| The writing assignment: | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. After browsing NASA Spacelink answer the following question: | |||||||||
| Should NASA continue to be funded by the American people? | |||||||||
| B. Convince me of your position. | |||||||||
Since you are convincing me of something, this will be an argumentative paper and the logic should be clear. One example of a basic argument that might be used is:
You would, of course, have to determine what you think the criteria should be before you can begin writing the paper. You must then justify your choices (support the first premise) and show that the criteria has been met (support the second premise). This verification of the two premises, which provide support for the conclusion, would constitute the body of the paper.
- If NASA meets specified criteria, then NASA should continue to be funded by the American people.
- NASA meets the specified criteria.
- Therefore, NASA should continue to be funded by the American people.
The paper should be written in a specified version of the standard "academic writing" format. Briefly, the paper should include an opening paragraph that includes the basic argument with a thesis statement (the the thesis statement is the conclusion of the basic argument), a body that supports each of the main premises for the thesis statement, and a concluding paragraph that restates the basic argument.
For this assignment, introducing main premises after the first paragraph is not acceptable. Please see writing assignments under assignment helps for further clarification.
Needless to say, the grammar and spelling should be correct.
This is the writing assignment listed in the syllabus and is the "capstone" activity for our first few weeks of class. It is due two weeks after you are given the assignment to view the NASA spinoffs.