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Assignment Guide: Researched Argument

Assignment Overview

What is an argument?

In academic writing, an argument is a claim , or a debatable stance, backed up with evidence . An argument is always debatable. This means that whatever your claim is, someone, somewhere will not agree with you. An argument is a closed form of writing, and it follows a somewhat predictable pattern. The originality within an argument stems from the evidence you gather and the appeals you wield to make your point. As one might imagine, choosing your evidence or sources, as well as which appeals to consider, is greatly influenced by the audience . Without question, to whom you are addressing your claim will help determine the writing choices you make.

What spearheads my argument?

Ultimately, what guides your argument is one very important question: What’s the point for drafting and presenting this argument? In other words, what am I trying to prove? The thesis statement , or claim , is the point of the essay. It is the debatable point you are trying to make.

Where do I state my claim ?

The thesis statement (which will likely be more than one sentence) usually appears at the end of your introduction and presents your specific argument or claim to the reader . Your claim or thesis statement should include the reasons that will support the claim.This will help you determine how the argument will flow. To put it another way: the thesis should only cover what you will discuss in your essay ( Claim + Reasons 1, 2, 3 etc.)

A claim serves many purposes, including the following:

· To prepare your readers for the purpose of your paper and the content

· To set the focus for your paper

· To state your side on an issue

· To preview the “reasons” you will address

How do I support the claim I’m making?

Strong and thorough evidence supports an argument or “ claim ,” providing explanation in the form of indirect and direct quotes and statistics, to name a couple. Yet, just including a statistic or quote is not enough: To build a sound argument, it is important to “warrant” or explain the reasons why your claim should be considered.

What are the components of an argument?

Item	Description
Thesis or Main Claim	The main claim is your thesis –the point you're trying to make. The main claim is debatable, should be complex, and must be paired with ideas and evidence to support it. Essentially, it is both your main point and what you want your audience to believe.
Reasons/Points	The reasons, in many ways, are the second part of your claim . Developing and clearly articulating the “reasons” for your position is key to developing your argument. As you can imagine a well-articulated claim + reasons will drive your argument.
Warrant (the Bridge)	A sentence or two (per reason or point made) that explains each reason or point you're making. This explains why you think your evidence is relevant to your claim .
Evidence	The evidence (data or grounds) is information you’ve collected to support your claim and reasons.
Counterclaim	This is where you illustrate that you’re familiar with what the opposition claims . (Be sure to explore each counterpoint, gathering source information to fully understand why people hold that position and to more fully evaluate the counterargument .)
Rebuttal	While you will always consider the opposition’s point of view , do not hesitate to reiterate the points that support your claim . The rebuttal functions as a reiteration of your evidence in support of your claim . Be sure to always make a clear connection between the rebuttal, your claim and the evidence that points in your direction.

What can weaken my argument?

Logical fallacies weaken arguments. Logical fallacies can look or sound like a hasty generalization , a missed point, assumptions, weak correlations or analogies, just to name a handful. Writers/speakers should always review their own work for fallacies that might inappropriately sway their audience .

Assignment Prompt: Researched Argument

Overview

The researched argument is the final step in the writing process. For this assignment, you will pull on all of the course work you have completed thus far, bringing the pieces together into a final, polished project: a well-analyzed, well-supported, claim -driven essay. Also, you will need to locate and read at least one more source to help you build your argument. Thus, this argument will be supported by 6 sources. (Note: previous assignments needed only 5 sources.)

Expectations

The researched argument is your chance to showcase all of your hard work, as you demonstrate:

· The ability to take a position in a persuasive, logic -driven manner.

· The art of crafting a debatable claim and supporting it with logic -driven evidence

· The skill of building a solid structure and foundation in support of the debatable claim

· Consideration of the counterclaim, and a well-informed rebuttal

· The skill of source support via valid points and credible evidence

Requirements

Length: a minimum of 1500 words are required for this assignment. *If the minimum word count is not met, your assignment will be returned with no grade and a resubmission will be required.

Sources: An MLA formatted Works Cited page and in-text (parenthetical) citations are required for this assignment. The Works Cited page should include at least 6 cited sources. As a reminder, sources cited on your “ Works Cited ” page must also be cited within your essay as in-text citations. You may use all, some or none of the sources you originally read to prepare for all of the other assignments in this course; however you must include evidence from 6 read and reviewed scholarly sources for this assignment. *If the minimum source count (6) is not met, your assignment will be returned with no grade and a resubmission will be required.

Organization

The researched argument should include the following four components: Topic Introduction , Body, Conclusion , and Works Cited Page with at least 6 sources.

Check out the table below for more information about the required content and conditions of each component:

Component	Content	Conditions
Topic Introduction	In drafting the introduction , consider including the following elements: Start with an attention grabber or hook : an extremely poignant but simple-to-the-point story, an example, statistic, or historical context that introduces the essay’s topic. Then, give an overview of any issues involved with the subject . Define any key terminology needed to understand the topic. Quote or paraphrase sources revealing the controversial nature of the subject . Highlight background information on the topic needed to understand the direction of the paper Your main claim , and in brief, the reasons supporting the claim . (1-2 sentences)	Top Tip: Aim for at least six to eight sentences here, to allow for full forecasting of the rest of the essay. The thesis / main claim should be underlined. Top Tip: The thesis is the main claim !
Body	Clearly present the reasons in the order as listed with the main claim in paragraph 1. Provide warrants to connect each reason; then, explore the reason with evidence . You will want to bring up a counterargument and rebuttal with each noted reason.	Top Tip: Make sure to use strong transition s to help readers move more easily with you, from one idea (and one paragraph) to the next.
Conclusion	Restate your claim . Attempt to not copy verbatim from the introduction . Briefly summarize each “reason” found in the body of the paper. End with a strong clincher statement: an appropriate, meaningful final sentence that ties the whole point of the essay together (you may want to refer back to the attention grabber or hook noted in paragraph 1)	Top Tip: You should plan to really grab the readers’ attention one last time here–to leave them with some final food for thought.
Works Cited	Plan to include 6 sources here (and each source should also be cited directly in the essay, as in-text citations).	Top Tip: As a reminder, sources cited on your “ Works Cited ” page should also be cited within your essay. You may use all, some or none of the sources you originally read to prepare for all of the other assignments in this course. Use sources that best help you to prove your thesis ; this may mean choosing new, or some new, articles. Note: 6 sources minimum.

Document Format: MLA formatting: Heading (name, assignment name, course name, date), original title, header (page numbers), line-spacing (double-spaced), 1” margins, 12-point font size, and Times New Roman or other sans-serif font. Includes properly formatting in-text citations and the Works Cited page. (6 sources minimum.) The thesis should be underlined.

Genre / Style : Formal, academic essay . Underline the thesis /main claim .

Grading Guide: Researched Argument

ENG 102 Rubric: Researched Argument
Assignment Requirements: 1500 words & parenthetical citations with a Works Cited page.
	0-1 Points	2 Points	3 Points	4 Points
Topic Introduction and Thesis (Main Claim ) (15%) The thesis / claim may be more than one sentence. The thesis may be anywhere in the first or second paragraph. The thesis / claim may establish a line of reasoning that structures the essay, but it needn’t do so to earn full credit. The thesis / claim that meets the criteria can be awarded full points whether or not the rest of the response successfully supports that line of reasoning. *Reminder: The* *thesis* / *claim* *is underlined.*	The thesis is not able to be debated and/or essential background information is missing.	The thesis is attempted though undebatable, and the paragraph includes some background information but is essentially unclear and ineffective.	The thesis is evident and defendable. The writer provides some essential background information to help the reader understand the purpose for writing.	The thesis is well-written, defendable and sophisticated; it clearly establishes the point of the argument. The writer provides essential background information to help the reader understand the purpose for writing.
Evidence / Research (20%) The evidence (data or grounds) is information collected to support the thesis and reasons. Reminder: This assignment requires the research and review of 6 scholarly sources . These 6 sources should be parenthetically cited within the text and referenced in the Works Cited page.	An insufficient amount of specific and/or relevant evidence is provided, and information may be repetitive or irrelevant to the argument.	Overall, some evidence is provided; however, its specificity and/or relevance to the thesis is lacking.	A sufficient amount of specific and/or relevant evidence is provided to support claims and a line of reasoning.	Specific and effective evidence supports all claims within a line of reasoning.
Commentary: Research Analysis (20%) The research analysis is the detailed explanation of the evidence and data collected. The commentary also includes at least one counterargument and rebuttal.	There is no logical commentary exploring how and/or why the evidence supports the argument’s thesis and/or line of reasoning. There is no counterargument and/or rebuttal present.	Commentary may or may not explain how the argument’s evidence supports the thesis and an established line of reasoning. At least one counterargument and/or rebuttal may or may not be present.	Commentary attempts to explore how the evidence relates to the argument’s thesis , but no clear line of reasoning is established, or the line of reasoning is faulty or illogical. At least one adequate counterargument and rebuttal supports the writer’s argument.	Commentary comprehensively explains how the argument’s evidence supports the thesis and an established line of reasoning. At least one well-articulated counterargument and rebuttal logically supports the writer’s argument. If there is no counterargument AND rebuttal, a score of 4 cannot be earned.
Rhetorical Awareness (20%) Notes: The rhetorical situation speaks to the writer’s awareness of tone , audience , and context, as well as an awareness and application of appropriate rhetorical appeals.	The writer illustrates no awareness of the rhetorical situation.	The writer attempts to contextualize their argument, but such attempts consist of predominantly sweeping generalizations. The writer hints or suggests others’ arguments (the counterargument ). A vague reference is made to an opposing argument. The writer uses vague or overly complicated sentences or language that is ineffective because the argument is not enhanced.	The writer demonstrates an understanding of the rhetorical situation. The argument, at times, explores complexities or tensions within a broader context. A counterargument and/or rebuttal notes the writer’s general awareness of the argument’s implications or limitations The writer makes rhetorical choices that often strengthen the argument. The writer’s style is, at times, persuasive.	The writer demonstrates sophistication of thought and/or a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation The argument consistently explores complexities or tensions within a broader context. A counterargument and/or rebuttal clearly notes the writer’s awareness of the argument’s implications or limitations. The writer makes strong rhetorical choices that consistently strengthen the argument. The writer’s style is consistently persuasive.
Language and Style (10%) Word Choice & Vocabulary Including stylistic considerations such as redundancy, repetition , awkwardness, audience awareness, and tone . Effective use of logical transition s; the writing flows from one idea to the next. Stylistic choices support argument development.	Overall, the writer’s use of language and style lacks development.	Overall, the writer’s use of language and style is adequate.	Overall, the writer’s use of language and style is proficient.	Overall, the writer’s use of language and style is excellent.
Mechanics , Grammar , and Punctuation (10%) Comma errors, comma splices, apostrophe errors, capitalization errors, semicolon errors, colon errors, typos/misspellings	The work is unpolished with 6 or more repetitive grammatical, mechanical, and/or punctuation errors.	The work is unpolished with no more than 5 repetitive grammatical, mechanical, and/or punctuation errors.	The work appears polished with no more than 4 repetitive grammatical, mechanical, and/or punctuation errors.	The work appears polished with no more than 3 repetitive grammatical, mechanical, and/or punctuation errors.
Formatting (5%) MLA formatting: Heading (name, assignment name, course name, date), original title, header (page numbers), line-spacing (double-spaced), 1” margins, 12-point font size, and Times New Roman or other sans-serif font. Includes properly formatting in-text citations and the Works Cited page. (6 sources minimum.) The thesis should be underlined.	Meets little or none MLA formatting requirements.	Meets some MLA formatting requirements.	Meets most MLA formatting requirements.	Meets almost all MLA formatting requirements. The thesis is underlined. If the thesis statement is not underlined, the essay cannot score above a 3.