Rogerian Argument: Pro- Versus Anti-Uniform Policies

Touchstone 3.1: Construct a Rogerian Argument

ASSIGNMENT: As you learned in this unit, a Rogerian argument is one that presents two sides of a debate and argues for a solution that will satisfy both sides. Given the two articles linked below that present opposing sides of an issue (mandatory uniforms in schools vs. some kind of ‘dress code’), construct your own 2-3 page Rogerian argument essay in which you attempt to arrive at a concrete, workable solution or "middle ground."

The essay should contain the following components:

❒ 1. An introduction that accurately presents both sources (i.e., author, title, year of publication, and position in the debate) and your middle-ground thesis statement.

❒ 2. A body paragraph that summarizes the pro-uniform rationales.

❒ 3. A body paragraph that summarizes the anti-uniform/pro-dress code rationales.

❒ 4. A body paragraph that critically compares and contrasts both sides of the debate.

❒ 5. A conclusion that further develops your proposed middle-ground solution and demonstrates how it satisfies both sides of the debate.

Article 1: "School Dress Codes and Uniform Policies"

Article 2: "Dressing Diversity: Politics of Difference and the Case of School Uniforms"

A. Assignment Guidelines

DIRECTIONS: Refer to the list below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines. Refer to the Sample Touchstone for additional guidance on structure, formatting, and citation.

1. Introduction

❒ Have you briefly and accurately introduced the author, title, and publication context (year, journal, etc.) of Article 1?

❒ Have you briefly and accurately introduced the author, title, and publication context (year, journal, etc.) of Article 2?

❒ Have you ended the introduction with a thesis statement/claim that presents a clear, workable solution that could be viewed as a "middle ground" between the two sides?

2. Body Paragraphs

❒ Have you included a summary of the stance presented in Article 1 in the first body paragraph (including accurate page-numbered citations)?

❒ Have you included a summary of the stance presented in Article 2 in the second body paragraph (including accurate page-numbered citations)?

❒ Have you included at least three direct quotations, supplementing them with your own explanation of their relevance?

❒ Have you adequately compared and contrasted both sides of the debate (with cited examples from the articles) in the third body paragraph?

3. Conclusion

❒ Does your expanded claim address both sides of the issue, including specific points raised in the articles?

❒ Have you backed up your claim using cited facts from both sides of the argument?

DIRECTIONS: Below your assignment, include answers to all of the following reflection questions.

How does the Rogerian model of argument help you better understand the topic that’s being discussed? Why is it a good practice to acknowledge both sides of the argument? (3-4 sentences)

How might the Rogerian approach help you gain insight into your own argumentative essay? (2-3 sentences)

The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:

Composition must be 2-3 pages (approximately 500-750 words).

Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.

Use a readable 12-point font.

All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.

Composition must be original and written for this assignment.

Use of generative chatbot artificial intelligence tools (ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Bard) in place of original writing is strictly prohibited for this assignment.

Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.

Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition.

Include all of the assignment components in a single file.

Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.