* What evidence/insight have other authors offered in support of their position(s)?

Learning Goal: I’m working on a writing project and need a sample draft to help me learn.

Background

One of the main forums where “policy” is debated and discussed is in the Op-Ed section of newspapers and magazines. Anyone from an ordinary citizen, an expert, to the President uses the Op-ed section to (1) identify policy issues and/or promote solutions, (2) to persuade people to support a specific piece of legislation or policy, or (3) to encourage policy makers to support policy/legislation. Note: Policy can be anything from parking fees to immigration policy.

Learning objective:

1.To write in a persuasive, engaging, and concise manner.

2.To synthesize multiple sources of information into a short essay.

Instructions: This assignment requires you to:

·identify and describe a current urban planning issue important to you

·identify the main stakeholders (e.g. decision makers, community/neighborhood, local government) involved

·provide a solution to this issue (it can be in support of the current solution or you can propose something different)

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

·No more than 1,000 words.

·1.5 lines spaced, 1” margin, Times New Roman font size 11

·Title should be in 14- point font and bold.

·Identify the newspaper/news site you would submit your editorial (New York Times, News and Observer, Weekly Standard, Streetsblog, etc.) You can write this underneath the title (To be submitted to: New York Times)

·Put your name, course name, your TA’s name, and date in the right hand corner.

·Use MLA for in-text citations.

·Document name for DRAFT: PLAN 247 Draft_LastName.doc

·Document name for FINAL: PLAN 247 Final_LastName.doc

Grading:

1. Strong Argument: This involves both the quality of the evidence and your writing. (25 points)

2. Quality of evidence: Your sources. You should have at least three sources. (25 points)

3. Organization of the paper: Is it easy to follow your logic? Do you keep the reader’s attention? (15 points)

4. Writing quality: no typos, no awkward phrasing, succinct, concise. (25 points)

5. Formatting: Is it formatted correctly? Did you name the document correctly?(10 points)

Some questions that are useful to ask yourself when getting started include (taken from WGS 160, 2014):

* What specific issue or controversy are you responding to?

* Why is it important to consider this issue now?

* What evidence/insight have other authors offered in support of their position(s)?

* What is problematic about the claim and/or the evidence that other author(s) used?

* What additional evidence or insight do you have that could shed new light onto the matter at hand?