This assignment requires students to write a strong persuasive position paper Students are to use reasoning and evidence to persuade and convince: Political Communication Assignment, MSU, Malaysia

Should a democracy allow for the ruling political party to own

• This assignment requires students to write a strong persuasive position paper.
• Students are to use reasoning and evidence to persuade and convince others of their position on an issue. Or make it difficult for others to reject/ignore your position.
• Students are to provide in the paper at least three strengths of their position on an issue
• They must also provide at least one weakness of (or criticism against) their position, along with how the weakness or criticism can be shown to be insignificant to their position.
• Give strong reasons and solid evidence/data to argue for the strength of your position. Anticipate and address any possible counterarguments. This requires students to put themselves in the shoes of their opponents, and consider how their opponents will try to tear down their argument.
• When students address the weaknesses/criticisms of their position, they are not to use a straw-man argument (or argument simplistically or weakly presented) so as to present the criticisms in a superficial way. Present criticisms or weaknesses of the position seriously and adequately before going on to minimize their significance or impact.  Or suggest possible solutions or courses of action neutralize the criticism so as to strengthen students’ own position further.
• The position paper is thus NOT a one-sided paper like a piece of propaganda. It is a critical paper that promotes a position with good reasons and evidence as well as engages opposing views seriously and respectfully in order to undermine their significance or impact so that even those holding the opposing position may reconsider their own views.
• Offer evidence to support a position in the form of credible facts, statistical data, specific examples, events, dates, etc. This is why students must do research before writing the paper.