Identifying a Clear and Definite Subject
Determine a clear and “just-right” topic for your writing. Use one or more of the three strategies (Dramatism Pentad, Tagmemics, and Conceptual Mapping) to find a topic just right for your purpose, audience, and genre. Spend a minimum of 10 minutes on each strategy you use. After using the strategy(ies), write down your topic choice.
Constructing a Theme, Premise, and Claim
Write a list of key topics, themes, points, and claims that you can make in your text to fulfill your purpose and reach your intended audience.
Themes
- Stronger gun control laws in Pennsylvania
- Children and public safety in regards to having guns at home
Key Premises
- Gun laws in Pennsylvania are not strict since any person above 21 years of age is eligible to acquire it.
- People are allowed to carry and store guns at home in Pennsylvania.
- Public and children’s safety is mostly compromised when the gun is not under the owner’s control.
Claims (label what kind of claims they are claims: about reality, definition/quantity, value, or policy)
A claim of policy- Stronger gun control laws need to be formulated in Pennsylvania to protect children and public safety. Article 1 Section 21 of the PA Constitution which states that “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned” provides freedom of ownership under nonrestrictive measures (Stephen, 2020 pp. 43). A claim of fact- It is not a must to have guns at home disassembled or unloaded. This poses a great safety risk to minors who may pick the gun and harm others or themselves unknowingly. Thus, in households, firearms should be unloaded and placed inside a container.
There is no specific gun law in Pennsylvania against open carry, therefore, robbers and thugs have easy access to firearms to be used in their activities. For this reason, there is a need for the government to create laws that secure firearms not under the owner’s possession.
Decide which key theme (if any) you will use, which key premise (if any) you will use, and which key claim you will use (for the major claim, write down what type of claim you’d like to use (a claim about reality, definition, value, or policy).
Main theme
Guns control in Pennsylvania
Main Point
Pennsylvania has less strict gun laws as compared to other states in the country
Main Claim
A claim of value – According to gun laws in Pennsylvania, a person is allowed to move with an open gun without a license. However, one has to have a permit when carrying a concealed weapon. Storage of unloaded firearms poses a great safety risk to children and the public in general.
Explain whether and how your themes, premises, and claims are appropriate and
Effective for the following:
Audience
The themes, premises, and claims are effective and appropriate for the audience. This is because they provide advice to both the public and government that are useful in managing safety issues.
Purpose
The themes, premises, and claims are effective and appropriate, as they give suggestions of what government and policymakers need to amend to regulate and organize citizen behavior in regards to Pennsylvania guns laws.
Genre
The themes, claims, and premises are effective for the public law genre because they offer insights that positively shape constitutional laws.
Reference
Stephen, H. (2020). The common law and the right of the people to bear arms: Carrying firearms at the founding and in the early republic. Lincoln Memorial University Law Review, 7(1), 40-74. Web.