Te 408 Final Research Project

Research Project: Social Issues and Action The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

As you continue reading the novel this week, pay particular attention to the social issues Twain exposes—especially through satire—during the 1880s. This week we will critically examine the world around us through popular culture, poetry, and short stories.

Your argumentative project must attempt to persuade your audience to take action using a current social issue that relates to the novel in some way. Remember to keep in mind F=A+P for this assignment, as you have the option to choose from the following forms:

 Traditional research paper  PowerPoint Presentation  Pamphlet 

PSA (Public Service Announcement)

 Letter to a legislator or newspaper editor  Documentary  Anything else (with teacher permission)

In addition to turning in the project, you will also submit a 1-2 page reflection, in which you explicitly state the connections you made between the current social issue and a historical issue from the novel. Furthermore, you will present your research project to the class at the end of this unit for 5 minutes.

Some possible research topics are:

 Body Image

 Domestic Violence

 The Educational System

 Racism

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Sexual Orientation/ Gender Issues

 Poverty 

Alcoholism/Drug Issues

 Class Issues  Sexism  The Green Revolution

Crime

Due Tomorrow: Research Proposal

Prewriting Strategies*: 1. Choose a topic. You should choose a topic that you are passionate about in order to be convincing. Choose a topic that people are in the dark about and shed light on it; people may also disagree with your stance. Choose a current topic so you can easily find evidence to support you views. 2. What do you think? What do you already know about this topic? 3. Who is your audience? What are their main concerns? What are their biases? What do they already know about the issue? What reasons will they find most convincing? 4. Elaborate: Use Logical Appeals. Use logical arguments and express your reasons for your opinions. Then support with evidence (facts, stats, examples, anecdotes, quotations). 5. Use emotional appeals. Reach to your audience’s feelings—use loaded words.

6. Plan what you’ll say. The intro should grab the readers’ attention and contain your thesis statement. The body states your argument point by point and gives reasons in order of importance. Also use counterarguments. You may use a pro/con chart to help with this process. The conclusion should be a call for action that asks your audience to do something specific.

*Adapted from Elements of Literature