The Rogerian assignment directions are as follows:

This essay should be between 900 and 1000 words. First, you will choose a topic of interest that has two opposing sides.

Then, you need to research that topic in order to specify the topic’s scope, so it can be easily discussed in a shorter, 1000 word essay.

The following overused topics may not be used in your essay: gun control, abortion, capital punishment, gay marriage, gays in the military, mandatory drug testing, euthanasia, childhood obesity, women in the military, diets (including the Palio diet), workout regiments (including CrossFit), underage drinking, and the legalization of marijuana.

This essay must include a minimum of five sources. Three should peer-reviewed sources preferably from the APUS databases. You may use eBooks; however, as discussed earlier this semester, books generally are not as current as peer-reviewed articles. You may also use primary sources (interviews, statistics, etc); however, these primary sources should be obtained from experts within that field. If you cannot find strong sources for your chosen topic, then change your topic. If you have a question about the validity of a source, please email me, or post your question to the open forum.

Make sure to include the following sections in your essay: introduction and claim, background, body, and conclusion. Within the body of your Rogerian essay, make sure to include the following in any order: the background for your chosen topic, the opposition, the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents claim, scholarly research, your claim, discuss the warrants for your claim and the opposition in order to find the common ground, and show the common ground between your opponents claim and your claim.

Based on the topic you choose please answer following question:

1) Please post your proposed one-sentence thesis statement for this topic.

Remember, this single sentence thesis statement has a clear stance and is never a question

2) List a peer-reviewed source (for peer-reviewed sources see the “Advanced Search” link just below the Search box on the Library Welcome page) that you plan to use in this essay.
You must include either a short quotation and/or paraphrase with the in-text citation and a works cited entry for this source in MLA form. *Note: To receive credit for this question, the source must be peer-reviewed and correctly cited (a hanging indent is not required to receive credit).

3) Give a tentative outline for your essay. Remember, your essay must have the following components: introduction, background, support for your claim, opposing views, rebuttals, and a conclusion. Clarify these components in your outline. Your outline may be a topic or sentence outline but must be somewhat concrete.

Example:

I Introduction and thesis
II Background Info
a. First example
b. Second etc.

III Support for Claim
a. First example
b. Second example, etc.

IV Opposing View Discussion
a. First possible opposition to claim
b. Second, etc.

V. Your rebuttal to all the points in IV

VI. Conclusion