Argument Project Portfolio: Call to Action/Course of Action

Our modern world is defined by and dependent on a variety of sciences and technologies. The impact of scientific and technological discoveries continues to dominate our discussions of who we are, where we come from, where we are going, and why we are here. However, many people do not understand the fundamental concepts of science and its foundation in empirical thinking and the scientific method. As a consequence, there is a great deal of confusion, both about what sicence is and what science does.

This can clearly be seen in arguments. For some people, science trumps all other arguments, dominating the discussion. Others misunderstand and misinterpret scientific findings. Still others offer as "scientific proof," information and concepts that follow models of thinking quite different from the scientific model.

In this portfolio project, students will explore a controversial subject where scientific research plays a significant role.

Suggestions for Areas of Research

Some possible topics might include

• Environmental protection
• Technology and Privacy
• Children, Technology, and/or the Media
• Role of Technology in Education
• Control of, Limits on, or Restrictions to Technological Access in Education
• Impact of Technology on News Media
• Impact of Technology on Interpersonal Relationships
• Values/Dangers of Technology
• Technology and Self-Expression
• Potential of Scientific Research in Specific Areas
• Need for Science Training
• Scientific Freedom vs. Governmental Control
• The Use of ChatGPT and other AI algorithms for Teaching and Learning
• Impact of AI on Career Choices
• Pros and Cons of Vaccine Therapies
• Various Green Energy Approaches

Understanding the Scientific Method

As a simplified explanation of the scientific method, the scientist

• makes observations of phenomena, and
• based on these observations, formulates a hypothesis (statement of pattern),
• then determines conditions for testing the hypothesis
• in order to reach a conclusion based on observed evidence that substantiates or contradicts the hypothesis

For a more detailed explanation,

For an application of the scientific method in analyzing the validity of suggested hypotheses, see Stephen Jay Gould, "Sex, Drugs, Disasters, and the Extinction of Dinosaurs"

Assignments

Note Cards

As students research their topics, they will take notes from their resources. Students will sort out their note taking into five groups:

• Issue: What is the issue that needs to be resolved?
• Concerns: Why does the issue need to be considered or resolved?
• Solutions: What possible things can be done to resolve the issue?
• Problems: What problems stand in the way of resolving the issue?
• Resources: What resources are needed to resolve the issue?

Sample Note Card Format

TopicNote taking group

Author's last name

Notes on information from this source on the group heading

Internal citation to be used

Sample Note Card

VaccinesProblems

Cohen

Effective herd immunity

• Global - risk from travel
• Universal: Communities of unvaccinated people - increased risk of disease
• spreading
• evolving
resulting in "surges and large outbreaks"

(Cohen)

Note taking Apps

There are a variety of note taking applications that are free and can be used instead of note cards if the instructor prefers. These include

• Note taking apps like Microsoft OneNote, Google Keep, Apple Notes, and Evernote
• Hierarchical tree apps like Trilium Notes, Cacoo, Treepad Lite, and TreeNoote
• Mind mapping apps like FreeMind, XMind, Mindmup, MindNote, EdrawMind, Coggle, and LucidChart

[Note: The logical organization of the notes is what is important, not the physical form of the notes.]

Annotated Bibliography

Students will turn in an MLA formatted annotated bibliography of sources. This annotated bibliography must include a citation for each source with a three to six sentence annotation for each citation. The annotation will be a brief summary of the primary information in the source, identified by note taking groups.

Sample Citation with Annotation

Cohen, Sandy. "Herd immunity: What is it and what happens if we don't reach it for COVID-19?" UCLA Health. 2021 Apr. 23. 2025 Sep. 29. <https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/understanding-covid-19-herd-immunity-what-is-it-and-what-happens-if-we-dont-reach-it>

Cohen discusses herd immunity for Covid-19 (Issue). She includes vaccination rates for California and the U.S. general population as well as Mexico, Canada, and South Africa for Spring 2021 (Concerns). The article examines the question of what perecentage of people need to be vaccinated, the problems if herd immunity is not reached. She quotes Dr. Robert Kim-Farley who identifies some of the effects a lack of vaccine acceptance has on herd immunity and the spread and evolving of Covid-19. She quotes Dr. Annabelle de St. Maurice on the limited effectiveness of vaccines when herd immunity is not achieved (Problems).

Call to Action Essay

Students will write an essay calling for action in response to some issue related to science and technology. The focus of the essay will be on establishing the need for action to be taken.

• Topic:
  • The topic must involve a call to action in response to a controversial issue involving science and technology
  • The topic must be approved by instructor in advance.
• Length: minimum of 750 words
• Number of sources: minimum of five sources
• Source Restrictions: Use source materials from academic journals and news magazine articles.
• Citation Format: Must follow MLA style

Essay Map

Introduction

The introduction should emphasize the urgency and importance of the need for action. Sometimes an emotional appeal can be made by a narration of a particular situation that illustrates the need.

A common example used in calls for people to stop smoking involves people suffering from illness that was a direct effect of their smoking.

Thesis

The thesis should be a must statement calling for action to be taken (and why).

Body

The body should identify the reasons why action is necessary

and / or

identify the consequences if action is not taken.

Conclusion

The conclusion will re-emphasize the urgency for action to be taken often including an emotional appeal, especially returning to a narrative appeal made in the introduction.

A common example used in calls for people to stop smoking involves the death of people who had suffered from consequences of smoking and the effects on their families.

The Call to Action assignment will argue for the need for action. The Course of Action assignment will argue for a plan of action. The Call to Action assignment will explain why something needs to be done. The Course of Action assignment will explain what needs to be done.

Course of Action Essay

In the Course of Action essay, students will write an essay arguing in support of one of two or more conflicting positions on the issue explored in the Call to Action essay.

• Topic:
  • The topic must involve a plan of action responding to the call to action essay
  • The topic must be approved by instructorin advance.
• Length: minimum of 1500 words
• Number of sources: minimum of five sources
• Source Restrictions: Use source materials from academic journals and news magazine articles.
• Citation Format: Must follow MLA style

Essay Map

Introduction

The introduction should briefly summarize the arguments why action is needed (Summarize key points from Call to Action essay).

Thesis

The thesis should be a must statement stating exactly what action must be taken (and why).

Body

The body should either break down the action to be taken into steps, explaining the step, why it must be taken, and its effects

or

argue why this particular action must be taken and what effects it will have in resolving the problem.

Conclusion

The conclusion will re-emphasize the urgency for the action to be taken and the consequences of delay and/or inaction.

The Call to Action assignment will argue for the need for action. The Course of Action assignment will argue for a plan of action. The Call to Action assignment will explain why something needs to be done. The Course of Action assignment will explain what needs to be done.

Strategies for Success

While Taking Notes

When taking notes on a source, create its MLA Citation in your annotated bibliography document. After you have finished taking notes, sort the note cards by source, and use them to write the annotation underneath the citation that you have already created.

As you build your annotated bibliography, be sure to keep the citations in alphabetical order.

When Writing the Annotated Bibliography

First sort all of the note cards into groups by author/source. Then sort each author/source group by the note card groups. When writing the annotation, use information group by group, labeling each group as seen in the example.

When Writing the Call to Action essay

When you are ready to write your Call to Action essay, separate all of the Issue cards and Concerns note cards to use in writing the paper.

In the introduction of the essay, explain the issue (Issue). The introduction should end with a thesis that defines why the issue needs to be addressed (Concerns). Keep the thesis simple, either by focusing on the single most compelling reason for addressing the isue or by listing the three most important reasons for addressing the issue.

In the body of the essay, the body paragraphs should provide the significant, important, relevant, valuable, and necessary details supporting the issue should be addressed (Concerns).

In the conclusion, reemphasize the significance, importance, relevance, or value behind the need to address the issue (Concerns).

When Writing the Course of Action essay

When you are ready to write your Call to Action essay, separate all of the Solutions, Problems, and Resources note cards to use in writing the paper.

Revise the conclusion of the Call to Action paper as the introduction to the Course of Action essay.

The thesis of the Course of Action essay should identify the significant, important, relevant, or valuable reason why the course of action chosen should be followed.

In the body of the essay, decide on which type of argument format best fits the research you have done. Then organize the details into paragraphs that best fit the argument type selected in order to make the case for the course of action chosen.

In the conclusion of the essay, re-emphasize again the need to address the issue and summarize the significant, important, relevant, or valuable reasons why the course of action argued in the body of the essay should be followed.

Finally, when writing both essays, demonstrate through your writing that you can

• State a clear and specific argument about the need for action or course of action to be taken (thesis).
• State clear and specific arguments in support of the overall argument (thesis) about the call to action or course of action (Topic sentences).
• Support your argument for the call to action or about the course of action with specific details from the relevant source material (Supporting evidence).
• Demonstrate an understanding of source material (Support).
• Demonstrate an understanding of how evidence from sources supports the thesis being argued [4Cs – Claim, Context, Cite, Connect] (Supporting evidence)
• Incorporate relevant details from sources in support of an argument (Supporting evidence—use data rather than statements).
• Demonstrate a mastery of MLA documentation, both in creating a works cited list and in properly citing references to source material (Documentation).
• Express ideas clearly and succinctly in a compelling way (Style).
• Express ideas in formal language appropriate to the assignment (Style).
• Express ideas in grammatically correct English, demonstrating a mastery of basic language skills (Grammar and style)
• Express in a logical, clear, succinct, and compelling manner the significance, importance, relevance, or value of a particular argument (Essay structure: Introduction, thesis, topic sentences, conclusion)