Writing to Convince Assignment: Decide on a controversial social issue and write a formal argumentative essay. (A controversial issue involves differing points of view and conflicting claims.) Select an issue you are curious about and will enjoy researching and writing. You will enter the debate with your own argument and articulate your claim/position about the controversy. Think of your argument as identifying a gap in the conversation or extending the debate in some way. Your goal is to argue your position persuasively, adding to the conversation. Since arguer-audience connection is crucial in a persuasive essay, you need to identify a real audience to target your argument. “People who are against my position” is not a specific audience description, so you need to think about your audience in more detailed terms by considering, for example, their stance, reasons for taking that position, their moral and ethical values, political and religious beliefs, assumptions about society and culture, age, gender, social status, and possible objections to your argument. Imagine that you will present your argument in front of this audience. Part I: Requirements for the Essay You must use at least 6 academic and credible sources in this paper. At least 3 of these sources should be from ASU library databases. (Please watch the videos in the “Research Help” module for reference.) All sources should be incorporated into the essay effectively by using signal phrases and cited correctly according to APA style. (Please watch the videos in the “Documenting Sources” module for help.) Prior to writing the rough draft, you will research your topic using ASU library databases and the Internet and map out your ideas for the essay by completing a relevant discussion board and an eBook assignment. Your argument should be targeted for a specific audience and developed using 2-3 audience-based reasons. These are reasons that are rooted in your audience’s values and beliefs, reasons that will sound the most convincing for them. You should also identify 2-3 counter-arguments that your audience may raise to challenge you and respond to them by either refuting or conceding to them. You will complete a relevant discussion assignment to help you with this audience requirement. You should use the rhetorical appeals (logos, pathos, and ethos) effectively with your target audience and purpose in mind. Your tone and diction should also be appropriate for this audience. Ask yourself how you will appeal to your audience’s intellect and make a logical argument, engage them emotionally and appeal to their values/beliefs, and how you will come across as a credible, trustworthy writer. Overused Topics: Unless you have a personal connection to the topic and have obtained permission from your instructor, don’t focus your project on any of following issues, as they either a) are too generic or common, b) don’t promote creative idea generation, or c) lack sufficient depth. Instead, challenge yourself to research and learn about a topic that you don’t know much about. Abortion, death penalty, decriminilization of marijuana, euthanasia, eating disorders or body image, global warming, negative effects of the media, religion or God, stem cells or cloning, steroids, recycling, homelessness, gun control, sex education, animal testing, gay marriage, immigration, vaccination. Length and Format: 1500-2000 words of typed text (excluding the References list) double-spaced and in APA style. It must be submitted as a Word document as doc, docx, or rtf file — not pages or odt.