Argument essay

Argument Research Essay

(25% of Final Grade possible, including a consideration of all completed, connected assignments)

Related Assignments and Final Semester Due Dates:

· Complete Outline Rough Draft: use the handout and complete this at the beginning of Week 5.

· Complete Rough Draft and Have it Critically Read: write a rough draft and consider having it peer reviewed and/or reviewed at the MATC Writing Center during Week 5

· OPTIONAL/Bonus Discussions: Draft 2: Email the Professor by 10/23 for a final essay review/discussion. Create a list of 3+ questions about your essay for the professor to consider.

· Final, Complete Draft: No later than 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 27th (worth 25% of your course grade—due on Blackboard. Absolutely no late drafts will be accepted for full credit for any reason.

Final Drafts MUST be submitted as a Word documents or the essay will not be graded and will result in a “zero”/Failing grade.

· Late Essays: last day will be Sunday, October 28th, due on Blackboard by 8 a.m. on 10/28 and absolutely no late drafts will be accepted after this date and time for any reason whatsoever. A one-grade level penalty will be applied to all essays received late.

*PLEASE NOTE: NO ESSAY will be accepted after this late day and time for any reason at all!

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Directions Overview: Our argument essay will focus on an arguable issue connected to the course theme of Duality in Aura , especially as to how to pertains to human concerns and issues. To accomplish this, the essay must have a clear main idea/thesis where you take a position on the issue, and then use the novella Aura and research to support a position on the issue with several clear main points.

You will meet all of the objectives for this course:

1. Grow both advanced internal and external research skills in order to locate information and respond to issues by connecting them to materials within the course.

2. Refine and incorporate advanced written communication techniques and express your expertise in variety of writing styles and development strategies.

3. Cultivate enhanced critical and creative reading skills such as extrapolation, synthesis, surface/depth, opposites, and context.

4. Apply rhetorical and advanced composition knowledge to a variety of writing projects, varying on audience and purpose.

Instructions:

Create a argument based Aura and Duality and support your argument with specific, cited evidence.

· Length: at least six (7+) double-spaced pages (to clarify, the expected minimums are: 5+ pages for a “C”/Average; 6+ pages Words for a “B”/Above Average; and 7+ pages for an “A”/Excellent NOTE: Total pages includes: Cover Page and Works Cited Page!

· Style: Times New Roman font; 12 point font size; place your last name and page number in the upper right corner of each page except for the cover page. Double space the essay with one inch margins.

· Sources: Three (3) researched sources (minimum) are required. You may not use more than (5) sources in this essay. Do not let the sources/quotations overwhelm the essay paragraphs; your words must be the majority: so, use quotations as examples to support your points, but use your words explain, elaborate, giving meaning to the argument.

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ARGUABLE ISSUE NOTE: For your essay you must present a clear position of an ARGUABLE ISSUE of DUALITY concerning Aura ; it MUST have at least two clear sides. Only then can you take a position and attempt to argue for one side. Without following these basic rules, your essay will likely be informative in nature and not argumentative, and such an essay will not earn a passing grade.

Essay Structure and Components:

Your argument essay should contain the following components and follow MLA format:

1. Cover/Title Page: follow traditional MLA formatting: In the center of a separate page, type: Your full name, the words: Argument Essay, English 2, the due date: Saturday, October 27th by 11:59 p.m., 2018, followed by the Professor’s name. A template has been provided for you on Blackboard!

2. Introduction (1 paragraph): Begin the paragraph by introducing your essay idea in general; in the middle of this paragraph give background information on your subject to engage your audience and inform them with an overview and, as an option, identify the key points you will explore in your essay and list them in the order you will explore them; finally, in the thesis, the last sentence of the paragraph, explain your subject and main idea of this essay, the thing which connect everything; this idea is your overall position on the issue you will be arguing for (meaning: the arguable claim or assertion).

3. Your Argument (at least 5+ paragraphs): Here you will have a separate paragraph for each of your reasons for your topic (support your thesis/position statement in four different ways).

You will use at least one quote from one database source per support paragraph/main point.

Each paragraph will be ¾ page to one full, double-spaced page long.

4. Conclusion (1 paragraph): Here you will recap your overall impression of this essay, including your main idea/thesis, main points, and final thought of what it all means.

5. Works Cited Page: containing at least 3 academic sources in MLA format (also: the stories/novella do not count as a source)

*What to Turn in on October 27th by 11:59 p.m.: Place the completed essay checklist and your complete final essay and submit it on Blackboard no later than the deadline date and time.

A NOTE on Using Sources:

Remember that you do not necessarily need to find a critic that agrees with your point of view, especially because you will be connecting an issue within literature directly to the real world. You want to find evidence to support your argument in order to inform and argue with a disagreeing audience.

Consider the following ideas on how to find proof and use sources within your essay:

1. Webquest Research: use the provided handout and set of rules to find academic articles which help you communicate via argumentation and informative approaches.

2. Books: find books in the MATC library or a local library which clarify definitions or other aspects of the issue in your essay. Find details about the history of the issue, who was involved or why it matters. You can use this to clarify your logic and reasoning. Look for examples on both sides of the issue to provide an ethical approach.

3. Links: The professor provided you with many website links that you could use to help support or clarify/inform about your argument. One (1) of these may count toward your required three (3) articles (so, while you may use anything from the course, two (2) articles must come from your own research!).

4. Definitions: While not proof in itself, you could quote a definition of a key term to clarify a main point.

5. Other Databases: See a librarian , the professor, or look through other databases for evidence.

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