Assignment Description: Write an argument that develops a definitional claim of the form:

Definitional Argument
Assignment Description: Write an argument that develops a definitional claim of the form: X is (or is not) a Y, where Y is a controversial term with a disputed definition. Typically your argument will have a criteria section in which you develop an extended definition of your Y term.
When selecting a topic, you may want to focus on large, national issues (President Obama is not a liberal), state issues (Immigration enforcement is a state responsibility, not a national responsibility one), or local issues that solely affect life here on campus, (University facilities and grounds maintenance is not green). Whatever topic you choose, it is crucial that you choose a topic that has significant relevance in todays world. There should be tangible consequences at stake depending on how the Y category is defined.
Assignment Goals: ? Focus on a specific rhetorical purpose ? Explore the multiple facets (ideological, social, cultural, political, economic, historical, etc.) of issues and to use writing to construct informed, critical positions about these topics ? Identify the kind of ideological work a written text can undertake and how it serves to persuade readers to accept a particular account of an issue as accurate and effective ? Practice developing claims and supporting them with evidence