In an issues paper, you are focusing on persuading rather than informing your reader. While you weave your sources into your paper, your voice takes precedence.  You are making a unique and valuable contribution to the conversation about the issue. For this project, you will select a topic related to the US health care system (facilities, human resource needs, role of government). You will incorporate the economic concerns as it relates to the health care system in your paper. You will to submit your topic for approval to the instructor.

Your final paper needs to include the following components:

Introduction

· Introduce issues and capture reader’s interest

Statement of background

· Provide information reader needs to know to understand your point of view

Exposition

· Interpret the information you’ve provided and define terms

Proof

· Give the reasons (with evidence) for the position you’ve taken

Refutation

· Indicate why you’re not persuaded by the arguments of different positions/claims (shows you are knowledgeable about all aspects of the issue)

Conclusion

· Summarize important points

Presentation

· Prepare a 15 minute PowerPoint presentation on your paper. The presentation must include visual aids (such as pictures, charts, video clip). The presentation must be well put together. The presentation must be well organized in other words it has a beginning, a middle, and end. Also, take the time to rehearse your presentation.

Instructions:

1) Review instructions for project.

2) Create a double spaced Word or text document for your response. Use 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font.

3) Paper is 5 to 7 pages not including title page and reference page.

4) Cite a minimum of five sources from peer reviewed journal articles or academic websites. You can find additional sources in the Getting Started Module. Note: all required journal articles should be published within the past seven years. All articles must address the topic under discussion.

5) Use APA (6th edition) format for the title page, references page, and in-text citations for your paper.

6) Please review your paper prior to submission for spelling or grammar errors.

7) Include:

Title Page

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Reference Page

The following will help guide you in writing your issues paper:

Testing your issue

· Would reasonable people have more than one response? Can someone disagree with the issue?  Is the issue debatable?

· Can the issue be narrowed sufficiently to be thoroughly explored in the space available? (narrowing the issue will make your argument more effective)

· Why do you want to write about the issue? Are you personally interested in it?  (this will help sustain you through the effort of writing the paper)

· Can you find evidence to support your position on the issue?

Getting started

· Write informally about your feelings when you think or read or speak about the issue. Are you angry, afraid, or full of pity?  Why?

· Thinking intellectually, add other points to the list that you may have missed.

· Now consider opposite points of view. Use them to clarify your ideas.

Types of sources for evidence to support your argument (be sure to verify the credibility of your sources!)

· Facts, events, dates

· Statistics – interpretation of facts

· Informed opinion – developed through research and/or expertise of another on your issue

· Personal testimony – personal experience related by a knowledgeable party