argument essay

For this assignment, you will put together a unique argument, supported by academic evidence, combining your previous two assignments: 1) the Literature Review and 2) the Rhetorical Analysis with new original argumentative content.

Due Dates:

-1st draft, Tuesday 3/1 (on Canvas and 1 copy in class)

-2nd draft, Thursday 3/3 (on Canvas and 4 copies in class)

-3rd draft, Thursday 3/10 (on Canvas and 1 Copy in class)

The Complete Argument Essay Should:

1. Offer a unique thesis based upon a rhetorical analysis of your chosen digital or visual text/s.

2. Take into consideration your literature review that provides an overview of the important research surrounding the topic with which you are working.

3. Use research and evidence to support an academic argument that corrects misinterpretations, fills a gap, or modifies an idea related to the work you analyzed.

4. Consider and respond to the plausible reactions and/or opposing positions to your argument.

5. Raise questions for further study on this topic.

6. Be formatted according to MLA standards, and be free of major spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.

Argument Essay Checklist:

· Have you established a clear context for your argument?

· Is your argument significant? That is, have you established that your topic, and your position on it, contributes to an ongoing academic conversation?

· Are your premises and claims supported by credible reasons and academic evidence?

· Did you establish a clear thesis and provide a roadmap for your readers so they can easily follow your argument?

· Do you include clear transitions between each section of your paper?

· Have you cited your sources correctly?

Tips and Ideas for the Argument Essay

(Section 3 of the Research Project)

The Argument Essay is the third part of your three-part Research Project. In the first part, the Literature Review, you surveyed the scholarly research related to your topic and reviewed it for your reader, in order to situate your project within the academic conversation on your topic. In the second part of your project, The Rhetorical Analysis, you conducted an analysis of a digital or visual text/s related to your topic. Now, based on that analysis you can (for Part Three, the Argument Essay):

· Summarize the findings of your analysis and discuss any significant conclusions that you drew from the analysis:

Based on your analysis, what did you find out about…?

· Take and argue a position on your topic, based on the research and analysis you’ve done

Now that you’ve done the research, what is your position on…?

· Make specific policy recommendations based on the first two parts of your paper

What should be done about…?

Should government action be taken to deal with…?

How should consumers approach…?

· Raise issues for further discussion and research

What more needs to be studied about…?

· Bring up questions that still need to be answered

What didn’t your research cover?

What kind of more substantial study needs to be done?

Part Three needs to make a clear argument about your topic. As such, you will need to establish a clear thesis and support it. Your Argument Essay Thesis can be based on the thesis that you established in your rhetorical analysis; it will become the thesis for your whole project. For a model of what your final, overall thesis should look like, refer to the Synthesis & Argument Handout, available under “Guidelines” on our Canvas homepage. Part Three should:

· Have a clear central claim (or thesis) about your topic

· Provide reasons for that claim

· Support all claims and reasons with evidence

· Consider opposing views and refute them

· Convey the overall significance of your project: it should answer the question, “so what?”