Taking Sides Essay #1
A 5-page essay that answers the question: How can an athle
Taking Sides Essay #1
A 5-page essay that answers the question: How can an athlete and/or team achieve a competitive edge over their opponent ethically? Essays should focus on theories regarding sportsmanship and cheating, including doping, and are required to cite “Robert L. Simon, Cesar R. Torres, and Peter F. Hager, Fair Play: The Ethics of Sport (4th Edition), Boulder CO: Westview Press, 2015” text as well as a minimum of three additional readings from the syllabus from modules 1 and 2.
Simon, ix-20; Simon, “The Ethics of Strategic Fouling: A Reply to Fraleigh”; Reid, “Athletic Competition as Socratic Philosophy” Simon, 21-58; Keating, “Sportsmanship as a Moral Category; Kretchmar, “Competition, Redemption, and Hope” Dixon, “On Sportsmanship and “Running up the Score”; Bass, A. “This is the Bottom Line”; Feezell, “Sportsmanship” Simon, 59-80; Farley, “Crossing the Line” Simon, 81-126; Gardner, “On Performance-Enhancing Substances and the Unfair Advantage Argument” Outside sources are not allowed. Good writing, creativity, and sophisticated analysis are expected.
Things to think about:
Focus & Details: make sure the main idea of the paper is clear and substantiate by detailed and accurate information from the sources.
Organization: Essays should have an introduction that clearly states the main topic, followed by information that is presented in a logical order, and provide a strong conclusion. Grammar/Mechanics/Structure: Sentences should be well-constructed with good use of proper phrasing and vocabulary; proper citation should be used; drafts should be edited for grammar and spelling.
Tips & Tricks This essay is neither a research paper nor a piece of literary self-expression. It is designed so that you can argue specific points – something you want to convince a reader to accept, alongside substantial evidence and justification.
Before you start, firmly establish what your position is. You need to be very clear about what you are trying to prove.
How are you going to convince the reader that the side you are taking is correct? Which arguments will you present to persuade? Do not overestimate the strength of your position.Just because you have already accepted this position does not mean you have provided enough material to persuade the reader.
Do not oversaturate your argument with too many points: you need to be persuasive and concise. This might seem contradictory, but in order to make your point clearly, you need to make it succinct. Choose the best points to substantiate your stance, not all the points that substantial your stance.
Poor writing will greatly reduce the effectiveness of your points – clarity and precision are critical elements of a persuasive paper.
Things to avoid:
Lengthy introductions: in this assignment, you don’t have the space. Bring the reader gently into your subject, clearly state your thesis and how you are going to substantiate it, and move on.
Excessive quotations: don’t rely on quotes to make your point – use them only when you need an exact selection of words. Quoting and paraphrasing should be kept to a minimum, while the focus should be on your interpretation of the material – your reflection on it – to substantiate your thesis.
Overly complicated or clichéd writing: when you can say something more simply, do it. Do not get complex for the point of complexity. Fence sitting: You are being asked to take a stand. Yes, acknowledge the other side – otherwise you are being dogmatic. But you need to evaluate the stance, not go on and on about how people have been divided about the issue for generations.
First/second person: this is formal writing – do not use “I” or “you” in the paper.