anyone write an essay on standardized testing

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Issue Map

Assignment goals

To write an objective, balanced and well organized guide that depends on and accurately incorporates secondary sources according to academic standards (e.g. MLA) to develop the positions of the topic.

Topic – Standardized Testing

Objectives:

·Objective perspective, accurately reporting the main positions (opposing) in a controversy.

Report will reflect full and balanced coverage of controversy.

·Maintaining an authorial voice (through organization and structure of paper) while handling extensive amounts of secondary sources.

·Effective use of secondary sources to develop points.

·Accurate citation and documentation according to best practices conforming to MLA standards.

The issue map is a substantial paper of 1,800 – 2,100 words (approximately 6-7 pages) that describes the controversy you’ve chosen to study. You’ve collected a large amount of information via numerous sources representing differing viewpoints related to your issue. It’s now time to integrate the material and describe the controversy.

General guidelines:

·Introduce the topic. State explicitly what the controversy is. Define important terms for the reader.

·Decide how you will organize the controversy. Two general possibilities:

describe the supporting side fully following by the opposing side.

compare and contrast specific points, point by point.

·Make your paper dynamic by focus on the arguments – the positions; don’t merely summarize sources one after another (there will probably be too much overlap anyway!).

·Be thorough. Make sure that you capture the strongest possible arguments on each side.

·Cite your individual sources under each point you are making as your support and evidence for each point.

·Be objective and neutral. This paper is not a place for your own position. You are not taking sides. You are not evaluating the relative merits of each position. You are presenting them as a map to the interested reader. You will not conclude this paper with a statement of which position you favor.

Like the annotated bibliography, this paper requires that you analyze and categorize carefully. Keep in mind the nuances of what makes positions distinct, even within a pro or con side (such as values, purpose).

Please follow the MLA guidelines for paper formatting and documentation. We will use in text citations with signal phrases and a works cited page.