Over the next few weeks, we will be reading essays connected to questions of the value and uses of digital
technology in human lives. The topics of these essays will range from texting, video games, Wikipedia, and
multitasking to the benefits and detriments of social media and the ease and sometimes questionable value
of internet searches.
For this writing project assignment, you will choose one of these questions and research it further. Being an
educated member of society also brings with it a responsibility for civic community participation, and one
element of this is knowing what the current issues are, knowing where you stand on those issues, and
being willing to participate in the conversation about these issues.
So, first of all, you need to choose a current issue you want to write about within the scope of the value and
uses of digital technology in human lives. I am looking for you to choose a specific, detailed issue that is
current and that currently affects people in your state or nation, where there are many different opinions
and ideas about this issue, and that is narrow enough for you to focus on in a well-researched essay. Note
that you must not choose a topic; you need a debate where there are at least two conflicting viewpoints.
With your essay, you will enter a conversation which is already taking place.
Requirements
Once you have your issue, you need to write a researched argument about this issue. This means that you
will need to
define the issue from at least one credible source;
describe the conversation about this issue: what are people saying? How does the issue affect different
groups in different ways?
analyze the language that people are using to talk about the issue so you can understand the bias that is
brought to discussions about this issue.
Take a stand on this issue.
Specifications: 4-5 pages, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font
You must use at least one of the essays which was assigned in conjunction with this assignment—Tugend,
Marche, Weiss, Carr, Cullington or Boyd.
At least 4 sources: One should be a primary text about the issue, one should be an academic source like a
journal, and two or more can come from newspapers or .gov websites. You cannot count dictionaries or
encyclopedias as any of the four sources (you can certainly use these in your paper if you need to, but they
will be in addition to the four sources required above).
Remember to turn your essay in twice — share it with me through Google docs and post it in the
Researched Argument Workshopping Discussion.
