English 1102 Argument Essay

People write arguments for all kinds of reasons, but mainly in order to convince someone else to adopt their point of view. For example, those against abortion or for gun control might want to persuade legislators to pass a particular bill.  Someone else might want to convince the local school board to trim fat at the administrative level so that local children are not asked to hustle merchandise to raise money for the schools.  Still others might want to sell real estate, securities, or even cosmetics.  Indeed, whether one reaches the goals one has in life may substantially depend on how well one can persuade other people. 

The goal of this assignment is to teach students how to engage in arguments primarily using claims supported by evidence. It will not be enough to merely assert one's point; like any good attorney, one will need to anticipate the arguments of those who disagree and then actively engage. Students will need to avoid logical fallacies while using advanced rhetorical methods.

Specifications

1) At least 1200 of your own words (not including any quoted material or citations)

2) At least five sources gathered from GALILEO

3) Proper MLA documentation throughout

4) Language use appropriate for an academic and professional audience

5) Double-spaced 12 point Times New Roman font

6) Grading standards sheet completed by student is included in the posted file

Note three important ideas

1) Argument is not personal abuse.

2) Argument is not contradiction or automatic gainsaying.

3) Argument is not complaining.

Monty Python Argument Sketch

Purpose

The purpose of an argument paper is to persuade other people to adopt one's point of view; i.e., merely stating one's opinion does not meet the requirement of the assignment. In addition, students will exercise analytical reasoning skills as they build their position with evidence and sound reasoning. Students will also learn to anticipate the objections that someone in their audience might have to their argument, and they will also develop their documentation skills as they practice academic writing.

Please note that I have not included pathetic appeals in this argument assignment. While certainly appeals to emotion have a place in persuasive writing, here we will be developing skills in evidence deployment and logical reasoning.

Audience

The audience for an argument paper is a group of people who disagree with your point of view.   

The Process

1) Identify your values through journal writing and conversations with friends;

2) Determine why others might disagree with you;

3) Narrow the issues to a few of the most important you think will be effective in persuading others to adopt the position you have staked out;

4) Write a draft of the paper and rehearse its points in conversations to expose any weaknesses;

5) Revise at least once, but preferably three or four times as necessary to create the best paper you can.

5) Grading standards sheet completed by student is included in the posted file.

Your final draft should be about 1200 of your own words and should argue persuasively for your viewpoint. Please use at least five researched sources for this assignment. Be sure to document your research using M.L.A. style citation

Keys to success

1) This paper must have a thesis (an observation plus a debatable point of view or hypothesis).

2) Be certain that the paper is written using academic language conventions and that it conforms to the minimum standards sheet linked to the syllabus.

3) Address the assignment in all its aspects.

4) Be certain that the topic of the paper is narrow and focused.

5) Create an interesting title that relates to the main idea of the paper (do not title the paper "Diversity" or "Argument Paper").