Researched Argument Essay

Researched Argument Essay

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the unit, students should:

Produce a thoughtful, logically structured, and well-researched argument;

Show evidence of engagement with a timely topic (problem/solution) and research question;

Use secondary sources that are effective for the chosen audience and rhetorical purpose;

Document secondary research (both in-text and in Works Cited) correctly according to a specified citation style;

Use appropriately summary, paraphrase, and direct quotations to support and develop claims;

Employ rhetorical appeals effectively;

Make clear to relationship to and meaning of adversity and resilience, the course theme

Produce a final draft that shows evidence of a thoughtful writing process, including invention, revision, and editing;

Use syntax, punctuation, and spelling effectively in service of rhetorical purpose and to support the writer’s ethos.

Major Assignment: Writing a Classical Argument

Instructions: Write a formal persuasive paper that solves a “perplexing problem” on which you base a research question that proposes a plausible solution. The topic should be timely and significant, avoiding personal issues and can be somewhat controversial.

Be sure to establish yourself as a credible author by using an appropriate tone and voice. Also make sure your thesis (position) clear and decisive from the beginning and maintain that stance consistently throughout the paper. You must link reasons to your claim that you develop throughout the rest of the argument. You should also be clear about the claim you make, linking reasons or “warrants” that you use as subpoints throughout the paper. You must also make clear the meaning of adversity and resilience in the context of making your argument, and how the problem/solution directly relates to this theme.

Remember to use specific examples, facts, quotations, anecdotes, statistics, images, etc., to back up your general claims, though they should not form the bulk of your paper. Also, be sure to include a fully developed counterargument section, during which you present—then refute or concede to—any opposing views. This paper should earn no more than a 25% on the report that indicates “similarity to other texts.” The similarity score discounts bibliographic material and citations, so it applies to quoted material. Finally, MLA format should be used, with sources cited appropriately both within the body of the essay and in a Works Cited page that concludes the piece. (Range: 4-5 pages; that is, 1,000-1,500 words.)

Topic: Should the government reduce crime rates by installing more monitoring equipment in public places such as streets and shopping malls? (The thesis should include a claim and three warrants)

The article should related to Adversity & Resilience

NO “SHOULD” in Argument

Identify writer’s main points, how they support them

Flaws in reasoning, logic

Connection to broader ideas

Theme of Adversity & Resilience

Examine the context in which it was written: Historical, social, political.

Examine Structure & Organization

Evaluate & analyze the research it contains

Challenging & Question the ideology

Identify how the writer arrived at conclusion

Critical:

A deep examination

Read with skepticism

Evaluate the writer’s effectiveness/ineffectiveness

Analysis:

Take something apart

Examine each part

Draw conclusion

Problem——>Solution that is the best alternative to solving the problem.

Directly clearly illustrates a specific type of adversity & resilience

Integrating sources into your writing…

Anticipate what the reader needs to know in order to follow: Essential Information

Who: Author’s name-info that makes the author credible.

What: Title of article & journal

When: published

Where: Journal in which it appeared

Why: Author’s purpose

How: How they produced the article