Category: English

  • “Exploring the Writer’s Choices: An Analysis of Genre, Audience, Purpose, and Subject in a Text”

    Directions
    For this assignment, you will explain the writer’s choices in relation to genre, audience, purpose, and subject. You will also write about the core idea of the text as well as the details that support it and use at least one quote from the article to support your analysis. Completing this assignment will result in a draft of the first part of your project. Complete this assignment using either the APA or MLA template linked in the What to Submit section.
    Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
    Identify the topic of the text.
    Explain the writer’s choices in relation to the genre of the text.
    Describe the writer’s purpose.
    Explain the writer’s choices in relation to the audience, purpose, and/or subject of the text.
    Determine the historical and/or cultural context of the text.
    Articulate the core idea of the text.
    Summarize details of the text that are relevant to the core idea.
    Support your analysis of the core idea with evidence from the text.
    Include at least one quote from the text.
    Explain how this evidence supports the core idea.
    What to Submit
    Using either the APA template or the MLA template, submit a one- to two-page Microsoft Word document (with an additional title page and reference page in the case of APA or a works cited page in the case of MLA) with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Use evidence from the text to support your paper. Follow APA or MLA citation guidelines when citing the text both throughout and at the end of your analysis.
    Supporting Materials
    The following resources will support your work on this assignment:
    Student APA Exemplar: Module Five Analysis of a Written Work for a First Audience APA Exemplar
    This is an example of a completed assignment using the APA style template. You may want to use this as a guide when addressing the rubric criteria for this assignment.
    Student MLA Exemplar: Module Five Analysis of a Written Work for a First Audience MLA Exemplar
    This is an example of a completed assignment using the MLA style template. You may want to use this as a guide when addressing the rubric criteria for this assignment.

  • “Exploring the Elements of a Good Memoir: Analysis of Bragg’s “All Over but the Shoutin’” and Fadiman’s “Under Water””

    This week’s readings (Rick Bragg’s “All Over but the Shoutin’” and Anne Fadiman’s “Under Water” are examples of excellent memoirs that are rich with meaning, description, and detail. They’re intended to model the types of qualities readers expect in memoir and you’ll be working toward including: 1) a good story; 2) vivid details; and 3) clear significance. For this week’s discussion post, please respond to both readings (PDFs in Week 2 Learning Module). Please provide 50+ word thoughtful, substantive responses to each of the eight questions below by Thursday. Then by Sunday respond to two of your classmates’ postings, discussing what you agree with or disagree with from their postings. When agreeing with a classmate’s response, make sure to further support their claims by giving additional examples from the text. When disagreeing with classmates, make sure to do so in a constructive and polite tone, and also make sure to reference specific details from the text that suggest a different interpretation than theirs. (On Bragg’s “All Over but the Shoutin’””) What makes a memoir a “good story” in your opinion? In other words, what makes it interesting? Does Bragg’s essay accomplish this? Why or why not? The most powerful memoirs use vivid, concrete imagery that evoke one or more of the five senses. Where can you find an example of Bragg using a vivid image or description? What makes this image so vibrant or vivid to you? How would you describe the relationship between Bragg and his father? What gifts does his father give him during this encounter and what are the gifts’ significance in your opinion? What do Bragg and his father resolve? Is there closure? Paraphrase (put into your own words) the passage in which you believe Bragg explains the significance or meaning of the memoir and what this experience meant to him. (On Fadiman’s “Under Water”) Consider how Fadiman begins or starts her essay. Now that you’ve read it and know what the essay will cover and what she’s writing about, reread the essay’s opening or first paragraph again carefully. What’s the significance of this paragraph in your opinion? How does it foreshadow or hint at what will happen in the rest of the essay? What do you consider the main conflict or tension in Fadiman’s essay? Explain and consider providing examples. At the moment of crisis in the essay, the author thinks of an image from the Sistine Chapel and then describes her thought as “dishonorable.” What does she mean when she calls her action a “crime of inattention?” Where else do you see this kind of self-criticism in the essay? What passage or paragraph was the most vivid in your imagination or most engaged your five senses? What effect did that have on you and your reading? I look forward to hearing what you thought of these two memoirs!

  • “Conducting an Informational Interview: A Guide to Gathering Valuable Career Information” Title: Exploring Career Paths: Interview with a Professional

    One of the best sources for gathering information about what’s happening in an occupation or an industry is to talk to people working in the field. This process is called informational or research interviewing. An informational interview is an interview that you initiate – you ask the questions. The purpose is to obtain information, not to get a job.
    Good reasons for conducting an Informational Interview
    to explore careers and clarify your career goal
    to discover employment opportunities that are not advertised
    to expand your professional network
    to build confidence for your job interviews
    to access the most up-to-date career information
    to identify your professional strengths and weaknesses
    Instructions
    Steps to Conduct and Informational Interview
    Identify the Occupation or Industry You Wish to Learn About Assess your own interests, abilities, values, and skills, and evaluate labor conditions and trends to identify the best fields to research.
    Prepare for the Interview Read all you can about the field prior to the interview. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have answered.
    Identify People to Interview Start with lists of people you already know – friends, relatives, fellow students, present or former co-workers, supervisors, neighbors, etc… Professional organizations, the yellow pages, organizational directories, and public speakers are also good resources. You may also call an organization and ask for the name of the person by job title. Arrange the Interview Contact the person to set up an interview: o by telephone, o by a letter followed by a telephone call, or o by having someone who knows the person make the appointment for you.
    Conduct the Interview Dress appropriately, arrive on time, be polite and professional. Refer to your list of prepared questions; stay on track, but allow for spontaneous discussion. Before leaving, ask your contact to suggest names of others who might be helpful to you and ask permission to use your contact’s name when contacting these new contacts.
    Follow Up Immediately following the interview, record the information gathered. Be sure to send a thank-you note to your contact within one week of the interview.
    NOTE: Always analyze the information you’ve gathered. Adjust your job search, resume, and career objective if necessary. Questions
    Prepare a list of your own questions for your informational interview. Here are some good questions to consider and use. You choose the questions you want to ask for the information you want to gather and learn about the career and person in the job. On a typical day in this position, what do you do?
    What training or education is required for this type of work? What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job? What part of this job do you find most satisfying? most challenging? How did you get your job? What opportunities for advancement are there in this field? What entry level jobs are best for learning as much as possible? What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field? How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future? Is there a demand for people in this occupation? What special advice would you give a person entering this field? What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field? What are the basic prerequisites for jobs in this field? Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field? What do you think of the experience I’ve had so far in terms of entering this field? From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field? If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change? With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision? What do you think of my resume? Do you see any problem areas? How would you suggest I change it? Who do you know that I should talk to next? When I call him/her, may I use your name? You can interview a teacher, relative, friend, friend of a friend, and much more. If you are having trouble finding someone to interview, go to a department on your school campus and interview a professor in the field.
    You can conduct your interview remotely via Zoom. It is okay to do more than one interview (this is encouraged). Get creative! You have options to complete this assignment: Write a one-page reflection or create a video of the person and career field you interviewed:
    Who did you interview? What is their job title?
    What does a day in the life look like? Was it similar to your expectations?
    What steps would you need to take to get there from where you are now?
    What types of work-experience or internships would be valuable as you are working toward your final goal?
    What is the salary range of the job you chose?
    What are some aspects of the job that are most appealing to you? What aspects of the job do you think you would find most challenging or unappealing?
    What surprised you?
    How did you feel going in to the interview? How do you feel about it now?
    Did you find this assignment to be valuable? Why or why not?

  • Topic: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health Background info: Social media refers to online platforms and applications that allow individuals to connect and share content with others. It has become an integral part of modern society, with billions of people using it

    I’ve attached my essay below, I  already wrote it I  just need you to fill these questions out based on my essay please. 
    This discussion board post can also serve as a sort of rough draft for your Research Paper introduction, if done well! The questions below all lead you toward providing the right kind of information that is useful in an introduction. 
    Task: 
    Part I: Brainstorm (6 Points)
    In complete sentences, answer the following questions:
    First, indicate your topic. Tell us a little bit about the prompt that you’re writing about. 
    Background info: Is there any useful context? Are there any important terms or ideas that need explanation?
    Conversation: What are some varying perspectives on this topic? How do different groups of people see your topic?
    Thesis: What argument(s) are you ultimately making about your chosen prompt? 
    Remember that the thesis statement should be one sentence long and contain a claim (your perspective) and a rationale (your reasoning). 

  • Title: “The Power of Resilience: A Comparative Analysis of Alvin Ailey’s ‘Revolution’ and Mary Rowlandson’s ‘A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration’” Alvin Ailey’s dance piece, “

    Write an art profile essay that describes Alvin Ailey’s dance “Revolution” in relation to the text by Mary Rowlandson, “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682)”. Include direct quotations and paraphrases with in-text citations. In your profile, there should be a balance between your discussion and analysis of the art and the literature. Draw comparisons between the two and make clear why your choice of art was inspired by the literature in a thesis/purpose statement. 

  • My Future Goals and Educational Plan My Future Goals and Educational Plan Goal Statement: My ultimate goal is to become a successful pediatrician, providing quality healthcare to children and making a positive impact in their lives. As a child, I always had

    Goal
    Now that you have given some thought to your future career and major, the next step is to write a summary of your future goals and an educational plan to accomplish your goals.
    Having a clear path to reach your goals can help keep you motivated, save time by taking the right courses, and give you a visual step by step roadmap toward your future success.
    You will doing a Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) and Goal Statement. Instructions
    STEP ONE
    Write a Goal StatementThis should include your future goals and your plan to achieve them. You may include background or personal information regarding your motivation for choosing your major, career and goal as well as information that was helpful in the development of your plans. Sample Student Goal StatementsSTEP TWO
    Complete your Educational Plan and/or Meet with a Counselor to do your PlanIf you have already met with a counselor, you don’t have to meet with one again. But, make sure you upload your Educational Plan here. In addition to the courses you are currently taking, you will want to list all future semesters until you meet your goal to either transfer or graduate. Here are two types you can download to fill out. You do not have to be a Cuyamaca College student to fill out an Educational Plan. High School students, university students, and/or Grossmont students can all do a CEP that lists the classes they plan on taking each semester until they graduate (degree or certificate) or transfer.
    Student Sample Educational Plan
    Child Dev Major
    Actions
    Education Plan Templates (use one of these):
    One Semester Education PlanLinks to an external site.
    Six Semester Education Plan Links to an external site.
    Blank Generic CEP (Word Doc)
    Actions
    This is the form we use at Cuyamaca. If you are at another college, please use their form. You can also create your own form. What I am looking for is a semester by semester breakdown with classes you plan to take. Classes can include work experience, internships or part time jobs. This is your educational plan so you put what you plan to do. There is not a wrong way in filling this out, using another college form, or creating your own form.
    Reminder: If you are at another college, school or university, use your counseling office at your location and what works best for you in your educational and career planning. You don’t have to make an appointment if you already have an Educational Plan or if you can fill it out on your own!
    Submission

  • Broad topic: The impact of social media on mental health. Research questions: 1. How does social media use affect individuals’ self-esteem and body image? 2. What are the potential negative effects of excessive social media use on mental health? 3

    In a reply to this Discussion, include the following information:
    The broad topic you initially chose to research for this class.
    Two to three research questions you initially developed based on your background research.
    A
    brief summary of the research you’ve done so far, and the most
    important findings. This should be 5-8 sentences long, and you don’t
    have to cite your sources. Just explain what you’ve learned so far in
    your research.
    Your final 1-3 sentence thesis statement, and any
    feedback you’d like on your thesis statement. (Feel free to ask
    questions such as: Is this too vague? Is this too specific? How can I
    make this thesis stronger?) Make sure your thesis statement does not
    just state a fact! You must take a position on your topic.

  • Creating Personas for I Love NuVegan Restaurant Persona 1: Busy Businessman Bob • Name: Bob Smith • Occupation: Businessman • Location: Washington D.C. • Age: 35 • Website: https “Creating a User-Friendly Website: Step-by-Step Guide with Screenshots”

    Create three different personas using this local restaurant and instructions
    https://www.ilovenuvegan.com/
    Writing Assignment #1
    Writing Three Personas
    Summary of the Assignment:
    • Task: In this assignment, you will write three personas to prepare for writing assignment #2,
    the set of instructions that explain how to accomplish a task on a website. You want to read the
    instructions for writing assignment #2 before writing your personas.
    • Sample papers
    o You should access the sample papers for writing assignments #1 and #2 for helpful
    models.
    o You can watch a video that reviews sample papers for writing assignments #1 and #2.
    • Length: Each persona should be 120-250 words in length.
    • Graphics: You are not required to use any graphics. If you would like to include a photo for
    each persona, you may.
    • Tip: The best approach for this assignment is to become familiar with the website on which
    you will write writing assignment #2 and then create your personas. For example, if the
    website has special steps to take for bulk orders, perhaps one of your personas will be a person
    who wants to place a bulk order. If the website takes gift cards, perhaps one of your personas will
    be a person who has a gift card and wants to pay with it. You want to become very familiar with
    the website in order to create effective personas.
    Please see the next page.
    Brief Descriiption and Strategies for this Assignment:
    In this assignment, you will write three personas for the set of instructions you will write for writing
    assignment #2. Please include the following information for each persona:
    • a summary of the persona, including the persona’s name, occupation, location, and age
    • the website for which you will write instructions for writing assignment #2.
    • goals for the persona: why the persona would want to accomplish the task on the web that you
    will be describing in writing assignment #2
    • at least one unique situation or pain point. For the task that you are describing for writing
    assignment #2, describe what unique situations or pain points that the person might encounter in
    completing the task online.
    o The unique needs or pain points should be clear and focused. You will accommodate
    the unique needs or pain points in your set of instructions that you write for writing
    assignment #2.
    The unique needs or pain points should not be general (e.g., “Stan is not comfortable
    with computers”). Rather, they should be specific (e.g., “Stan wants to pay three days in
    advance for a party of 10 people”).
    A persona who is “not comfortable with computers” cannot clearly be accommodated in
    a set of instructions. But if a persona wants to pay three days in advance for a party of 10
    people, then the instructions can include steps on how to pay in advance and arrange for a
    large party.
    o The unique needs or pain points have to be accommodated in your set of
    instructions for writing assignment #2. For example, you don’t want to describe a
    persona who wants to pay in cash if the website you are writing about does not take cash.
    You want to describe a persona whose needs can be accommodated on the website for
    which you are writing instructions.
    o The unique situations or pain points have to be related to completing the task on the
    website. For example, you don’t want to write, “Mark has a fear of ordering online, so he
    will call the restaurant to complete his order.” All personas have to complete the task on
    the web, and they cannot complete the task by phone or through any other means.
    As stated above, the best strategy is to become familiar with the website and then create personas
    from there. You want to become very familiar with the website in order to create effective personas.
    The sample assignment on Banana Blossom provided in the class for writing assignment #1
    demonstrates some unique situations or pain points that personas can have. Make sure to look at
    the sample assignments
    Sample personas and instructions listed below please make sure the instructions look like the example instructions with screenshots of the page below

  • Second Draft with Intro and Concession Paragraphs: An Analysis of the Morality of the Meiwes and Brandes Act “The Moral Implications of the Armin Meiwes and Bernd Brandes Case: Examining Bodily Autonomy and the Value of Human Life” The Complexity of Consent: Analyzing Quotations on the Morality of the Meiwes and Brandes Act The Morality of Cannibalism: Debunking Common Arguments Against Meiwes and Brandes’ Act

    PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR ENTIRE SECOND DRAFT, INCLUDING YOUR INTRODUCTORY AND CONCESSION PARAGRAPHS FROM DRAFT #1. It’s really important that I see your thesis, especially. If you did not do Draft #1, you may include the intro and concession paragraphs with this draft, or the thesis at the very least.
    Please feel free to leave me a comment or question when you submit your draft if there is anything you are concerned about and want me to address. I will not spend time on your introduction and concession paragraphs except to remember your thesis this time around, so please let me know if you revised those paragraphs and want additional feedback on them. Otherwise, I’ll just look at the thesis and move on to the main body paragraphs. The more specific directions you give me regarding your concerns, the more I can customize your feedback.
    This draft must be submitted by the 11:59PM grace period on Sunday in order for you to earn points and for me to have enough time to comment on it, so there is no late submission date for this draft. Keep in mind that the more complete this draft is, the more I will be able to offer feedback that will be useful to the final very heavily-weighted draft of this essay. However, if you are only able to submit an outline this time, listing your ideas for your concession, claims, counterclaims and rebuttals, I can still give you some decent feedback, though you will not earn the full points for this draft. Submitting something is better than submitting nothing.
    If you want to earn the full 50 points this draft is worth, please do the following:
    make sure all paragraphs are included: the intro, concession, first claim, first counterclaim/rebuttal, second claim, second counterclaim/rebuttal (and you don’t have to include the conclusion).
    Include your quotations/evidence for every paragraph (minus the introduction)
    Show reasonable development, meaning the essay might not be as long as it will be in the final draft, but there will be some analysis included. so the paragraphs show a good start on your thoughts.
    Here is some ideas to consider:
    Claim ideas if you argue that M and B’s act WAS NOT morally wrong:
    It was consensual (research/define consent formally and discuss how consent is such a priority in our society and why – discuss the value of consent for society – present consent as a fantastic value). This is THE BEST and most obvious reason why the act can be argued as NOT morally wrong, so everyone arguing that side will likely use consent as their first claim, which is perfectly fine. It will be a popular first claim paragraph because it’s the best and most obvious reason.  Don’t let that stop you from using this important point.
    It was done out of love or spirituality or with no malicious intent (use our encyclopedia piece to define endocannibalism and exocannibalism, focusing on the moral difference between the two, even bringing in examples of infamous murderous cannibalism (such as those acts done by Jeffrey Dahmer) to compare – DON’T FOCUS ON CONSENT because you will likely have already discussed consent in your first claim paragraph – Focus on motivation for the act – consider discussing how Meiwes said he “absorbed” Brandes’ English skills and masculinity after the act, proving a spiritual connection – their bonding over unhappy childhoods could be discussed here, too)
    It presented no social harm (research/define “social harm”)  or was no threat to public safety (research/define “public safety”) – no other individual or even society was meant to be harmed – they tried to keep it private (it’s the media and police and courts that made it public and presented any harm in the form of fear to society – M and B left no debts or dependents – their act began and ended with them) 
    It was an act of sexual autonomy or it was kink affirmative (look up these terms as well as kink shaming – explain the value of sexual freedom)
    The act was not illegal. This isn’t the strongest one, but you could argue that Meiwes didn’t want to kill Brandes and took no pleasure in that part. It’s not as strong, though, because Brandes ended up dead regardless.
    It was an act of bodily autonomy (research/define bodily autonomy – establish why this is a positive value (perhaps bringing in current overturning of Roe vs. Wade – AVOID discussing consent again, though. This one has lots of potential to become repetitive of consent, so be careful with this one as a second claim. Maybe focus more on there not being limits to bodily autonomy, even if an act is upsetting to others. 
    Claim Ideas if you argue that the act WAS morally wrong:
    The consent is invalid (research/define what  factors invalidate consent – I HIGHLY recommend addressing the consensual nature of the act in your CONCESSION paragraph preceding this, which allows you to debunk the consent here) Look up CRISP and/or FRIES to discuss the aspects of consent that require being sober. Meiwes actually violated his own moral code of consent.
    Human life is precious (research the value of human life as a universal value – you can discuss how these men had alternatives which would allow them to satisfy their needs and not sacrifice human life – Dutch TV hosts example can work here). Argue that it’s not the eating that’s wrong – it’s the killing. 
    It violates the moral code of the society in which they lived (research/define “absolute morality” –  discuss who/what dictates morality – they violated their own society’s definition of morality) Some sources will say morality is subjective, but others will say it’s dictated by the group in which we live. 
    The act caused social harm or was a threat to public safety (research these terms). Regardless of who made the act public, it scared many people, even outside of their own communities and made them feel unsafe. It worked against social harmony and community.
    It was narrow-minded, cavalier, and disrespectful to human life. There were other alternatives in which they could have satisfied their sexual kinks without killing anyone through vore role-playing.
    Meiwes acted selfishly and selfishness is immoral. Research the philosophy of selfishness. (Meiwes was impatient and bored and killed Brandes in a way he did not want to be killed.)
    Claim Paragraphs Questions for Development 
    CLAIM DEVELOPMENT
    Each of your claim paragraphs will have two parts to it: a discussion of an abstract concept your claim is based on and then a specific example from M & B’s situation that is relevant to that abstract concept.
    Developing the abstract concept:
    Use a well-chosen quotation to jumpstart your discussion. Include it soon after the topic sentence. Feel free to use two quotes for this part of the claim paragraph.
    You should base your claims on abstract values or concepts. Include a scholarly reputable definition of that abstract idea. Break down the key points in the definition. What do they mean for society as a whole?
    Offer praise for our society because we value this idea or because we don’t allow this idea. This will help you follow through on your warrants later on.
    Why does society value this concept? Is this a healthy or unhealthy value for us to have? What evidence do we have that we value or don’t value this concept? Offer some specific examples of our behavior or policies that show we do or do not value this concept.
    Why is this concept positive or negative? Whom does it protect? Why is that good? What would it be like if we did not value this concept?
    Discuss an example, perhaps in history, of this example doing harm or good. Is that something we want to repeat? Why or why not? For instance, what was it like when we didn’t value consent?
    Developing the specific example(s):
    After establishing the significance of the abstract concept, include an example of this concept clearly relating to the topic of the act between M and B in the form of a well-chosen quotation. Analyze each example before including another one.
    Make sure you pick quotes with the most impact. Avoid “lukewarm” quotations and choose only quotations that have potential for analysis. There should be some degree of complexity to the quotations or you will not be able to analyze them. Use only quotations that allow you to “unpack” them.
    Avoid using too many quotations. Fewer quotations with more analysis is preferable over many quotations and little analysis. Give the quote any context it needs so your reader can fully understand its significance. Do this BEFORE you present the quotation rather than after.
    Why is this quotation important? What exactly is happening in this example? What does it imply? What are the most important words in the quotation? Go back to them and explain their implications.
    If the example is wrong, what would be right? Why? If the example is right, what would be wrong? Why?
    How does the abstract concept factor into this specific example? Reuse your keywords/phrases from the earlier part of the paragraph to create unity.
    Developing the warrant:
    Develop your warrant. Conclude that, if the abstract concept is good or bad (as has been established), and it is or is not present in this specific example, then the main argument holds true. For instance, “If our limits on consent are protective and beneficial to all, and it’s clear that Brandes’ consent falls within one of these limitations we have on consent, then his consent is not valid, and the act was a violation of his rights; therefore, it was immoral.” You really need to spell this out for a few sentences at the end of the paragraph for your reader.
    Start with your abstract concept, then refer back to the specific example in the case, and then follow through on your main claim. Do this for 2 – 3 sentences.
    End the entire paragraph with a reinforcement of your topic sentence argument. 
    Counterclaim Questions for Development
    Here are some tips for making your counterclaims clear:
    The counterclaims are not your opinions. They are not in support of your argument. Rather, the counterclaim is how you predict your opposition would respond to your claim paragraph that precedes each counterclaim.
    Use a ​signal phrase ​that lets the reader know that this is not your opinion. Make it clear that this argument comes from the other side of the argument by using a phrase like “Those who believe that ….” or “The opposition would argue…”. or you could say, “Those who believe Meiwes and Brandes’ act was not morally wrong might argue…”  If you don’t use some kind of language like this, it will seem like you are disagreeing with yourself and it could get very confusing for the reader.
    Keep counterclaims brief. Don’t let them take over the whole paragraph. Spend only about ​3-5 sentences ​on this part. Do feel free to use a quotation to help present the counterclaim, of course.
    Try to include a quotation​ or some kind of specific reference in the counterclaim portion. You can use a quotation from one of the articles or the podcast. If you absolutely can’t find a quote, you can simply present a possible counterclaim in your own words.
    When you are presenting the counterclaim, ​DO NOT ARGUE YET​. Present the opposition’s side neutrally and briefly. You will argue and break it apart next in the rebuttal. There is no need to immediately present the counterclaim with a biased tone.
    On the other hand, ​don’t present the counterclaim so well that it ruins your argument. ​Do not lead the reader to get confused and think you suddenly changed your mind about your original claim. Don’t say something like “Anyone who would agree to this act must be insane” if you are arguing that the act is not wrong. Instead, say “Those who believe the act was immoral BELIEVE that Brandes must have been mentally ill and would argue that the act was, therefore, immoral.”
    Here are some possible ideas for counterclaims if you are arguing that the act WAS NOT immoral:
    Anyone who would consent to that must be “crazy” (you can rebut this as a begging the question fallacy and discuss how these men were NOT mentally ill. Plus, it’s irresponsible to “diagnose” people as non-experts.)
    Eating human flesh could make one sick (you can rebut this as a red herring – Plus, Meiwes didn’t get sick, so it’s a moot point. Plus, risk does not equal immorality.)
    We owe respect to the dead – (To NOT do what Meiwes did would be disrespect since, if we owe the dead anything, it was what they asked for when they were alive. It would only be disrespect if the dead had no idea this would happen. This could be discussed as a false analogy/false comparison.)
    This act could encourage others to do the same (The majority of people are never going to do this and don’t want to. You can rebut this as a slippery slope)
    Even Meiwes changed his mind about his act and regrets it. (you could rebut this as a confirmation bias fallacy. Plus one’s own opinion about their act is irrelevant.)
    Here are some ideas for counterclaims if you are arguing that the act WAS morally wrong:
    These men were practicing their sexual freedom ( you can rebut this as a false dilemma – one can express sexual freedom without dying or killing someone – We don’t have to make a choice between being ok with death or else we are not in support of sexual freedom. There were other options, such as vore forum role playing or even what the Dutch TV hosts did.)
    This was an assisted suicide (you can rebut this as a false analogy since Meiwes is not a doctor and Brandes was not terminally ill)
    It didn’t hurt anyone else (you could argue that the act caused public fear and disgust and that we owe mental safety to society)
    It’s an isolated incident and began and ended with these two men. (This is not necessarily true. They might not encourage a lot of people to do the same, but there have been other cases like this since M and B’s act. Look them up and argue that this should not be encouraged because, while EVERYBODY won’t do it, those already inclined might.)
    Here is an example of a counterclaim portion of a paragraph. The overall argument would be that the act WAS NOT morally wrong, and this counterclaim would be “predicting” what the opposition who thinks it was wrong might say. Imagine that the idea of the act being a spiritual endeavor was just argued in a claim paragraph. This is what may follow that as the counterclaim. Of course, there would be a topic sentence before this and lots of rebuttal after it. This is only the counterclaim portion of the paragraph:
    While those who believe Meiwes and Brandes’ act was morally wrong may agree that the act was a spiritual endeavor, they would, likely, argue that the act is disrespectful to the dead, stating, “cannibalism violates the general principle that we ought to respect the dead, and hence, cannibalism is morally reprehensible” (Wisnewski 19). They would insist that eating any dead body oversteps natural boundaries and shirks our duty to protect the dead. They would view the cutting up, saving, cooking, and eating of a corpse to be an egregious and reprehensible act, and, therefore, would still feel that what Meiwes and Brandes did was morally wrong, despite its being motivated by bonding between the two men. 
    (Notice that this is only three sentences, and it does only what it needs to do: It makes it clear that the writer of the essay is not of this opinion, and it very briefly and neutrally explains the opposing point of view.)
    Sources: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-49-dinner-with-a-cannibal-armin-meiwes/id1250599915?i=1000413193065. The other sources are in the attached file name as “Cannibalism articles”.
    Note: This is the second draft of the essay so please review the comment from the professor and and then continue with the instructions above, don’t forget to take a look to the slide that I provide.