Argumentative Essay

ENGL 1101

Argument Research Essay Portfolio

Each student will complete a Research Portfolio, including a few smaller assignments leading to a final paper. The essay itself will be a 1,500-word (or more) argumentative essay using Chapter 3.8 from the textbook as a foundation. You also should review Chapter 4 on Writing a Research Paper. This essay must be in MLA format  (Double-spaced, 12-pt. font, Times New Roman font style, 1” margins, etc.) and meet the required minimum length, or it will not be graded.

We are going to approach this a project of smaller assignments that build up to a final essay. Each of the smaller assignments will help in successfully completing that essay.

This Argument Essay is a Classical Argument Essay aimed at both arguing the author’s thesis and refuting the opponent’s thesis. It is NOT a Persuasive Essay, where the purpose is to persuade without necessarily arguing against an opposing perspective. The difference is that an argument essay tries both to persuade and refute against an opposing view.

With this in mind, you should not choose a generic issue that has no credible opposing view – like “energy conservation” – for a Classical Argument essay. One can try to write a persuasive essay that makes an appeal to a reader to conserve energy. But unless you can find a credible opponent with an active agenda opposing your appeal (“We should NOT conserve energy”), then you cannot write a Classical Argument essay.

Requirements:

• Choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented clearly opposing positions and clear agendas

• Choose the position you agree with and argue that position using the following:

· Three separate lines of reasoning;

· Each line of reasoning will support your position with research (example, testimony, and fact/data, or any combination) that supports your position; and

· Research about the opposing position’s views

· Present the opposing views and refute them.

• Include a two-part thesis with:

· Statement of position; and

· Forecast of your lines of reasoning

• Develop an enticing title that implies your position.

• Use a sympathetic appeal and/or cited research in the introduction to establish the issue.

• Avoid addressing the assignment directly. (Don’t write “I am going to argue about…” Instead, introduce the issue in a more compelling way that makes the reader care.)

• Your voice should be professional and scholarly.

• Package your source material with appropriate signaling and commentary.

#1 – Topic Proposal

This will be a one paragraph, double-spaced research proposal describing the topic you have chosen to write about for this assignment. This proposal should contain the following items:

1) The Topic: what you want to write about; must be an argumentative topic that you can discuss the two sides

2) The Problem: the situation that makes the topic important

3) Research Question: what you hope to discover through your research

Please submit your proposal with complete answers to these questions in the Topic Proposal discussion forum.

#2 – Outline

Create an outline of your plan for the essay. This might change before your final draft, and that’s okay. Things change. However, you’ll want to put your ideas of how you want to lay out all your ideas on paper. The outline should be only one single-spaced page. Remember that outlines are not full sentences or paragraphs but brief statements of ideas. See Module 3 for further examples and explanation.

Please submit this assignment to the Argument Outline assignment drop box.

#3 – Annotated Bibliography

You will provide a list of the sources you intend to use in your essay. You must have four outside sources in this essay. These cannot be Wikipedia. You will need to keep up with each source you find, so you can complete this assignment. See Module 3 for further examples and explanation.

Please submit your assignment to the Annotated Bibliography assignment drop box.

#4 – Workshop

You will all meet with the instructor for a one-on-one session to discuss your paper. Closer to this assignment, I will post a sign-up sheet for you to make an appointment. This will be the final chance you’ll have to discuss it with your instructor.

#5 – Final Draft

You will submit the final draft of your essay to the correct drop box located in Blackboard. Remember that this must be a Word document. We all use TurnItIn drop boxes, so this will check all essays for plagiarism. Any paper that has a high percentage of plagiarized work, will result in a zero.

Please submit the final draft of your essay to the Essay 3: Argument Essay drop box.

#6 – Revision

Each of you will get one chance to resubmit your essay. You will be able to make necessary changes and edits to your final essay, with the intention of bringing up your grade. Again, you’ll submit this revision to the correct drop box in Blackboard.

Please submit your revision to the Essay Revision drop box.

Papers will be graded for grammar, content, and correct MLA format including correct use of in-text citations and outside sources.