Researched Argument

Essay #3 T H E R E S E A R C H E D A R G U M E N T

Your goal for the research paper is to write a 10 to 12-page persuasive argument on a social issue you are passionate about. This is a documented research paper. NOT A REPORT. Not only must you convince your audience to stand by you on this social issue, you must also, propose a solution.

The essay MUST contain 4 different sources minimum and no more than six. These sources must be retrieved as follows:

1. Book 2. Newspaper Article 3. Scholarly Article 4. Article from a website

Your topic must be meaningful and go in depth. No surface issues. Convince your audience that to take a stand with you, to make a change. That is, pick a topic, make an argument, and prove it through your research. Be sure to develop your argument well.

When making decisions on “quotable” information, keep in mind that this is a focused research paper so, choose sources that will support your topic. Clear topic sentences that support your thesis will allow you to choose quotes that serve as SUPPORT, not quotes that are inserted to merely satisfy a requirement. As always, beware of plagiarism; always give credit for ideas that are not yours.

Topics that will not be approved: abortion, death penalty and legalization of drugs

Minimum requirements for your paper are as follows:

• Length requirement: 10 to 12 pages (this does not include the works cited • APA format (proper heading, title, double-spacing, etc.) use your Writer’s Reference for help • Formal papers must be written in 3rd person--(he, she, it, the reader, etc.), no 1st person (I, we) or 2nd

person (you). • Works Cited page, properly documented using APA format • All quotes and paraphrases must be documented within the paper, using in-text citations • No more than 10% of the total paper should be quoted material • Only 1 quote may exceed the 4 line limit but must be properly formatted. Refer to “block quoting” in your

Little Seagull Handbook

Here are some social issue topics you can explore:

- Safe spaces in Universities - Government mandates - Gender identify and anti-discrimination laws - Education and funding - Immigration - Pollution and Global Warming/ Climate change - Energy - Animal rights - Gun control - Prison system

P r o p o s a l A r g u m e n t G u i d e l i n e s

The proposal argument is a formal statement about your chosen social issue topic. It should contain an explanation of the larger concerns, which make your topic worth doing. The proposal also asks you to present some tentative conclusions and a thesis. (about 3 pages)

• Use APA formatting and rules • No 1st or 2nd person reference

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Please address each of the items described below:

Here you will write the introduction of your essay and provide a strong and effective thesis statement. Your topic of choice and your position should be clear

in this paragraph. Please be very specific.

What is the “problem” or “issue” your research will respond to? Identify the problem and explain why it needs to be solved.

What solutions are there for this issue or problem, if any? What changes can you predict or foresee by bring forth this topic? Propose a solution and explain how it will solve the problem.

Present support for the proposed solution. (This section is usually more than one paragraph and will require some preliminary research).

Explain the positive results of the proposed course of action

Here, make a list of some possible counterarguments.

Formatting for this assignment should follow the bold sections listed above. DO NOT turn in a bulleted list of ideas, questions, comments, etc. Each section should develop at least 1 if not 2 well articulate paragraphs. See course calendar for due dates. 10 point deduction for missing Deadline A and B

Explanation of the Problem

Explanation of the Solution

Evidence in support of the Solution

Benefits of the solution

Introduction

Refutation of opposing argument