Exploratory Paper Worksheet
After answering the following questions (using complete sentences to develop fully
expressed ideas), compose a 2-3 page paper exploring an issue by addressing the
arguments from five perspectives.
1. Write your issue in a complete sentence. Explain it, and include the information
that provides background and makes the issue interesting to your readers.
2. Explain the parts of the rhetorical situation that are already in place as you
begin to write. Describe the exigence or context for your issue, including what
happened to make people interested in it. Identify the individuals or groups of
people interested in this issue, with a brief introduction to their position. Mention
some of the constraints of these groups. For example, what do they think, value,
and believe?
3. Describe at least five different positions on your issue, state who holds them, and
give some of their reasons for holding them. You may explain more than five
positions if you want or need to do so.
a. Position 1
b. Position 2
c. Position 3
d. Position 4
e. Position 5
4. Explain your personal interest in the issue and the position you favor.
Submission Requirements
Complete this assignment as a MS Word document using 12-pt. Times New Roman font.
Be sure to include your identifying information such as name and course section on all
submitted assignments.
You will be graded on this assignment using the following criteria:
A: Completed all tasks with excellence, to or beyond specified requirements
B: Completed all tasks to specified requirements; one or two small details
may be missing, or there may be minor errors in spelling or grammar
C: Completed most tasks to specified requirements
D: Did not complete most tasks as specified
F: Failed to turn in assignment