FTS-100 349 In-class Writing Project: Putting it All Together (Fall 2024)

Bare Bones Description

For this project, you are to put everything we have learned together. I am giving you two topics to work with, and you are to choose one and write a position paper on it. I will not give you he position or the argument; you have to decide yourself. I am also keeping everything general on purpose.

You are to do this project individually.

What This Project Accomplishes

1. You will use the ability to think critically, including reasoning, the ability to explore assumptions and implications, the ability to consider multiple perspectives, and the ability to raise and find answers to questions.
2. You will use a process-based approach for writing as you will be required to provide an outline, at least one draft, and a final version of the paper.
3. You will address issues of values or ethics in your paper.
4. You will make appropriate rhetorical choices as writers, considering purpose, audience, and context.

Project Detail

Your position paper need to have a clear structure which includes introduction, motivation, background, a central argument, a few sub-arguments, supporting facts and statements (several for each argument), conclusion and discussion. We will discuss and clarify each during lectures.

Before your write an academic paper, you should always go through the steps of constructing an outline, research, writing (multiple) drafts, and writing the final version. For this project, you will only need to give me your outline and your final version, but you should go through (on your own) the process of writing drafts which lead to the final version of your paper.

Research is essential for this project. All of your arguments need to be supported by citations and quotations. As a guideline, before you start writing your drafts (and dater you had finished an outline), you need to spend a lot of time reading articles and finding information to support your arguments.

Don't forget to cite your resources in the final version of your paper. To cite a resource, you may choose to use any of the citation styles for this particular project.

Finally, please note that this project may be frustrating to some of you. I will do my best to clarify the project. However, it is essential for you to ask me if you have questions or need any further clarifications. Please drop by during my office hours and I will be happy to help you.

Topics

Topic 2: Analyzing John Cage's 4'33" and Its Musical Impact
4'33" is a three-movement composition by American experimental composer John Cage (1912-1992). It was composed in 1952, for any instrument or combination of instruments. For this piece, the performer(s) are not to play their instrument(s) during the entire duration of the piece. The title of the piece refer to the total length of time. It is called "Cage's most famous and controversial creation". Why is this so? Is this music?

Again, I gave you two very general topics to work with. You have to pick a topic, narrow down on the topic yourself and contract your own central argument. Both topics allows many different central arguments to be made. There are also plenty of resources available on both topics.

Grading

• Your position paper has a clear structure which includes an introduction, motivation, background, a central argument, a few sub-arguments, supporting facts (several for each argument), conclusion and discussion: 2 points.
• Your central argument is clear and concise: 2 points.
• Your sub-arguments are clear, concise, and relate to your central argument: 2 points.
• All your arguments are supported by research. It is clear that you spent a lot of time reading articles. All your resources are properly cited: 2 points.
• You provided outline for your paper. I can see the connection between the outline and the final version of your paper: 2 points.

Submission and Due Date