, I am very familiar with the vulnerabilities which affect our seaports. Additionally, through my research, I know the current mitigating strategies are not enough to secure our ports. I feel this is an important situation that needs to be corrected.

4. What do my readers already know? What are my readers’ feelings toward the topic? Most of the readers in this class probably know that our seaports are vulnerable to a terrorist incident. They probably do not know what specific aspects of port security are specific vulnerabilities. Additionally, they may not know what the current United States mitigating strategies are for those vulnerabilities. I believe that my readers would feel securing seaports is very important.

5. What do my readers need to know to understand my point? In order understand my solution, my readers must first understand the vulnerabilities facing port security. Also, my readers must be informed on the current mitigating strategies, what they are and to what degree they are effective. I will provide my readers with the four most important vulnerabilities facing seaport security. I will also provide some of the mitigation strategies currently being used by the Department of Homeland Security. Finally, I will provide my readers with supported solutions the current problems facing seaport security.

6. What information do I need to research and add to my paper? The information I need to research my paper includes the current mitigation strategies for seaport security. I must also research technological solutions which have not been implemented for seaport security.