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Part Three: Research and Argumentation 383 Assignment: Persuasive Research Essay In order to apply and extend the skills and techniques you’ve learned in this section on argumentation, research, and research writing, you will write an essay which synthesizes research on an arguable topic to create a well-informed and rhetorically impactful argument. Assignment Your task is to write an argumentative essay which takes a position on a topic, supports that position using credible sources, addresses counterarguments, and rebuts those counterarguments. Here’s a more detailed breakdown: 1. Choose a Topic Using the idea generation activities in Chapter Eight, identify a path of inquiry that is open- ended, focused, and—most importantly—interesting to you. 2. Write a Proposal Before beginning your research, identify your path of inquiry (research question) and your working thesis—this is your research proposal. Keep in mind, this is not set in stone, but is rather a starting point. Your proposal should be no fewer than 250 words. Consult the discussion of research proposals in Chapter Eight for guidelines. 3. Research and Write an Annotated Bibliography Using multiple resources (your school’s library, Google, Google Scholar, and beyond), identify the different perspectives on your topic. Consider: o What conversation already exists about this topic? Are you saying something new, or aligning with existing viewpoints? o Who are the authorities on this topic? What stance do they take? Who is weighing in? o What aspects of this topic make it arguable? o What other issues is this debate connected to? Try to gather a diversity of sources in order to catch the contours of a complex conversation. Be sure to document your research along the way to save yourself a headache when you begin your annotated bibliography. You should compile any sources you seriously consult (even if they do not seem useful at the time) in a bibliography using a citation style appropriate to your class. Then, you will evaluate them in the form of an annotated bibliography. Each annotation of roughly 100 words should: a) briefly summarize the source, b) attend to its use-value, and