Mini-Essay 1	Mini-Essay 2
Draft due	Sunday, September 26	Sunday November 14
Peer review due	Sunday, October 10	Sunday, December 5
Final copy due	Sunday, October 24	Saturday, December 18

Topics for the mini-essays will be chosen via on-line preference form on Blackboard. Topics must be selected by Tuesday, September 7th, and will be assigned a few days later.

The mini-essays are intented to be short. Thus, it is best to narrow your topic. Perhaps do some initial reading, then decide exactly what aspect of the issue you would like to focus on. The best essays do not try to cover the entire topic, but rather focus on an idea or issue within the topic that interests the writer.

There are several approaches you may take. For example, you may argue for a particular viewpoint, or you might take a more neutral informational approach. Some topics may lend themselves more towards one approach or the other.

Some suggested topics are given on the preference form. You may also pick a topic of your own choosing, but it must be approved by the instructor in advance, so please put it on your preference sheet. You may submit the preference form multiple times prior to the deadline in the event you make a mistake or change your mind.