qualified immunity

ENGL 1120 – 31321
Paper 2: Position paper.
In this paper, you will examine a current social controversy.  Controversial issues in the cultural, political, and social spheres are in play, and issues in the humanities, social sciences, and related disciplines are entertained. Do not write on those “burned over” or “burned out” issues such as abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia, legalization of marijuana, gun control and so forth. Also, whatever the topic, try to “regionalize” the issue (make it relevant to Northeast Ohio, if possible). I strongly encourage you to find a controversial issue or problem in your respective discipline on which to write.  For example, if you are a nurse (or studying to go into nursing), try to find a topic relevant to nursing, or focus the topic on nursing in some way.  For instance, for a nurse, a paper examining the impact that the Charleston church shooting has had on race relations is not directly related to the field, but a paper examining the impacts that race can have on the level of medical care administered in hospitals is related.  At this point, you have been equipped with the tools to do through and in-depth research, so use them to write a more narrowly focused paper.
Chapter 5 of your text explains position arguments.  Make sure you read and understand this.  Make sure you choose your topic well.  Not all topics lend themselves to position arguments.  Also make sure you do not stray into the realm of writing a proposal argument, which is easy to do.  A position paper addresses the ethical or moral aspects of a controversy in an attempt to change the audience’s feelings or positions about an issue. Position arguments do not offer a solution to that controversy. It should be focused on persuading the audience that a problem that is not seen or well understood exists (remember to keep in mind what constitutes an arguable claim).  Your job in this paper is to convince your reader to adopt your position on an issue. Also, and I really can’t stress this enough: make sure you have a good thesis.  As a reminder from ENGL 1110/11, the formula for a thesis statement is: thesis = claim + reason.  I have read enough of these papers that I can say with absolute confidence that if you don’t have a solid thesis statement, your paper will fall apart completely (since every paragraph of your paper must relate back to your thesis).  You are of course welcome to e-mail me and ask if a thesis statement is good or not.
The paper should follow proper MLA format (this includes, but is not limited to, the paper requirements outlined in the syllabus, which I will not repeat here).  The paper should be a minimum of 1500 words in length and should include at least 5 credible sources: 1 book, 2 journal articles, 1 newspaper, and 1 additional (credible) source of your choosing.  Refer to what I posted about credibility of sources (or what is discussed in your book) to make sure you are using acceptable sources.
Due: March 21, 2022.