Writing Homework Help

The PowerPoint Term Project must be submitted either in Microsoft

PowerPoint, 2009 version or later. Submissions in other programs or not

meeting these requirements will not be accepted. The number of slides

you put together is for you to decide and present to make your

argument.

Your presentation presents an arguable opinion about an issue. The
goal of your presentation is to convince the audience that your opinion
is valid and worth listening to. Developing your argument, and
organizing your PowerPoint Presentation has to be thought out prior to
progressing. It is very important to ensure that you are addressing ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUE
within your argument and presenting it in a manner that is easy for
your audience to understand. Your job is to take one side of the
argument and persuade your audience that you have well-founded knowledge
of the topic being presented. It is important to support your argument
with evidence to ensure the validity of your claims, as well as to
address the counterclaims to show that you are well informed about both
sides.

Issue Criteria

Ask yourself the following questions to ensure that you will be able to present a strong argument:

	Can you distinctly identify two positions?
	Are you personally interested in advocating one of these positions?
	Is the issue narrow enough to be manageable?

Analyzing an Issue and Developing an Argument

Once your topic is selected, you should do research on the subject
matter. While you may already have an opinion on your topic and an idea
about which side of the argument you want to take, you need to ensure that your position is well supported.
Listing out the pro and con sides of the topic will help you examine
your ability to support your counterclaims, along with a list of
supporting evidence for both sides. Supporting evidence includes the
following:

	Factual Knowledge – Information that is verifiable and agreed upon by almost everyone.
	Statistical Inferences – Interpretation and examples of an accumulation of facts.
	Informed Opinion – Opinion developed through research and/or expertise of the claim.
	Personal Testimony – Personal experience related by a knowledgeable party.

Once you have made your pro and con lists, compare the information
side by side. Considering your audience, as well as your own viewpoint,
choose the position you will take.

In considering the audience, ask yourself the following questions:

	Who is your audience?
	What do they believe?
	Where do they stand on the issue?
	How are their interests involved?
	What evidence is likely to be effective with them?

In determining your viewpoint, ask yourself the following:

	Is your topic interesting?
	Can you manage the material within the specifications set by the instructor?
	Does your topic assert something specific and propose a plan of action?
	Do you have enough material to support your opinion? DO NOT STATE ASSERTIONS UNLESS YOU CAN SUPPORT THEM WITH FACTS TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION. A good place to start: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ucr/publications. (Links to an external site.) This site contains a lot of data that could be useful to you. Check out the most recent developments in Minnesota following the defund the police movement.

Organization

Your introduction should lead up to a thesis that organizes the rest
of your presentation. There are three advantages to leading with the
thesis:

1. The audience knows where you stand.
2. The thesis is located in the two strongest places, first and last.
3. It is the most common form of argument used.

BELOW IS A GENERIC SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR YOUR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

1. Introduction
2. Introduce the topic
3. Provide background on the topic
4. Assert the thesis (your view of the issue)

1. Counter Argument
2. Summarize the counterclaims
3. Provide supporting information for counterclaims
4. Refute the counterclaims
5. Give evidence for argument

III. Your Argument

1. Assert point #1 of your claims
2. 1. Give your opinion
3. Provide support

1. Assert point #2 of your claims
2. Give your opinion
3. Provide support

1. Assert point #3 of your claims
2. Give your opinion
3. Provide support

1. Conclusion
2. Restate your argument
3. Provide a plan of action