English essay

English 735-01 Essay #7

Argumentative or Persuasive Essay

For Essay #7, you will write an argumentative essay of 3.0 to 3.5 pages. In this paper, you will use the topic you chose in the last class (see topics below). Offer background information on the topic: general points, why this topic is controversial, who’s saying what, and any recent related events. You must establish why this issue is important to discuss and resolve. Make sure to have a debatable thesis statement (claim) that not only expresses your stance but also establishes a bit of your reasoning and is audience-friendly. Remember to write in the third person, avoiding using “I,” “you,” “we,” etc. and do not use contractions (it’s=it is).

The body of your paper must provide three reasons that explain how and why you feel the way you do and offer evidence to support those reasons. You must have a counterargument in which you present and respond to an opposing point of view.

The first draft can be somewhat rough but it should contain your fully explained topic and thesis statement and the three reasons you will use to support your claim. It should be at least two full pages and in the correct MLA8 format (see instructions below). On the day it is due, we will have a peer review session so that you can give and receive feedback on the writing so far.

The second draft must show progress from the first draft and be at least 3.0 pages and be close to final. It should be more polished, with correct sentence form, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and show thorough proofreading. The final draft must show progress from the second draft and incorporate the items from our conference discussion. Please retain the outline, first draft and peer review comments, and second draft, as all parts will be submitted together with the final draft.

To write a strong argumentative essay, you need the following:

A clear grasp of the issue.

A creative and relevant title.

A convincing, well-defined thesis that is debatable.

An awareness of and response to an opposing point of view.

A clear sense of your audience.

The ability to distinguish between opinions and facts.

Solid supporting evidence.

Logical organization.

Accurate, fresh, and appropriate word choice.

Topics:

· Some people believe that watching television is a worthless or meaningless activity, while others view it as a valuable way to relax or gather information. Is watching TV a valuable activity? Make sure you support your position with reasons, explanations, and examples.

· Some people believe that auto insurance companies have the right to charge young male drivers higher insurance rates because they have a higher incidence of getting into accidents and filing claims. Other people believe this to be a form of age and gender discrimination. Should insurance companies be allowed to charge higher rates to young men? Make sure you support your position with reasons, explanations, and examples.

· Some people believe that employers have the right to monitor their employees with video cameras and listening devices and read their employees’ electronic mail. Other people believe that such monitoring is a violation of privacy. Should employee privacy be protected in the workplace? Make sure you support your position with reasons explanations, and examples.

MLA8 Formatting

· Upper right corner – Page numbers begin with page 1. Type your name and two spaces to the left of page number.

· Upper left corner – Put your name, the instructor’s name, the course number, and the due date in 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-spaced.

· Title – it should be centered and written in 12-point, Times New Roman font. The title is not bolded, underlined or italicized.

· Spacing – MLA8 requires double-spacing throughout the essay. Do not add extra lines between paragraphs.

· Margins – one inch margins. Margins should be set for left justification.

· Font – Times New Roman font style, 12 pt.

· In-text citation - Within the text of your paper, include an in-text citation when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, or quote from another resource.

· Works Cited page – Center the title “Works Cited” in 12-point Times New Roman font. The list of sources should be written using “hanging indents,” where the first line starts at the left margin. At the end of that first line, hit “enter” and at the beginning of the second line “tab” once to create the “hanging indent.”