Energy Unit Position Writing for Language Arts

Energy Unit Position Writing for Language Arts

Due Date:

You will be using what you have learned about energy sources to write a position paper.

·  Interest groups and consulting firms will need to write about the energy source your group represents.

·  Public media will select the energy source you feel best meets the needs of Madison to write about.

Step 1: Clearly state your position in your introductory sentence. This sentence should not include any specific details or reasoning.

Step 2: Go back through your notes and highlight specific evidence that supports your claim. You will need at least three pieces of evidence to back up your position. Think about using transition words and phrases to introduce the evidence. For example, “In the book Wind Energy by Jacinda Miller, she cites a study on migrating birds in which scientists found that 1,670 birds were killed by wind turbines during the spring of 2010 alone.” After each piece of evidence is stated, explain how it supports your claim. Using the above example, if my position is that solar is the best choice for the City of Madison; I would say “Using coal for electricity does not kill any animals.” This links your evidence to your main point and helps make your argument clear.

Step 3: You will need to include two counterarguments. One should anticipate what others will say that is negative about your energy source. Based on what you learned so far, what do you think is your biggest challenge to getting votes? Explain why this logic is flawed. For example, if you are arguing for coal, you could say “Others will say that burning coal contributes to global warming however there is new technology to capture carbon emissions at power plants so they do not enter into the atmosphere.” The second should tell something negative about a competing energy source. Think about which energy source is the biggest challenge to your source for voting. Go through your notes and highlight the negative aspects of this energy source. In the following example, I recognize that geothermal is a clean alternative but I have identified cost as a negative for geothermal. I would write the following: “Geothermal energy may seem at first to be a logical solution as it is renewable and clean however when you consider the high costs associated with installing and maintaining systems, geothermal is not a legitimate option.” In that example, I acknowledge what may be seen as a benefit of geothermal then explain the negative counter claim.

Step 4: You will need to write a concluding statement. This should restate your position and main points in a different way that supports your viewpoint.