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Advocacy Paper Assignment

This document provides instructions for an advocacy paper assignment for COMM 235. The 4-5 page paper is due on December 12 and is worth 10% of the student's grade. It must be double-spaced with 1-inch margins in 12-point font and use APA style. The paper should identify a contemporary issue and advocate for a course of action to address it using at least two scholarly sources. It must also refute at least two opposing arguments using evidence and at least two more scholarly sources. The paper concludes by synthesizing the perspectives discussed and making a final argument. The paper will be graded based on a rubric that evaluates elements like formatting, citations, thesis, analysis, advocacy, engagement with opposing views, evidence

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22 views

Advocacy Paper Assignment

This document provides instructions for an advocacy paper assignment for COMM 235. The 4-5 page paper is due on December 12 and is worth 10% of the student's grade. It must be double-spaced with 1-inch margins in 12-point font and use APA style. The paper should identify a contemporary issue and advocate for a course of action to address it using at least two scholarly sources. It must also refute at least two opposing arguments using evidence and at least two more scholarly sources. The paper concludes by synthesizing the perspectives discussed and making a final argument. The paper will be graded based on a rubric that evaluates elements like formatting, citations, thesis, analysis, advocacy, engagement with opposing views, evidence

Uploaded by

carter.henman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMM 235

FA 23
COMM 235: Advocacy Paper Assignment

Key Details:
Due: The paper is due via Canvas submission by 11:59pm on Dec. 12.
Value: The final paper is worth 10% of your final grade.
Format: Your final paper should be in size-12 font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins. Papers
should be 4 double-spaced pages long (5 pages maximum) and use APA formatting for in-text
references and the works cited page. Submit your paper as a PDF file or Word Document.

Purpose: This assignment is intended to help you develop the following skills:
1) Engaging in written advocacy that makes use of credible research and support.
2) Navigating and using academic journals and databases relevant to your selected topic.
3) Critically analyzing and engaging with divergent perspectives relevant to your topic.

Task: Write a short research paper that advances an argumentative thesis that seeks to
persuade your reader to support a course of action pertaining to some significant
contemporary issue or controversy. This paper should clearly address the following elements:
1. Part 1: Issue analysis and advocacy. Identify a significant contemporary issue or
problem and advocate for a course of action pertaining to it. Issues can take any number
of forms or contexts (e.g. social, cultural, political, economic, or environmental), and
could occur at any number of levels (community, local, regional, national, global, etc).
Your course of action could range from implementing a policy or legal change to
changing social attitudes or values. This section of the paper should use credible, cited
research to explain to the reader the nature of the issue, why it is significant, and why
your course of action is effective. This section of the paper should incorporate at least
two peer-reviewed scholarly sources.
2. Part 2: Refutation. Identify and explain at least two arguments that clash or disagree
with your advocacy. Analyze and refute those arguments, advocating in favor of your
course of action. The clashing arguments you identify should be supported with credible
evidence. In other words, you must locate and explain the arguments of those who
disagree with you in this part of the paper before engaging in your own critical analysis
and refutation of those arguments. This section of the paper should incorporate at least
two peer-reviewed scholarly sources.
3. Part 3: Synthesis and conclusion. Conclude your paper with a final appeal in favor of
your advocacy that holistically addresses the clashing viewpoints you identified in part 2
of the paper.

The grading rubric for this paper follows on the next page.
COMM 235
FA 23
Criteria for Success: Papers will be assessed on the following rubric:

Assessment: COMM 235 Advocacy Paper


Formatting: Does the paper have appropriate technical formatting? (double-spacing, 1 inch 1 2 3 4 5
margin, 4-5 pages, size 12 font, etc)

Citations: Does the paper correctly use APA style for in-text citations and a references list? 1 2 3 4 5

Thesis/Claim: Does the paper begin with a clear, well-developed thesis statement or 1 2 3 4 5
argumentative claim?
Issue analysis: Does the paper clearly document and explain the nature of the issue (for
example why something is a problem and analyzing its causes) and its significance (for
1 2 3 4 5
example, why it matters that we should pay attention to the issue and try to learn more in
order to intervene)?
Advocacy: Does the paper outline a clear course of action it supports, providing coherent
reasoning and credible backing that such an advocacy would be effective in responding to the 1 2 3 4 5
issue?
Divergent Perspectives: Does the paper provide at least two arguments that clash with their
advocacy? Are the arguments credible and faithfully represented in the paper, including 1 2 3 4 5
providing cited research?
Argument Refutation and Synthesis: Does the paper effectively engage opposing arguments 1 2 3 4 5
by using techniques of refutation and good-faith engagement with differing perspectives?
Evidence and research: Does the paper make use of credible supporting evidence and 1 2 3 4 5
research, including 4 total scholarly sources?
Conventions & style: Is the paper written in a style that conveys credibility and 1 2 3 4 5
professionalism to the audience?
Total = /45 points

Rubric scale: 1 = unsatisfactory; 2 = poor; 3 = satisfactory; 4 = very good; 5 = excellent

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