Q Journal: From Problem to Persuasion (GRADED) Now that you've spent some time writing down some potential problems for your project, it's time to narrow the focus. Reviewing your brainstorming activity, select two potential problems that 1) have two logical sides to the issue (your viewpoint and an opposing viewpoint), 2) are researchable, and 3) are related to your career or degree. In your journal, write a fully developed paragraph for each problem (5-8 sentences each) explaining two sides to the issue (how is it argumentative?), how you plan to approach it in your project (what side are you going to take?), and why you're personally interested in it (of all the potential problems in your field or degree, why did you choose this?). When writing the paragraphs, feel free to express any other thoughts or concerns you may have about the topic choices. After exploring the argumentativeness of your problems, take a moment to consider the bigger picture. Then, in one to two paragraphs, briefly reflect on the importance of persuasion with the potential topic you're most likely to write about. Why is it important that people consider your side with your selected topic? Who is your audience, and why is it important to convince them that your view on your topic is the better (or more correct) view? Remember to try to be specific in your entry: this information will help guide you as you work on your project in the coming weeks. Use the following checklist to make sure that you are covering all of the key points mentioned above: In the first paragraph (5-8 sentences), explain: • Two sides of the first issue • Your approach/side • Why you're interested in the topic In the second paragraph (5-8 sentences), explain: • Two sides of the second issue • Your approach/side • Why you're interested in the topic In the third and fourth paragraphs (5-8 sentences each), reflect on: • The importance of persuasion for the topic you're most likely to write about o Why is it important for people to consider your side? o Who is your audience? o Why is it important to convince them that your view is best? As you work on the journal, remember to refer to the assignment guidelines and rubric (click here) to make sure you're fulfilling each critical element. You can also download/print the rubric. Submitting Your Journal Assignment For this assignment, you may choose to use the MindEdge Notebook (which can be found under the "Tools" menu, signaled by the wrench icon on the upper right side of the screen), or you can type your response into a word processing program on your computer, such as Microsoft Word. Either way, you will need to save your journal entry and then submit it to your instructor through your learning environment.