Katherine Becks
GUIDELINES FOR FINAL ARGUMENT PAPER (115 pts)
Objective: Make a claim on a debatable issue and give three reasons to support your opinion, as well as
acknowledge an opposing viewpoint.
The point of this paper is to persuade/convince a reasonable reader that your ideas are logically sound.
Think of your audience as someone who opposes your stance; you must convince them to consider your
side of the controversy.
**No moral arguments (Right/Good vs. Wrong/Bad) allowed in this class.**
Requirements:
Six paragraphs total: Intro, 4 body paragraphs, Conclusion
Use of at least four credible sources to support your ideas (one for each paragraph). o Dictionary definitions, though they must be quoted and cited, do not count as a source. o NO use of Wikipedia will be accepted.
At least one quotation per body paragraph
Works Cited page
Follow all MLA format guidelines (the way your paper looks, as well as citation in-text and on the works cited page)
DUE DATE:
Draft 1: Thursday, 16 April 2020 by 9:30 a.m. online
Final Draft: Thursday, 30 April 2020 by 11:59 p.m.
No papers accepted after Sunday, 3 May 2020 at 11:59 p.m.
TEMPLATES FOR PARAGRAPH ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE, AND DEVELOPMENT
You do not have to use these templates exactly. Feel free to add to or take away from what is given, or
change the phrasing (words and sentence structure). The point is to structure your paragraphs properly.
Intro
The point is for you to introduce both sides of the controversy, make a claim with three supporting
reasons (thesis), and state the importance of the issue (purpose).
TEMPLATE:
Attention-getter. In recent discussions of ___, a controversial issue has been whether ___ or ___.
On the one hand, some argue ___. On the other hand, some argue ___. My own view is ___ because
___, ___, and ___. This issue is important because ___.
Body Paragraphs
All body paragraphs should follow this developmental pattern in this order:
1. Topic sentence
2. Discuss topic in 1-3 more sentences
3. Incorporate quotation/citation to support your points
4. Explain quotation and how it relates to topic
5. Discuss importance of issue at hand (tie into your purpose from intro), deeper meaning. Feel
free to give examples, anecdotal evidence, personal experience, etc.
6. Transition sentence
BODY PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT
1. Topic Sentence: Begin your paragraph with a sentence that indicates (explicitly or implicitly) what
the paragraph is going to cover.
Ex: The main reason people are against the death penalty is because it’s so final.
2. Your Input: you, as the author, are trying to convey your authority on the topic, so here is where you
begin the discussion/description/explanation/analysis of the main idea of the paragraph. (This section is
definitely where you will need more than one sentence.)
Ex: One of the main rules of thumb we live by in life is that there’s always room for a second
chance. When a criminal is sentenced to death row, he is not being given a second chance. Even though
they committed a crime, the punishment shouldn’t be so final as to take their life away. This does not
give them a chance to alter their behavior and perhaps become a better person. In fact, some people
accused of murder and sentenced to the death penalty are innocent and can be acquitted of crimes. If one
was put in prison, sentenced to death, and later it was found out that the justice system had the wrong
person all along, then the system has just killed an innocent person.
3. Incorporate a Source to support your claims made in #2. Make sure you use a signal phrase,
quotation marks, and a citation.
Ex: In his article “Explorations in Capital Punishment in America 2000-2010,” Jonathan Smith
outlines why the death penalty is an unjust punishment because “it negates the association between
behavior and reward and does nothing to offer rehabilitation into normal society” (93).
4. Explain the Quotation you just used as it relates to your overall thesis/purpose. So what? Who
cares? Why that exact quote? How does it fit into the larger scheme of things?
Ex: In essence, Smith is saying that if criminals had the chance to correct their behavior, they
most likely would. He’s also proposing that criminals be taught on a system of rewards, so that they may
function as normal human beings if they are ever let out on parole.
5. Transition: Wrap up the current paragraph, so there’s closure (also known as a clincher), and your
audience will realize it’s time to begin a new idea in a new paragraph.
Ex: Although most criminals who are accused of severe crimes face the death penalty, there are
other effective punishments that are not quite as permanent as losing one’s life.
Put all the pieces together and see how a paragraph is formed. You can also see how much space this
takes up if you’re aiming for a specific page length:
The main reason people are against the death penalty is because it’s so final. One of the main
rules of thumb we live by in life is that there’s always room for a second chance. When a criminal is
sentenced to death row, he is not being given a second chance. Even though they committed a crime, the
punishment shouldn’t be so final as to take their life away. This does not give them a chance to alter
their behavior and perhaps become a better person. In fact, some people accused of murder and
sentenced to the death penalty are innocent and can be acquitted of crimes. If one was put in prison,
sentenced to death, and later it was found out that the justice system had the wrong person all along,
In his article “Explorations in Capital Punishment in then the system has just killed an innocent person.
America 2000-2010” Jonathan Smith outlines why the death penalty is an unjust punishment because “it
negates the association between behavior and reward and does nothing to offer rehabilitation into normal
society” (93). In essence, Smith is saying that if criminals had the chance to correct their behavior, they
most likely would. He’s also proposing that criminals be taught on a system of rewards, so that they may
function as normal human beings if they are ever let out on parole. Although most criminals who are
accused of severe crimes face the death penalty, there are other effective punishments that are not quite
as permanent as losing one’s life.
TEMPLATES:
A) Opposing Viewpoint Bring up the opposing viewpoint first, so that it gives you a basis for refuting its premise
in the rest of your essay.
Some people believe that ___. Discuss this belief in 1-2 more sentences. Signal phrase, “quote
from source” (Cite). What he/she means is ___. Give example/scenario to further illustrate the point.
This issue is important to these people because ___. Although many people believe that ___, I disagree
with that viewpoint.
B) Reasons 1, 2, 3 to back up your claim
I think ___ because ___. Discuss this reason in 1-2 sentences. Signal phrase, “Quote from
source” (cite). In other words, ___. Explain or give example/scenario to further illustrate this point. This
issue is important because ___. Transition sentence.
Conclusion
Summarize points you made in your paper Reiterate importance of issue End with “universal” idea that your audience can relate to
TEMPLATE:
Overall, this issue is controversial because ___. Although some truly believe that ___ , many
others believe that ___. I agree more with ___ because ___. I also think that ___, ___, and ___. This
issue will have a lasting impact because ___, which is why we need to ___.
FORMATTING A PAPER MLA STYLE
NOTE: PLEASE, DO NOT auto-format your paper in the new MS Word feature where it allows you to
choose MLA style. This completely messes up your paper and makes it nearly impossible for me to
follow. Just be old school for once, and manually set all of the layout on your own.
MLA stands for Modern Language Association. It is an organization of scholars that provide rules for
how to make your paper look, as well as how to quote and cite in their style.
Follow this checklist:
One-inch margins all around (top, bottom, left, right)
EVERYTHING in plain old Times New Roman 12 point font
Double spaced; no extra spaces between lines, paragraphs, heading, title, body, etc.
Four-line Heading at top left of first page only (NO COVER SHEET), includes Student’s Name,
Professor’s name, Course and Section, Due date (Day Month Year)
Header on top right of every page (including works cited), ½” from the top, student’s last name
preceding the page number
Title of your essay (not the title of the article or type of essay, but your own original title
indicating what the paper is about), centered
Indent all paragraphs (Tab button on a keyboard)
How to Make a Header in MS Word 2010
Remember, your header is your last name and page number atop every page of your essay,
including the works cited page.
Click "Insert" Click "Page Number" Click "Top of Page" Click "Plain Number 3" (this should show a picture of a number on the top right hand
side)
The page number will automatically pop up; you type in your last name Press "Close Header and Footer" and continue typing the essay DO NOT put the heading in this auto-formatted area
Technical Grading Points When papers do not follow all of the formatting guidelines, points will be taken off for every technical
error. These technical aspects disrupt the look and flow of an entire paper.
1 pt off for margins not 1” all around (top, bottom, left, right) 10% (one letter grade) off for fonts other than TNR 12 1 pt for extra space between any items (per item) 1 pt off per page for any text that is not double-spaced 1 pt off per missing item in heading 1 pt off per item out of order in heading 1 pt off for date written in incorrect format (Day Month Year) 1pt off for incomplete/improper/misspelled info in heading 1 pt off if cover sheet is present 1 pt off per page for no header 1 pt off for incorrectly formatted header 1 pt off for no title or title that is not suitable for the essay that follows 1 pt off for anything that is not in TNR 12 plain font (if font switches somewhere in the
paper)
1 pt off for each paragraph not indented 1 pt off per page for unstapled papers (only if hard copy is turned in) 10 pts off for not having a works cited page 1-5 pts off per works cited entry that is incorrectly cited (do not rely on EasyBib for this!
It can be inaccurate! Use an MLA style handbook.)
5 pts off if works cited entry is not on its own page 1 pt for incorrect formatting on works cited page (must be double-spaced, lines over first
are hanging indent, font still TNR 12, header; if you use numbers or bullets; if entries are
not alphabetized)
IN-TEXT CITATION
MLA In-text Citation Basics
Basic rules of in-text citation (when you are quoting or paraphrasing a source in the body of your essay):
Punctuation (period, comma, semicolon) always goes after the citation. Remember to open
quotation marks around what you’re quoting, as well as close them after the quote, then give the
citation.
Incorrect: “Quote from the source.” (Citation)
Incorrect: “Quote from the source”. (Citation)
Incorrect: “Quote from the source.” (Citation).
Incorrect: “Quote from the source (Citation).”
Incorrect: “Quote from the source (Citation)”.
Correct: “Quote from the source” (Citation).
SOURCES WITH AUTHORS & PAGE NUMBERS
If you do not mention the author(s) in the signal phrase, write the author(s)’ name(s) and the
page number in parentheses after your quote. You do not write the word p. or pag. or page. You
simply put the author’s last name, a space, and the number of the page.
Example: Signal phrase without author’s name, “Quote from the source” (Kennedy 55).
Example: Signal phrase without authors’ names, “Quote from the source with two
authors” (Smith and Doe 77).
Example: Signal phrase without authors’ names, “Quote from the source with three
authors” (Smith, Doe, and Sherman 88).
Example: Signal phrase without authors’ names, “Quote from the source with four or
more authors” (Smith et al. 99).
If you do mention the author in the signal phrase, you only need to cite the page number from
which the quote was taken. Any time the quote goes from one page to another, you hyphenate
the numbers of pages, for instance (86-87). Same with above: (Kennedy 86-87).
Example: Signal phrase with author’s name, for instance, Smith asserts that “Quote from
the source” (55).
Example: Signal phrase with authors’ names, for instance, Smith and Doe assert that
“Quote from the source with two authors” (77).
Example: Signal phrase with authors’ names, for instance, Smith, Doe, and Sherman
assert that “Quote from the source with three authors” (88).
Example: Signal phrase with authors’ names, such as Smith et al. assert that “Quote from
the source with four or more authors” (99).
SOURCES WITH AUTHORS BUT NO PAGE NUMBERS
If there is no page number, then you either cite the author’s last name(s) in parentheses, or a
portion of the title of the article in parentheses, again, depending on whether you mention the
author in the signal phrase or not.
Example: Signal phrase without mentioning author’s name, “quote from the source”
(Smith).
Example: Signal phrase mentioning the author, Smith, “quote from source” (“Best
Times”).
SOURCES WITH NO AUTHOR AND NO PAGE NUMBERS
If there is no author, and you do not mention the article title in the signal phrase, you cite the title
of the article in parentheses.
Example: Signal phrase talking about a recent study that shows “quote from the source
with no author” (“College Myths”).
If you mention the article title in the signal phrase, and the source is a website, you can put the
italicized website in parentheses.
Example: In the article “College Myths and How to Debunk Them,” one of the most
surprising facts is that “quote from the source” (businessinsider.com).
*It’s acceptable to abbreviate the title in your citation, since you’ll write the entire title on the works
cited page.
QUOTING QUOTED TEXT
When your source is quoting another source, there’s a specific way to handle that. This is called
“quote within a quote.”
First, your quotation marks always open as double marks.
Any portion that the author quoted has to be put in single quote marks, to indicate that you’re
quoting a quote, even if the entire thing you are quoting is an entire quote within a quote. Then,
to end the quote, it would receive triple quote marks.
Example: A recent study showed that “‘more than 10% of people are affected by this
problem’” (Bundle qtd. in Smith 87).
Example: According to Smith, “this is a major problem, as was found in a study that
reported ‘a15% increase in the problem since 2009’” (Buskey qtd. in Smith 87).
Example: Buskey reports that “‘a rise in the problem is bad for us’” (qtd. in Smith 88).
BLOCK INDENTATION
If you are quoting four or more lines of text, then you need to do what is called a block indent.
Generally, you will not need that much text to get your point across. Use this method/amount of
quotation sparingly.
When you block quote, you will still use a signal phrase, then press enter to begin the long quote.
You double-indent (where you normally press Tab to indent a paragraph, you would press it
twice, or, if you’re using the space bar, 20 spaces), begin the quote, WITHOUT putting quote
marks around it, end the quote with the punctuation, and then put a citation.
Example:
Here is the paragraph I’m writing. I’m about to incorporate a large amount of text from a source,
because I absolutely need to write down everything that has been said to get my point across. Don’t
forget, everything stays double-spaced. I’m also using a signal phrase, usually followed by a colon:
A big study shows that this is the quote I’m using. However, I do not put quote marks
around it when it is a block quote (more than four lines of text). I’m continuing this line
until I get four lines of text written. Research is so much fun. I love English Composition
class. It’s the best. I like giving silly examples because that’s how I roll. I’m done with
my quote, so I end with punctuation and then give my citation. (Hammer 52)
And you would press Enter to continue your essay by explaining the long quote within the same
paragraph. There’s no need to indent until you finish this paragraph and move on to a new one.
WORKS CITED PAGES
The works cited page is a list of entries giving the full publication information for the sources you
quoted and cited in the text of your essay.
For each source you cited in text, you need to put a full entry of its publication information on the works
cited page.
All entries go in alphabetical order by last name. If source does not have an author, then use title of article or webpage
FORMAT:
-- After the end of your essay, you space down until a new page pops up. This page should have a
header, and if you’ve already formatted the header, then it should automatically pop up with your last
name and the next page number.
-- On the first line, you center the words Works Cited. You do not underline, put quote marks, bold, or
make larger text; keep it plain and simple like you would for the rest of the paper.
-- Times New Roman 12 point font
-- Double spaced
-- 1” margins top, bottom, left, right
-- Continue header/pagination from previous page
-- No extra spaces between items
-- Begin entries on the left margin (a.k.a. left flush)
-- If an entry goes over two or more lines, indent those lines (a.k.a. hanging indentation).
-- Check your Seagull Handbook MLA style (green section) index to find types of sources and how to
write the works cited entry for those sources
-- You can also go to this website and click the appropriate links for more help:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
Author and/or editor names (if available)
Article name in quotation marks.
Title of the website, project, or book in italics.
Any version numbers available, including editions (ed.), revisions, posting dates, volumes (vol.),
or issue numbers (no.).
Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
Take note of any page numbers (p. or pp.) or paragraph numbers (par. or pars.).
URL (without the https://) DOI or permalink.
Date you accessed the material (Date Accessed)—While not required, it is highly recommended,
especially when dealing with pages that change frequently or do not have a visible copyright
date.
Remember to cite containers after your regular citation. Examples of containers are collections of
short stories or poems, a television series, or even a website. A container is anything that is a part
of a larger body of works.
Works Cited
On a separate page, list entries alphabetically and in proper MLA format
Start left flush. Do not begin entries by indenting. Only indent beyond the first line of an entry.
See examples below:
Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Name of Website in italics, Day Mo. Year of publication,
URL. Day Mo. Year of access.
Frost, Leonard. “The Top Ten Reasons to Legalize Marijuana.” CNN.com, 25 Oct. 2012,
https://www.makeupsomewebsitename.com. 12 Nov. 2018.
PLAGIARISM
Merriam Webster’s online dictionary defines plagiarism as “the act of using another person’s words or
ideas without giving credit to that person.”
The Seagull Handbook defines it as “The use of another person’s words, ideas, or even sentence
structures without appropriate credit and documentation. Plagiarism is a serious breach of ethics” (476).
Plagiarism is essentially the use of someone else’s ideas without proper documentation and the use of
someone else’s ideas that are not originally one’s own, yet claimed as one’s own ideas.
I look at plagiarism on a case-by-case basis.
The standard penalty for plagiarism is a result of zero on the assignment up to an F for the course.
Types of Plagiarism:
“Improper Documentation” usually results in a grade of D. I generally consider these “fixable
mistakes,” but they are still frowned upon, and still considered forms of plagiarism. By “fixable,” I mean
that I might allow the student a chance to add in a set of quote marks or a missing citation. Hopefully by
the end of 132, a student is not making these mistakes. Sometimes they are accidental, sometimes they
are careless oversights, and sometimes they are intentional. It doesn’t really matter in the end.
Example: “Quoting a source without citing it.”
Example: Not quoting a source’s exact words, but citing it (Lastname 47).
In either case, 100% documentation (credit) is not being given. In the first example, the source is not
given. In the second example, the words are being claimed as the student’s own/as a paraphrase.
“Paraphrasing” is often disguised as changing a few words from the source and claiming as one’s own
original thought because it is not exactly the same. This is an egregious form of plagiarism that students
must stop doing because they think it is somehow acceptable. Students who believe that have been
misguided. A true paraphrase is taking the source’s idea and putting it into one’s very own words,
keeping the meaning the same, but the words and sentence structure are markedly different.
Example:
Source’s words, from author Ackerman, page 165:
Studying the United Nations survey of marriage and divorce around the world, she noticed that divorce
usually occurs early in marriage, during the couple’s first reproductive and parenting years.
Example of how a student might “paraphrase” (and even cite) this:
A United Nations survey of marriage and divorce showed that divorce often happens early in marriage,
during the couple’s first years of reproduction and parenting (Ackerman 165).
-- Even if this was cited, it is still plagiarism, because it is way too similar to the author’s original words.
If it did not have a citation, that would be a blatant form of plagiarism. Why not write the author’s exact
words and quote and cite them, instead of change a few around?
An example of a true paraphrase (changing diction and syntax):
The beginning of a married couple’s time together is the time when divorce most often occurs,
according to an international survey (Ackerman 165).
-- See how the sentence structure and words are different from the original source? You should still cite
when you paraphrase.
“Blatant” plagiarism is where the student takes exactly what was said and gives no indication that it
belonged to someone else. This is an automatic zero for the assignment and failure of the course.
-- Sometimes it is a tiny bit, like a single sentence, sometimes it is several sentences, and sometimes it’s
an entire document.
-- Usually this is outright and intentional; it is often a matter of copy-and-paste from a source to their
paper.
-- This is not tolerated.
-- Oftentimes students want to make excuses and call this an “accidental mistake,” but there is no way
around it, especially with a Safe Assign report.
-- In rare cases would a teacher see it as forgivable; for instance, if it was one single instance in the
entire paper that a student truly forgot to put quote marks around something and the student was
consistent everywhere else in the paper with quoting and citing. Maybe.
“Auto-plagiarism” is when a student takes something they wrote for another class for credit and
submits it for credit in another course. At this point, the work is no longer “original;” it is a repeat essay,
and is really just cheating.
-- The “auto-plagiarism” could be just a portion of another paper they submitted before, or the entire
thing. This is considered “blatant” and unforgivable and results in a zero for the assignment and an F in
the course.
-- Taking another student’s paper, in part or in whole, and submitting it as your own, is another type of
blatant plagiarism. It is also unforgivable and will result in a zero for the assignment and an F in the
course.
GRADING RUBRIC INTRO
0 pts None present
1-2 pts No thesis; thesis unclear or misplaced; no purpose; only has one or two components
3 pts Has a thesis, but not all other components
4 pts Missing a necessary element
5 pts Followed all of the directions, included all pertinent components, has clear thesis and purpose
CONTENT BP1 = BP2 = BP3 = BP4 =
0 Paragraph missing
1-5 pts Only has a statement or two; doesn’t make a point
6 pts Missing a quote; lacking development; lack of critical thinking; misunderstands sources
7 pts Just average; gets the job done; shows understanding of concepts, but no real critical thought
8 pts Above average but some lack of understanding topic, sources, depth of critical thinking skills
9-10 pts Clear, specific explanations; understands issue, sources; uses critical thinking skills, insightful
SOURCE USE BP1 = BP2 = BP3 = BP4 =
0 pts No quote used
1-2 pts Quote is there, but not properly incorporated, cited, or has plagiaristic element
3 pts Missing two necessary components
4 pts Missing one necessary component
5 pts Has signal phrase, quote marks present; proper citation, placement of punctuation
CONCLUSION
0 pts None present
1 pt Only has one or two meaningless sentences
2 pts Basically the intro repeated; doesn’t end with an overall sense of significance
3 pts Missing components and a true sense of closure
4 Lacking a little in one area
5 Includes all pertinent parts, restates ideas; ends with an overall idea of significance
GRAMMAR (Spelling, proofreading, syntax, diction, language, etc.)
0-11 pts Remedial level; not to college-level standards; hard to read; should seek help immediately
12-13 Very poor, full of mistakes, barely coherent enough to read through
14-15 Average; 1-2 specific areas need improvement, a couple of typos or proofreading misses
16-17 Above Average: better than most students; very few errors, some poignancy
18-20 Excellent: virtually error-free, way above average, outstanding level of sophistication
ORGANIZATION (Flow, structure, body paragraph development)
0-11 Almost no organization/flow whatsoever
12-13 Difficult to follow; not developed
14-15 Choppy/awkward flow; usually due to grammar or development
16-17 Slightly choppy/awkward flow, paragraph development lacking slightly
18-20 Paragraphs in optimum order; each paragraph has separate thought; developed properly
WORKS CITED
0 None present
1-2 Not MLA format; most components missing
3 Two to three mistakes / missing elements
4 Missing or inaccurate component
5 Properly formatted and cited
SCORE /115 = %