1. Improve CP

Comment on last draft:

This is a very good draft, a few missing elements and a few minor issues. Strong thesis statement and clear argument, strong topic. sentences give a solid structure. Evidence is used well and supports the argument. Historical context is done well. Lacking is counter argument and discussion of the rhetorical context. Images can use improvement on placement, but generally they’re effective, Sources look good and format is great.

I uploaded some feedbacks in the doc file.

2. CP Self-Assesment

Multi-Modal Self-Assessment: CP

Carefully review the draft edits from your peers as well as my edits on your draft and marginal and final comments on your paper. Be as specific as possible, using evidence (in the form of peer and instructor comments) from the process to make your points.

Multi-modality: In your discussion, you should both include screenshots of the feedback and add them to your document.

You should also include at least TWO stages of before and after evidence, and discuss those changes (even if it is to show that you did not change and what was the outcome of that decision).

Please divide the following into five separate sections:

1.

Describe your role as a peer editor. What challenges did you confront while working to implement the tools for effective feedback? How did you work to offer your peers the sort of useful feedback you would hope to receive on your own draft? What aspects of your role as an editor will you keep as an AP editor? What will you change? Explain.

2.

Describe the feedback from your two peers. (if you only had feedback from one peer, just site the one.) What aspects of the feedback were most helpful? (Provide at least ONE specific example.) Least helpful? (Provide at least one specific example.) Did any feedback conflict either between your peers or with that of the instructor? How did you deal with the conflict(s)?

3.

What TWO comments either during your conference with me or on your draft had the most impact on the revision process from your initial drafting and composing stages to your final draft? (Be sure to note what were the specific comments.) Explain how you implemented the suggestions into your revised essay and whether or not you think that you were successful in implementing these suggestions.

4.

In retrospect, were there any comments you wish you had paid closer attention to while revising? If so, what were they and why do you think you chose to ignore them in the revision process? Be specific.

5.

Moving into the next composition, what will you do differently either in the composition or research process? Be specific.

3. AP Initial Research and Argument

Read this first!!! The advocacy Project Prompt.docx

Advocacy Project Abstract, Annotations and New Sources

Your first bit of draft work will involve research, annotation and an abstract. Your goal for now is to simply find out what work has been done to solve or mitigate the problem you investigated in your CP, what have scholars and policy experts determined are the obstacles involved in implementing these solutions and how have scholars and policy experts evaluated the efforts to solve or mitigate the problem you investigated in your CP. The ultimate goal here is to articulate an advocacy argument, which means an argument about advocacy (what is being done? Has it worked? What obstacles do the advocates confront in their efforts? How can advocacy work better?). But first you must find, summarize and evaluate the source material before you formulate your argument.

Note of caution: While an advocacy website might contain some useful source material and information, keep in mind that these are basically advertisements for the advocacy group. You cannot use them, therefore, to evaluate the advocates or their efforts; this is what scholarship is for.

1. Provide a bibliography with 10-12 new sources (at least half of these NEW sources should be scholarly and/or think tank sources). You can use sources from your CP, but you still must have 10-12 new sources. Complete annotated paragraphs for at least FIVE of your new sources (the sources should be a combination of SCHOLARLY, THINK TANK REPORTS and INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM).

In order to decide whether or not a given source is going to benefit your project, try to determine its place. Use the following checklist to ensure that you have a variety of sources. You should have sources that help you answer all of these questions.

–Do your sources help establish recent efforts to solve or mitigate the problem? Do these efforts reflect a “trend” in the sort of approach that advocates have taken in recent years?

–Does the source help establish economic, social, legal or political obstacles to solving or mitigating the problem?

–Does the source help establish who has a stake in blocking efforts to solve or mitigate the problem?

–Does the source show how the advocacy has been helped or hurt by public opinion? Or does it describe any common perception about the issue that determines the advocacy approach.

–Does the source show how policy or law or other reform measures have failed?

–Does the source help define the root causes of failed efforts to solve or mitigate the problem?

–Does the source help establish how advocates have been successful in solving or mitigating the problem?

–Does the source help establish an evaluation of cost to benefit?

–Does the source help establish the feasibility of your proposed solutions? (does it establish precedence? Show current action? Efforts at implementation?)

–Does the source offer a solution to the problem similar to the one you envision? (if so, has there been any action after the work was published? If so, what? If not, why do you suppose that is?)

–Does the source function as opposition to your proposed solution? Does it show, in other words, what might be problematic about your argument? (you will want real voices with real arguments here).

2. Abstract: Your task now is to find, articulate and evaluate advocacy efforts as they relate to your topic.

Your AP abstract will be different from your CP abstract, and somewhat longer. Use the following guidelines:

1) briefly summarize the problem and cause you investigated in your CP (in 2-3 sentences);

2) briefly summarize the most influential advocacy approach(es) in solving or mitigating the problem that you articulated in your CP;

3) describe the obstacles those advocates are up against;

4) evaluate the approaches you think are least effective and why;

5) most effective and why (be sure to qualify your answers. Just because you think an approach is most effective, doesn’t mean it is perfect. Explain).

To evaluate your advocacy positions, you might use the following questions:

• Do the efforts aim at creating, replacing, or amending legislations? Do the efforts aim at creating, amending or enforcing local ordinances? Is there any conflict between interest groups, activists, and the federal government? Do the efforts aim at educating the public? How so? Do the efforts involve long-term or short-term solutions? Both? Are short-term solutions at odds with long-term solutions? Or vice versa?

Be sure to cite your source(s) in MLA formatting.