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    Essay # 4. Arguing a Position

Essay Requirements

Your essay should be 3 - 4 pages, typed and  double-spaced, using the MLA or APA format.

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Arguing power point presentation

                                                                            The Assignment

Write an essay that takes a position on a controversial issue. Present the issue to readers and take a position, and develop a convincing, well-reasoned argument. The issue must be arguable and not subject to absolute proof.

Guidelines

To write a position essay, you must first define the issue for readers and present its current situation clearly depending on the knowledge and information that your readers already know about the issue. After you delineate the issue, you must clearly state your position avoiding vagueness and indecision. This will be the thesis of your essay #4. To convince your readers that your position is right or much better than the opposition, you must develop your argumentative strategies which support your position. For example, you offer several key reasons (your topic sentences) and support them with examples, facts, statements from authorities, statistics, or your or others' personal anecdotes. Make the reasons explicit in the body paragraphs. Expecting the objections and alternative arguments that may refute your argument, you must counter-argue them logically. Choose the strongest counter-argumentative point and refute it convincingly by showing its logical weakness.  This will enhance the credibility of your essay and strengthen the argument.

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                                                     Suggestions for Drafting

When you choose an issue, you have some strong gut feeling for/against it. This will make you argue very convincingly. Consider your purpose and audience, formulates your thesis, check your choice of details, develop your reasoning, and assume counter-arguments.

* Defining the issue:

Briefly explain why you feel strongly about this issue.

What is the issue's history ? What made it an issue ? What are its consequences ?

Who has taken a position on this issue, and what positions have they taken?

What is your position?

Who are involved in this issue ? How does this influence other people ?

What is a stake/merit for them? Is this issue political, economical, social, moral or personal ?

How broad is the issue ? What other issues are related to it ?

* Deciding on your position:

Write one or two sentences that clearly present your position. Tell your

readers simply and directly what you want them to think about the issue and why.

* Developing your argument:

Listing reasons. Jot down every possible reason you could render to convince your readers that your position on the issue must be considered seriously.

Choose the strongest reasons that carry the most convincing to your readers and are most important to you.

Explain the strongest reasons by providing logical support for them.

* Listing opposing arguments:

Make as complete a list as you can of the counter-argument that you can expect from others.

Choose the strongest one and refute it by attacking its illogical aspects.

                          A  Sample Organization of Essay # 4

Introduction:

Attract the readers with an interesting remark, or use a rhetorical question or startling statistics.

Connect the issue with your personal experience.

Try to prove the issue affects many people.

Identify issue, state the thesis statement and forecast reasons

The thesis must show your position.

 

Bodies: (Sequence the reasons from strongest to weakest, form most to least predictable, or from simplest to most complex)

Explain and support first reason

Topic sentence should show your position

Details: facts, evidence, personal experiences, statistics, statement from authority, anecdotes, scenario,

Explain and support second reason

Topic sentence should show your position

Details: facts, evidence, personal experiences, statistics, statement from authority, anecdotes, scenario,

Explain and support second reason  

(Refute opposing argument)

Introduce your opponent’s strongest reason objectively.

Refute the opposing argument logically.  Show the weakness of the opponent’s point. 

Explain and support third reason

Topic sentence should show your position

Details: facts, evidence, personal experiences, statistics, statement from authority, anecdotes, scenario,

 

Conclusion:

Restate the thesis in different words.

Reassert the position and frame the essay.

Suggest another example that emphasizes your position.                                                                                                             

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