Directions for Creating Your Own Blog on an Environmental Issue

Position Paper on an Environmental Issue

Purpose

Students will research all sides of an environmental issue to gain a better understanding of the issue and to articulate a position based on the evidence they have collected.

 

Description

Students prepare a position paper that includes their opinions, viewpoints, feelings, and the evidence that supports them. The main reason for this activity is for the students to use their critical thinking skills to analyze the different arguments of an issue and then articulate their own position on the issue supported by evidence.

 A position paper differs from a traditional term paper in that it includes your opinions, viewpoints, feelings, and the evidence that supports them. The main reason for this activity is to understand an issue better by researching all sides of the issue thoroughly. 

Choose an environmental topic that interests you. Research the different sides of the issue and then think about your position on the issue. Write a position paper based on the guidelines outlined below.  

Guidelines

Not every topic is suitable for a position paper. Your environmental topic must be a topic that has two opposing positions that can be researched and explored.

For weeks 1-6, respond to at least two students' blog posts every week. Give input about what they wrote or ask questions if you have them. Your response should also offer additional information that would help the student with researching their issue and if appropriate, any additional sources of information that may help the student.

Always cite your sources when writing original posts. At the end of this activity, you should be able to use at least ten sources for your position paper and make sure you use the proper format for referencing your sources.

Do you need help with putting your references in APA format? This online citation generator can be a great help with that!

A brief listing of some suggestions that should be implemented in your position paper to ensure the highest quality:

• Make sure your own “voice” is apparent in the paper – don’t overuse quotes.
• Use the writing lab as a resource.
• Have others proofread your paper for spelling, grammar, and organizational problems. Have at least one literate, logical friend read through your paper carefully to check for “flow of logic” mistakes, ambiguous statements, etc.
• Review the rubric for this activity to become familiar with what is required for each week's posts, replies, overall spelling/grammar expectations, and reference requirements.

Applies to all posts: Overall spelling/grammar expectations

 

Exceptional	Adequate	Poor/Needs Improvement
·    Excellent mastery of mechanics. Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar are almost all correct. ·    Written in appropriately formal academic style (not colloquial, cliche or “slangy”). ·    Information in the assignment is logically and creatively organized and flows smoothly, with unity and coherence. ·    Evident and smooth transitions throughout.	·    Average mastery of mechanics. Although errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar are evident in the writing, the meaning mostly remains clear. ·    Written mostly in appropriately formal academic style (not colloquial, cliche, or “slangy”). ·    Most information in the assignment is well-organized with some well-constructed paragraphs.	·    Little mastery of mechanics. Numerous errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar severely interfere with understanding the meaning of what is written. ·    Language uses jargon, cliches, or a conversational tone. ·    Structure detracts from the message of the writer. ·     Paragraphs are disjointed and lack transition of thoughts.

 

Replies to Students’ Posts for Weeks 1 - 6:

 

Exceptional	Adequate	Poor/Needs Improvement
·    Replies to at least 2 students posts each week with helpful, substantive feedback. ·    Shows honest, concerted effort to assist the other student. ·    Goes beyond summarizing or agreeing/disagreeing with what is said.	·    Replies to at least 1 student each week with helpful, substantive feedback. ·    Shows honest, concerted effort to assist the other student. ·    Goes beyond summarizing or agreeing/disagreeing with what is said.	·    Replies to other students were either not made, or ·     Replies were merely summarizing what was said or agreeing/disagreeing with what is said only. ·    Does not show an honest, concerted effort to assist the other student.

 

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Weekly Activities

Week 1:  Your Proposal. 

What is your proposed topic? Is it a topic that has two sides to the issue? For example, the Endangered Species Act has one side (environmentalist/preservationist) and private property owners whose land could be subject to Endangered Species Act restrictions. 

Give a brief description of two opposing sides to your topic. 

Provide some specific, supporting details about how these issues are in contradiction with each other.

Exceptional	Adequate	Poor/Needs Improvement
·       Topic proposal is specific and clearly explains how the topic has two opposing positions.   ·       Gives a brief description of the two opposing views on the topic with specific, supporting details about how these positions are in contradiction with each other.	·       Topic proposal is specific and clearly explains how the topic has two opposing positions.   ·       Gives a brief description of the two opposing views on the topic and describes how these two positions contradict each other.	·       Proposed topic is too vague or broad. ·       Proposed positions do not actually oppose each other. ·       Gave no specific information about the two positions.

Week 2:  Introduction to the issue. 

Give a description of the issue to be discussed. Describe how this issue should be relevant or interesting to the reader.

Give some background information on the issue that would be useful to know before discussing the issue and describe how this information relates to two opposing positions on the issue.

Give a preview of the main points you will discuss in your paper in terms of both positions and your position. 

This week's section should be begun in week 2, but won't be graded until the end. Feel free to edit this section based on feedback and any additional information you want to add here later.

 (1 page)

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

·         Introduction gives a clear and interesting background of the controversy that makes the topic interesting to the reader. ·         Introduction effectively explains two opposing positions on the issue, so that the reader understands all of the main points to be presented on both sides of the issue later. ·         Introduction is clearly organized and follows a logical progression. Introduction should end with a preview of the main points to be covered for both positions on the issue.

·         Introduction gives some background information on the issue but doesn’t explain how this would be relevant or interesting to the reader. ·         Introduction briefly explains the two opposing positions on the issue and provides a preview of some of the main points to be covered for both positions on the issue.

·         Introduction gives some background information on the issue but doesn’t explain how this would be relevant or interesting to the reader. ·         Provides background information that doesn’t relate to the opposing positions to be covered or its relation to the two positions is not explained. ·         Introduction does not include a preview of any of the main points to be covered for both positions on the issue.

Week 3:  One Side of the Issue.

Give an in-depth explanation of one side of the issue with multiple supporting details in support of that position. Use and cite at least 4 sources in support of this position. (2 pages)

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

·         One side of the issue is discussed in-depth with multiple paragraphs of supporting details that explains the support for this position. ·         Each paragraph contains a clearly focused topic sentence/ minor claim that supports the major claim. ·         All sources are incorporated smoothly and correctly, relating their relevance to the argument with in-text citations in APA format. ·         Provides four or more relevant, reliable, and scientifically sound references that adequately support position. ·         No emotional arguments are used.

·         One side of the issue is discussed with multiple paragraphs of supporting details that explains the support for this position. ·         Each paragraph contains a minor claim, but the relationship to the major claim is not clear in each paragraph. ·         All sources are cited in APA format, but it’s not clear how these sources relate to the argument being made. ·         Provides at least three relevant, reliable, and scientifically sound references in this section. ·         Citations are provided correctly most of the time. ·         Emotional arguments are mostly avoided.

·         One side of the issue is discussed with multiple paragraphs of supporting details, but citations are missing. ·         Provided information is vague or not specific. Lacks concrete or specific details to support the argument adequately or logically. ·         Provided only one or two relevant, reliable, scientifically sound references. ·         Uses many inflammatory statements or makes emotional arguments. ·         Arguments do not focus on scientific support for a position on the issue.

Week 4: Opposing Side of the Issue.

Give an in-depth explanation of the opposing side of the issue with multiple supporting details in support of the opposing position. Use and cite at least 4 sources in support of the opposing position. 

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

·        Opposing side of the issue is discussed in-depth with multiple paragraphs of supporting details that explains the arguments in support of the opposing position. ·        Each paragraph contains a clearly focused topic sentence/ minor claim that supports the major claim. ·         All sources are incorporated smoothly and correctly, relating their relevance to the argument with in-text citations in APA format. ·         Provides four or more relevant, reliable, and scientifically sound references that adequately supports the argument for the opposing position. ·         No emotional arguments are used.

·       Opposing side of the issue is discussed with multiple paragraphs of supporting details that explains the support for the opposing position. ·       Each paragraph contains a minor claim, but the relationship to the major claim is not clear in each paragraph. ·         All sources are cited in APA format, but it’s not clear how these sources relate to the argument being made. ·         Provides at least three relevant, reliable, and scientifically sound references in this section. ·         Citations are provided correctly most of the time. ·         Emotional arguments are mostly avoided.

·       Opposing side of the issue is discussed with multiple paragraphs of supporting details, but citations are missing. ·         Provided information is vague or not specific. Lacks concrete or specific details to support the argument adequately or logically. ·         Provided only one or two relevant, reliable, scientifically sound references. ·         Uses many inflammatory statements or makes emotional arguments. ·         Arguments do not focus on scientific support for a position on the issue.

Week 5: Your Position.

After examining both positions, what is your position on the issue? Do you favor one side over the other or do you see a compromise for both positions? Give a clear, concise statement on your position on the issue. Provide evidence and clear, logical reasoning to support your position on the issue. Make sure to cite sources in support of your position. Give your response to the other position and why you rejected it or chose a compromise of the positions. (2 pages)

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

·         Clear, concise statement of your position on the issue. ·         Gave evidence in support of your position on the issue supported by relevant and multiple sources of information with in-text citations in APA format. ·         Reasons for the argument are clearly stated, and there are enough details to support the argument effectively and thoroughly. ·         Provides in-depth explanation of why other position was rejected, using appropriate scientific sources.

·         Clear, concise statement of your position on the issue. ·         Restated evidence in support of your position but lacking specific, cited information. ·         Briefly explains why the other position was rejected, using appropriate, scientific sources.

·         Missing a clear, concise statement on your position on the issue. ·         Did not provide evidence in support of your position but instead relied on emotional appeals or opinion sources. ·         Does not explain why the other position was rejected, using appropriate, scientific sources.

Week 6: Questions.

What are some questions that arose as you were doing your research? How would knowing this information help you to understand the topic better? (1 page)

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

·         Provides a list of questions and explains how knowing the answers to these questions would aid in understanding the subject better. ·         Questions provided would cover details about the topic in greater detail than what has been currently written. May be questions that are not easily answered.

·         Provides a list of questions with only a brief explanation of how this would aid in understanding the subject better.

·         Provides only a list of questions with no explanation of how this would aid in understanding the subject better. ·         Questions presented are easily found information, such as basic, factual information.

Week 7: Summary.

Summarize your work. Briefly restate the issue, the two positions on the issue, your position, and all of the essential evidence that supports your position. (1 page)

Exceptional

Adequate

Poor/Needs Improvement

Summary of the work should include all of the following: ·         Concise summary statement restating the issue ·         Restatement of the two opposing positions on the issue ·         Restatement of your position on the issue ·         Summary of the essential evidence that supports your position.

Summary of the work includes: ·         Concise summary statement restating the issue ·         Restatement of two opposing positions on the issue ·         Restatement of your position on the issue ·         Only briefly describes support for your position but does not provide details.

Summary is missing any of the following elements: ·         Concise summary statement restating the issue ·         Restatement of the two opposing positions on the issue ·         Restatement of your position on the issue ·         Summary of the essential evidence that supports your position.