Writing Assessment printable pdf download

Writing Assessment #3

1. Select a topic for either a persuasive research paper or a multiple viewpoint research

paper (see explanation above in "Introduction to the ITT Research Paper").

2. Next, write who your target audience would be for this argument. In other words, who

will you be addressing in this paper? Your audience cannot be general. The person or

group must have a name. For help on identifying an audience and its characteristics,

see

And the Audience

Roared.

3. Then, write 2-3 main points for the topic that come to mind.

4. Answer the following questions on your topic:

Assess this topic. Will you find arguing about this topic difficult or easy? Why?

How will you organize a paper on the topic?

Take each main point and make a pro/con list for it. For example, if the topic

is capital punishment and one main point is "punishment of the criminally

insane," write a list that shows a positive argument for capital punishment of

the criminally insane and a con list that argues against this kind of punishment

for the criminally insane.

Assess how the target audience would receive this argument. Would the

audience be convinced, based on the main ideas? Why or why not?

SAMPLE RESPONSE

1. Topic: Abortion for Teens

2. Target Audience: Subscribers to the Savannah Morning News (daily newspaper,

Savannah, GA)

3. Parameters/Main Points:

Legal issue

Health issue

Special cases—incest, abuse

Rights of girl v. rights of parents v. rights of unborn

4. Answers to questions:

I will find arguing about this very easy because: I am a parent, the law about minors is

clear. There is also quite a bit of online material that can be accessed easily.

I will organize the paper by: (1) presenting statistics about teen pregnancy and teen

abortions in the intro section; (2) repeating the lame arguments of those who oppose

parental notification and tearing them down; (3) presenting my legal and health

arguments with sources; (4) concluding with a plea to all parents to exercise their

responsibilities to their children.

Main point: “Legal issue.”

Pro—the law is very clear: If you are under 18, you are a minor. You are not yet

“emancipated. As a minor, you must have your parents’ permission to enter into any

binding contract, and that includes a contract with a hospital, doctor, or any other

Writing Assessment