In Unit II, we will all be reading on the topic of euthanasia, and working on responses and summaries to those readings. Also, at the end of the unit, we will discuss strategies for writing in-class essays (for example, examination essays) and writing one on the topic of euthanasia on Thursday, November 12. That in-class Argumentative Essay III will be worth 100 points and will be based on an understanding of the unit’s reading assignments. Other work in this unit will involve your choosing your own topic on which to speak and write persuasively. You will be giving one speech on your chosen topic (Persuasive Speech II) worth 100 points, and will be writing one essay on that topic (Argumentative Essay IV) also worth 100 points.

In Unit I, I allowed you to decide for yourself if your speech and essay would be on similar topics or if they would each be on a different topic under the family values umbrella. Here, you do not have a choice. Please both speak and write on the same topic, with your speech being necessarily more focused and briefer than your essay. You will give your speech first, get some peer feedback on it, and then expand it for the written essay due in my mailbox or office by Friday, November 13 (not a class day!).

Any topic which lends itself to argument is acceptable, except for the topic of euthanasia.

Please note that everyone will speak next Monday, October 18. You will give us a brief introduction to your topic of choice. Plan to speak for 30 sesconds to 1 minute.

Speeches for this unit will begin on Monday, October 25 and end on Monday, November 9.

Another assignment for this unit is a summary of James Rachel’s article due next Thursday, October 21.

Lastly, the syllabus calls on you to write a letter (or fill out a response questionaire) to a peer giving him/her feedback on his/her speech—the sort of feedback that will help turn the speech into a good paper. Please form yourselves into pairs and write each other letters, so that everyone both writes and receives a letter (or form yourself into a round robin in which A writes for B who writes for C who writes for A). Again, give your peer one copy of your letter, and me one copy of it.