History+Day+Formative+Assessment

Part 1 Select an Issue
=Part 2 Developing Your Argument: Form your Thesis Revised Version Due 8/21 = >
 * Rather than selecting the first issue that comes to mind, make a list of 5 issues that interest you.
 * If you cannot begin to think of issues on your own within 10 minutes after the start of this exercise, select __**one**__ issue from the Issues List.
 * Reflect on each issue by writing a 10 sentence, 150 Word Paragraph for each issue. Which issue is the most arguable?
 * Think about all possible perspectives of the people involved in the issue.
 * Which perspective won out and why?
 * Is the issue that I chose more likely to produce research findings?
 * At what point in US/World History was this issue solved or remedied?
 * Was it ever solved?
 * Defining the Issue: For 5 minutes, write about what you already know about the issue. DO NOT STOP TO THINK OR DISCUSS THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE TEACHER OR YOUR NEIGHBOR. Write quietly!!
 * Consider your own position. Write it as a complete sentence. BULLET POINT 3 Reasons why you take this position. You may revise your position as the project progresses, but doing this is not recommended.
 * Know your Audience:
 * Your audience is the group of people for whom you are writing. In this case, you will be writing for college professors.
 * Write 150 words on how you imagine this audience will be. How will you convince them, __**academically**__, of your point of view??
 * Practice your Argument:
 * By answering the following prompts, you will consider the reasons you could give for your position:
 * 1) Review the 3 reasons that you wrote for taking your position.
 * 2) Which do you think is the strongest? (Highlight your reason)
 * 3) Which is most likely to appeal to your reader? (Highlight your reason)
 * 4) Does your reason from Question 2 contrast with your reason from Question 3?
 * 5) Explain to the readers why they should take the reason you chose seriously in 150 words.
 * Propose a Counterargument:
 * In the academic community, as well as the business, corporate, and technology fields, there are always opposite sides to one's point of view. In history and its related fields, this happens a lot. For example, if a historian proposed a theory that the Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were to end the Second World War in the Pacific Region, another historian would propose another theory that the Bombings were a show of American military strength to Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, and they would precipitate an arms race between the two Superpowers during the Cold War (1945-1990).
 * By proposing a counterargument, you will explore scenarios that will allow you types of opposition to your position. **You may even discover a better position that can replace the one you already have. If you are going to alter your position, this second part of the Formative Assessment, //during this Counterargument Step, is the __2nd to LAST TIME__ you will be allowed to make any adjustments to your position.//**
 * To perform this step thoroughly, and thus properly, imagine that you are presenting your argument to a review board of teachers/professors.
 * What kinds of **objections** do you think your readers will expect you to know about and respond to?? (150 Words) (An objection is usually a question that comes after a statement is made. Example: (Statement) Chocolate is the most popular flavor of ice cream. (Objection Question) What do you think about the statistics that show that most people ordered vanilla last year?)
 * **In your search, you need to find counterarguments that are the most damaging to your position. Again, I repeat, imagine yourself presenting your issue to a panel of professors. You do not want to be embarrassed by even the simplest of questions.**
 * Checkpoint 1 Test Your Choice
 * At this time you should pretty much know whether or not you will be able to make a convincing argument.
 * You will have some insights into how you will present the issue and argue to support your position on it for a particular group of readers, in this case college professors.
 * This Checkpoint is the LAST TIME that you will be able to make any adjustments to your position or change it altogether. Take this exercise seriously because you really are expected to present your position!! It should be a position in which you feel confident!! Read through the notes you have made and determine the following:
 * 1) Is my interest in my issue growing? Why?? (50 Words)
 * 2) Am I gaining confidence in my argument? Why?? (50 Words)
 * 3) Do I have doubts about my issue? Why?? How do I plan on fixing them?? (150 Words)
 * 4) If you read Question 3 and you hesitated at all about your answer, then you may want to consider reviewing your lists of either arguments or counterarguments to come up with a new position.
 * Consider Your Purpose
 * Answer the following questions using a total of 150 words, at least one complete sentence for each question.
 * 1) What do I hope to accomplish for my audience?
 * 2) How do I want to influence their thinking?
 * 3) What one big idea do I want them to grasp and remember?
 * 4) How much resistance to my argument should I expect from my audience?
 * 5) How can I interest my audience in the issue?
 * 6) How can I help my audience see its significance--both to society at large and to them personally?
 * Consolidate your thoughts into a Working Thesis Statement
 * Draft a thesis (position statement).
 * Revising can be done throughout the process but revising does not mean you can drastically alter your paper.
 * The #1 rule is that your thesis must assert your argument in one concise statement.
 * The following document is a worksheet of the same exact set of steps from above. Download it, fill it in, and submit to the email designated for your period: