Course: ENG201 – The Power of Persuasion
Assignment 1: Laying the Foundations for Making a Case

Skill(s) Being Assessed: Problem Solving (Information Literacy)

Criteria for Success: In this assignment, you will:

• Define a topic for a persuasive proposal, and explain the importance of the topic to you within the context of the scenario and your own life/career. Explain why the topic is important to you.
• Describe the potential audience for a persuasive proposal and the importance of the topic to the audience within the context of the scenario. Provide at least one specific example of how the audience might be impacted by the topic.
• Identify five credible sources, including one opposing source, relevant to your chosen topic.
• Summarize each source, including the who, what, when, where, and why. Summaries are clear and concise (1–2 complete sentences each).
• Describe how each source would be used to support the persuasive argument, including an analysis of the credibility and relevance of the source.
• Discuss how the selection of effective, purposeful sources represents a variety of perspectives and an ethical approach to research. Use examples to highlight specific elements from listed sources.
• Produce writing that is clear and well organized and applies appropriate SWS style. Writing contains accurate grammar, mechanics, and spelling.

STEP 1: Review the scenarios below, which you were introduced to in Week 1. If you have not already, choose the scenario you will use as the basis of your assignment. Then, review Assignment 1 in the webtext.

If you are wondering which scenario would be best to choose, think about concerns, issues, or projects that you are passionate about in your own life and career. For example, if you keep coming back to how the empty lot on your block would make a great community garden space, you may want to consider choosing Scenario 1. If your workplace is experiencing a delay in receiving supplies, and you want to explore a solution to this problem, you may want to consider choosing Scenario 2.

Scenario 1: You are trying to convince a community group or municipal committee to provide funding for a particular event or initiative to benefit the area (you may also take the stance of asking for a particular policy to be changed). How will you persuade the committee to change their minds?

Scenario 2: Your office, department, or company has a problem (perhaps as simple as training, purchase of supplies, flexible scheduling, off-site working, criteria for filling a position, or any number of other problems). Several solutions have been proposed, but none have proven satisfactory. You have analyzed the problem and developed what you think is a good solution. How will you convince the committee in charge of solving the problem to accept your solution?

STEP 2: Make sure you have completed the following prewriting activities in your Webtext:

• Week 1: Select Your Topic.
• Week 2: Audience and Topic Importance.
• Week 3: Research Organizer and Research Questions.

STEP 3: Download and Edit Your Work

STEP 4: Review your work for completion of all grading criteria.

STEP 5: After completing the Assignment 1 Template, save your responses as a Word document titled “[Your Name], ENG201_Assignment 1” and attach it to the Blackboard assignment submission area in Week 3. Make sure to also review the scoring rubric before submitting.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Analyze information and how it is used to persuade an audience to adopt or change a particular perspective.