I have already created the topic and question so you just follow the next steps after step2
Opponents and Proponents
1.Create a neutrally worded question that reasonable people debate about your topic.
1.Should Students That Sexually Assault Other Students Be Expelled from College?
Sample: Should Governor Jerry Brown ban fracking in California? Note that the question and words to the effect of: For the next four posts I want to explore the question… will be your main point in your post.
2. Based on this question, figure out a neutral title for post 5 that is easy to read.
Example: Should California ban fracking?
3. Explain why it is an issue now.
Examples: other states/cities/countries have a different policy so maybe we should as well; we are voting on it at the next election; the problem has gotten worse or has gotten more attention, so we should look at this solution; new research has come out; people in power are proposing it; etc.
4. When you write your introduction to post 5, include the answers to questions one and three.
5. To help your reader (and yourself) understand the issue, figure out what the two sides want/believe/think and use opposing verbs or verb phrases to indicate this. Try to make this a verb other than “is/are.”
Examples: ban vs. keep; vote for vs. vote against; continue vs. stop; succeed vs. fail; should pursue A vs. should pursue B; threatens vs. does not threaten
6. Figure out who the players are on each side (add more to the list as you research the issue)
For example: On the ban side of mine are: Opponents, People who oppose fracking, Environmentalists, Community groups and activists against fracking, People who are concerned with the environment, People who are concerned about the power of oil companies
On the keep side are: Supporters, People who support fracking, Jerry Brown, Oil companies, Big business interests
7. Figure out the global reason why each side wants what they want and use opposing words to indicate this:
Examples: Help vs. harm, works vs. will not work, effective vs. ineffective, helpful vs. useless etc.
8. Put 5,6 and 7 together and write it as a sentence or two:
Supporters, like Governor Jerry Brown, want to keep fracking because they feel it helps California financially while opponents, especially environmentalists, want to ban fracking because they believe it harms California.
Use the sentence you craft for #8 in your post to help us see the issue clearly. The following questions are brainstorming ones for the rest of your post.
9. Assuming best intentions on both sides, why do the sides disagree? What do they see differently?
Example: Proponents think the money generated from fracking as well as the economic independence it affords are more important than the small potential for environmental damage which they think the other side exaggerates.
Opponents of fracking think the short-term money gained is insufficient to cover the long-term damage to the environment and that fracking just continues our reliance on oil instead of alternative energy.
*Find some quotes you can use from proponents and opponents on each side that show that they see the issue differently. Then analyze this difference in how they look at the problem.
10. How long has the issue been going on for?
For example: Fracking started in the U.S. in the early 2000s when advances in new technology made it possible. New York state under Gov. Cuomo banned fracking a couple of years ago. Environmentalists never liked fracking, but have increased pressure on Gov. Brown to ban it after New York did. (I would need to research to find more specifics, but the above I knew from hearing about it on the news.)
11. What is at stake? Why do people care?
Examples: money, power, environment, safety, etc. (explain these in more detail)
12. What questions would the readers like answers to about your issue to have an informed opinion?
Research those questions and find as many answers as you can give in your post.
