Assignment: Editorial Essay

For decades, oil rigs have dotted our coast along Santa Barbara

In an era of climbing gas prices, record unemployment, and increasing public skepticism of climate change, calls for oil drilling off the California have never been louder. In fact, a poll released this month by Yale University found that majorities of Democrats, Republicans, independents, and Tea Partiers support expanding offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. Drilling advocates argue that not only would it help our nation's energy independence, it is also an issue of national security. Opponents, on the other hand, point to last year's disastrous BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as evidence that California's coastal ecosystem deserves special protection. What do you think? In your view, is it time to reconsider drilling off our waters ? Or should the option of drilling in California waters remain off the table? Who are the winners and losers if and when we drill for oil off our coast? In a concise editorial, explain your position on this issue. Cite evidence from the articles below, as well as one article you find on your own, to support your thesis:

• “Poll: Californians Say No Nukes, But Maybe Oil Drilling” (Oakland Tribune)
• “Republicans Push Drilling Off California Coast; Democrats Say No” (McClatchy)
• “The BP Oil Spill, One Year On: Forgetting the Lessons of Drilling in the Gulf” (Time)
• “Oil Spill No Reason to Stop Offshore Projects in California, Local Industry Says” (Bakersfield Californian)
• “Weighing the Benefits and Costs of Offshore Drilling” (Reason)
• “Editorial: U.S. Needs Offshore Drilling and Tougher Safety Rules” (Dallas Morning News)
• “California Oil Drilling: Congress Considers Offshore Drilling” (Huffington Post)
• “Gas Prices Spur Move to Open Offshore Drilling in California, Alaska, East Coast” (Los Angeles Times)
• “Can Offshore Drilling Really Make the U.S. Oil Independent?” (Scientific American)
• “Op-Ed: Why Offshore Drilling Can Bridge Gap to U.S. Energy Future” (Popular Mechanics)
• “West Coast Senators Push Pacific Shore Drilling Ban” (Los Angeles Times)

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation and works cited
• 3-page minimum
• Cite at least four articles, plus one article you find on your own

The best papers:

• Have a title that articulates its point of view
• Stay within the parameters of the subject matter
• Have a concise thesis which clearly outlines a position
• Are written in a voice that is casual, yet informed
• Clearly support their thesis with solid evidence and a logical structure, citing specifics from the articles above
• Cite a minimum of four articles, plus one other
• Conclude with a summation of the argument
• Properly cite evidence using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Are in compliance with MLA Style

Sample editorials from the New York Times:

• "Eggheads and Blockheads" by Maureen Dowd
  
• "Where the Jobs Aren't" by David Brooks
• "Is It Weird Enough Yet?" by Thomas L. Friedman
• "In Honor of Teachers" by Charles M. Blow
• "It's Still the 9/11 Era" by Russ Douthat

Due: Th 9.22 (Sec. 6) / 9.23 (Sec. 43)