Current Issue / Op-ed Assignment (10pts)

PSYC 3360

Purpose:
Op-eds allow people to send an accessible message to a broader audience, with the intention of making a strong claim or suggestion. Op-eds are often published in newspapers or magazines and can get a message to a large group of people who may not otherwise consider the topic. For these reasons, they can often be important tools of education and persuasion.

Instructions:
Compose a 500-word essay intended for a general audience regarding a gender-focused issue that you care about. Topic must be related to the content we have covered in PSYC 3360 to receive credit. For example, you might cover why parents of transgender children should support their transition process by highlighting the available data on this topic. You could also discuss a current event, such as Kid Cudi’s recent SNL performance in a flower-printed dress and what it means for the future of masculinity. No matter what you cover, you need to have an argument for what readers should think or learn from reading your work. The possibilities for topics are endless.

Your essay should have:

1. An introduction to the issue or problem you are covering, along with any facts your reader needs to know to understand the topic. Assume people know nothing about this!
2. A thesis statement explaining your argument. Lay out what you are going to argue in your essay.
3. A body section featuring any evidence that could back up your thesis or argument. This is where you share the reasoning for your argument in a convincing way. Use at least one research study (one we have covered or one you find on your own) to back up your opinion.  
4. A conclusion. What should the reader remember from your article? Restate your thesis here in a powerful and concise manner.

Some questions that are useful to ask yourself when getting started include:
* What specific gender issue or controversy are you responding to?
* Why is it important to consider this gender issue now?
* What evidence/insight have other authors offered in support of their position(s)?
* What is problematic about the claim and/or the evidence that other author(s) used?
* What additional evidence or insight do you have that could shed new light onto the matter at hand?

Two examples gender-based current issue essays:

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/straight-tiktok-gender-norms

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opinion/trans-gender-language-trump.html

Format:

500 words – it’s not much, so keep your writing clean and precise! All essays must be in PDF or Word Document form and uploaded to Blackboard Coursesites under the Assignments folder. Google Docs are not accepted. Please use 12pt Times or Arial font. Research mentioned in your article should be linked using a URL at the bottom of your essay.