Order 873343: Should the goverment require that welfare recipients take drug test- I am for it

For this assignment, please write a logical, argumentative, documented essay. Include seven paragraphs for a minimum of 1700 words. Do not exceed 1800 words. For organization instructions, refer to page 2.

Write in third person and use correct MLA format. Type your paper. Do not submit hand-written papers.

Choose a debatable topic. Choose a topic that interests you because you will be reading extensively about that topic. You can find a topic by asking a question about something you’re curious about. Here’s an example: Are assault weapons banned in the U.S.? After you choose your topic, log on to Blackboard and post your topic on the designated discussion board forum in Blackboard. Do not choose topics someone else has chosen unless you are arguing the opposite side of the topic. One topic per person. Whoever signs up first gets the topic. Also, you can change your topic if you change your mind. Note: The following topic is not available: abortion.

Take a stand. This statement is wishy-washy and confusing: assault weapons are deadly and should be banned, but every American should be able to buy one if he or she wants to do so. Choose one side or the other. Either assault weapons should be banned or assault weapons should not be banned. Now, you have a place to start.

Read about your topic. Read some credible articles on the Web about your topic. You need to understand the general history and background of the argument.

Narrow your topic into a suitable claim statement. For this essay, the thesis will be called a claim statement. What are you claiming to be true about the topic? Remember that a broad topic has to be narrowed. For example, banning assault weapons is a broad topic. How can you narrow that topic? Make the key words more specific by choosing a particular type of gun or accessory, choosing a particular setting, choosing a particular type of law or restriction, and/or choosing a particular type of audience. Example: In 1791 when the Second Amendment was created, high-capacity magazines did not exist; therefore, the Supreme Court should take this new technology into account when interpreting the Second Amendment and strictly regulate the ownership and use of high-capacity magazines.

Outline your main points to support the claim statement: Look at the above claim statement and think how and why. Why should the Supreme Court take this new technology into account? Why should the Supreme Court strictly regulate high-capacity magazines? How should this be done? You get the idea. Remember that the main points have to support and prove your claim.

Defend your position. For this particular essay, you will focus on the rhetorical appeal of logos. You need to present objective evidence to your reader to support your claim. You will need to spend a great deal of time researching sources to find facts, statistics, reasons, examples, studies, and so forth to support your main points. Use this information in the body paragraphs to support the details. Ask a TCC librarian for help if you have trouble locating sources. Note: The majority of the paper must be your own words. Limit the research material to about thirty (30) words per source.

Do

Do write in third person

Do use correct MLA format with a works-cited page as the last page of the essay.

Do use at least five credible sources: one peer-reviewed journal, one credible Web site, one credible newspaper, and one e-book. The fifth source can be your choice. Do not use more than five sources.

Do not

Do not use Wikipedia, encyclopedias, or dictionaries as sources.

Do not use .com Web sites unless you can convince me that the source is credible. Most aren’t; some are.

Do not use popular magazines or cable news networks as sources.

Classical Argument: How to Organize the Essay

Please keep in mind that many organizational options exist for argumentative essays, but you will use the following standard form for your paper. Note: you will find an explanation of the history of classical argument on Blackboard.

· Introductory paragraph (first paragraph) sets the stage for the position that is argued in the essay. Make sure that your introduction grabs the reader’s attention. The claim statement states the position being argued. In your essay, the claim statement will appear as the last statement at the end of the introductory paragraph.

· Background information (second paragraph) or summary gives the reader basic information needed for understanding the position being argued. This paragraph comes after the introductory paragraph and informs the reader about your issue. For example, if you choose to support “embryonic stem cell research,” define and summarize the topic for the reader. Your reader may or may not know what you mean by embryonic stem cell research, so explain it to the reader, in one succinct paragraph.

· Reasons or evidence (third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs) is the support offered for the position being argued. This is the core of the essay. You want your reasoning to be logical and your evidence to meet critical standards. Before you begin writing your paragraphs, reread your claim statement and then ask why or how. Those three answers will the topic sentences of your body paragraphs.

Each reason or piece of evidence usually consists of a general statement backed up with specific details or examples. For our essay, present three reasons to support your claim and devote one paragraph per reason. Use emphatic order, saving the most powerful reason for last. You want to leave your reader with your most persuasive point. Also, remember to use logos to persuade. Although pathos isn’t necessarily as persuasive as logos, you can still use it in the introduction. Be careful, though. You don’t want your readers to feel manipulated.

· Counterclaims, objections and responses (sixth paragraph): In this paragraph, choose your opponent’s strongest argument. This shows that you are an ethical and fair writer who has considered both sides of the issue. State the argument in the first sentence of paragraph six. For example, you could say, “Some people believe . . . . Then, explain the opposition’s strongest point. Next, counter that point with evidence from your research. The “refutation” appears in its own paragraph immediately before the concluding paragraph.

· Concluding paragraph (seventh paragraph) reminds the reader of your claim by restating your claim in the first sentence of the conclusion. Then, end the essay logically and gracefully—never abruptly.