Persuasive Unit Projects
Part1: Researching and Note Taking – MAJOR GRADE (70% CATEGORY)
Objective:
To learn and use the strategies of persuasion and argument.
To research different points of view on the same topic in order to
understand/accept the diversity of beliefs in human beings.
Project 1: Researching Your Topic to Write a Persuasive Essay
KEEP AN OPEN MIND WHEN RESEARCHING FOR YOUR TOPIC
Your group will be assigned one of the following topics: Note: All of these topics can be found in
Gale’s “Opposing Viewpoints” database.
1. Digital Media (Business and Economics)
Digital media will do away with print.
2. Alcohol and Tobacco Advertising (Business and Economics)
Alcohol and tobacco advertising encourages children and teen to drink and smoke.
3. Children of Illegal Aliens (Business and Economics)
Children of illegal aliens should go to college and gain legal status.
4. Gambling (Business and Economics)
Gambling (including Internet gambling) should be legalized.
5. Sweatshops (Business and Economics)
People should not buy from any company who uses sweatshops.
6. Minimum Wage (Business and Economics)
Raising the minimum wage will reduce poverty.
7. Junk Food (Health and Medicine)
Junk food should be banned in schools.
8. Vegetarianism (Health and Medicine)
People should become vegetarians.
9. 9/11 Attacks (War and Diplomacy)
The U.S. response to 9/11 is an overreaction to the threat of terrorism.
10. Weapons of Mass Destruction (War and Diplomacy)
Weapons of mass destruction such as lasers, chemicals, and nuclear weapons should be totally
banned.
11. Juvenile Offenders (Society and Culture)
Juvenile offenders should never be tried as adults.
12. Modern-day Piracy (Society and Culture)
Modern-day pirates should not be paid ransom money for hostages.
13. Animal Rights (Society and Culture)
Animals should have rights, just like humans.
14. Athletes and Sports (Society and Culture)
Athletes should act like role models.
15. Hate Crimes (Law and Politics)
Hate crimes are different from other types of crimes.
Sources/Materials You Will Need for Completing This Assignment:
1. Cornell Note Taking Form for Databases
2. Access to Library Databases
3. Highlighter
STEP ONE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Get a copy of Cornell Note Taking Form for Databases for note taking.
Go to Shared Drive (S)
Click on English Dept.
Click on English 2 Team
Click on Persuasive Essay
Copy Cornell Note Taking Form for Databases (the middle file)
Paste the form into your H drive
STEP TWO:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Access DHS Library Databases and Research Articles
Go DHS website
Click on Library tab
Click on Databases – School Access
Click on Gale (first database listed)
Scroll down and click on Opposing Viewpoints database
Click on area in which your topic is located (for example “Business and Economics”)
Click on your specific topic (for example “Digital Media”)
STEP THREE: Research Both Sides of Your Topic
1. Decide which group member will research the “Yes” side of argument (agrees with
statement) and which group member will research “No” side of argument (disagrees
with statement). NOTE: If there are three group members, then the third member
researches both Yes and No.
2. After clicking on your specific topic, you will see a list of articles. Each member of
the group will be required to read and take notes over TWO articles listed. IF THERE
ARE THREE GROUP MEMBERS, THE MEMBER DOING BOTH YES AND NO MUST
RESEARCH DIFFERENT ARTICLES FROM OTHER TWO MEMBERS. Decide in advance
which two articles each group member is going choose. If an article has information
on both sides, two group members may use the same article since they will be
looking for different information.
3. Each member will open up your H drive and click on the “Cornell Note Taking Form
for Databases).
4. Do a “Save AS” and name the file “Your First Initial and Last Name” Note Taking 1
(example TJones Note Taking 1).
5. Do a “Save As” and name a second file Your First Initial and Last Name” Note Taking
2 (example TJones Note Taking 2).
6. You will now have two digital forms to do your note taking on. NOTES OF EACH
SOURCE MUST BE ON SEPARATE FORMS.
7. Click on your first source and skim through it to make sure that you can use it to find
information on your point of view.
8. If you decide you are going to use the article for note taking, scroll down to the
bottom of the article and find the words “Source Citation.” Copy the information
directly under it (not the URL).
9. Paste the citation information at the top of your first Cornell Note Taking form.
10. Print the article and using a highlighter, highlight all information relevant to YOUR
side of the argument.
11. Consulting your highlighted article, type in notes on the Cornell Note Taking form.
You ONLY need to take notes over information that supports YOUR side of argument
(Yes or No). NOTE: if you copy any information word-for-word, you MUST put
quotation marks around the notes so that you are not plagiarizing. If you are
summarizing or rephrasing, you do NOT have to use quotation marks.
12. When you are finished with your note taking for article 1, print TWO (or three)
copies of the form. Keep a copy for yourself and give other copy to group
member(s) so every group member has all the information for both sides. BE SURE
TO SAVE THE FILE ON YOUR H DRIVE!
13. Choose your second article to read and take notes over and repeat steps #9 – 11.
14. After you have completed note taking for BOTH articles and distributed copies of
notes to other group members, staple together in the following order:
a. Cornell Note Taking Form 1
b. Highlighted printed article for form 1
c. Cornell Note Taking Form 2
d. Highlighted printed article for form
NOTE: Do not forget to put your full heading on each item – name, date, period.
15. Hand in your packet of research to your teacher.
16. Please remember this is a MAJOR GRADE and this is the information you will use to
write your persuasive essay.
Names of Group Members:
_____________________________________________________________
Period ______________
Grade__________
Number of Points ___________
Final
This is the criterion for grading your project. Each group will earn a score between 0 and 10.
Achievement
Level
0
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
Level Descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors
below.
The student rarely employs the required organizational structure.
The student rarely employs the required content to support the position.
The student rarely employs appropriate data to support the position.
The student rarely employs correct language-specific conventions to
support the content.
The work is generally disorganized, unclear, and/or incoherent.
The student sometimes employs the required organizational structure.
The student sometimes employs the required content to support the
position.
The student sometimes employs appropriate data to support the position.
The student sometimes employs correct language-specific conventions to
support the content.
The work is shows some the beginnings of organization but lacks coherence.
The student rarely employs the required organizational structure.
The student rarely employs the required content to support the position.
The student rarely employs appropriate data to support the position.
The student rarely employs correct language-specific conventions to
support the content.
The work is generally organized, clear, and coherent..
The student consistently employs the required organizational structure.
The student consistently employs the required content to support the
position.
The student consistently employs appropriate data to support the position.
The student consistently employs correct language-specific conventions to
support the content.
The work is usually well-organized, clear and coherent and the ideas being
expressed are appropriate to the position taken.
The student consistently employs sophistication in the organizational
structure.
The student consistently employs sophistication in the content to support
the position.
The student consistently employs sophistication to support the position.
The student consistently employs sophistication to support the content.
The work is consistently well-organized, clear and coherent and the ideas
being expressed are sophisticated in expression.
Achievement
Level
0
1-2
3-4
5-6
Level Descriptor
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors
below.
The students demonstrate very limited understanding of the topic.
The students demonstrate very little understanding of the use of visuals to
affect others or the appeal of logos, pathos, and ethos.
The students demonstrate very little understanding of the types of logical
fallacies used in persuasion.
The students demonstrate very little understanding of how to support and
defend their beliefs.
The use of terminology is missing, inconsistent, and/or incorrect.
The students demonstrate some understanding of the topic.
The students demonstrate some understanding of the use of visuals to
affect others or the appeal of logos, pathos, and ethos.
The students demonstrate some understanding of the types of logical
fallacies used in persuasion.
The students demonstrate some understanding of how to support and
defend their beliefs.
The use of terminology is sometimes accurate or appropriate.
The students demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the topic.
The students demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the use of visuals to
affect others or the appeal of logos, pathos, and ethos.
The students demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the types of logical
fallacies used in persuasion.
The students demonstrate a sufficient understanding of how to support and
defend their beliefs.
The use of terminology is usually accurate and appropriate.