Essay 3
Overview
In your
Proposal, you began exploring a topic related to our course theme by creating
research questions and a working thesis statement that makes an argument. You
will use this same topic in our Essay 3 assignment, as well as some or all of
the sources from your Annotated Bibliography. In Essay 3, you will explore your
topic more fully by providing external evidence to support the argument you
make in your thesis statement. To demonstrate your objectivity and eliminate
bias, it is important that you include counterargument and argument.
Requirements
· Write a 2000-2500 word researched
argument essay on one of our theme topics
· Incorporate a minimum of six
sources–at least four must be from FCC databases and at least one must be
scholarly
· Convince the reader that the topic issue
warrants attention
· Offer a counterargument (explain how
those you disagree with hope to solve the issue)
· Provide a convincing argument for
your proposed solution
· Support your argument with multiple
forms of evidence (statistics, expert opinion, and examples)
· Use MLA document and citation
formatting
Guidelines (Requirements Explained)
Begin your 2000-2500
word essay with an introduction that
creates interest in the topic. You may use a personal story in the introduction
to entice your reader into thinking about the topic and complete the story in
the conclusion. Please see Chapter 10.1 in our textbook for other strategies
to grab your readers’ attention in the introduction.
At the end
of the introduction or as a separate paragraph after the intro, share your thesis
statement. Because the goal of an argument essay is to change the mind of a
reader that disagrees with you, it’s important to be strategic about this. Think
of the thesis as a purpose statement about the structure of your essay rather
than a summary of what you intend to prove.
Here’s an
example: In my paper, I will show that [topic] threatens the stability of
our democracy. While some believe that [counterargument], I intend to show that
there is a better solution. Don’t hesitate to use the exact words from this
example in your own essay. It serves as a template that previews all various
rhetorical moves your essay makes without revealing too many specifics that
might discourage readers who disagree with you from learning what you have to
say.
Background information on your topic follows the
introduction and thesis to give your reader the necessary information in order
to understand your argument. Multiple background paragraphs might be needed.
For your background, include any definitions, facts, history, etc. about your
topic that you think the reader needs to know. Make sure you provide external
sources for any background information that is not common knowledge. Use MLA
style to cite your sources.
After you
finish with the background information, the counterarguments should be acknowledged. Summarize the most obvious and potentially important
counterarguments that the reader may consider. Like all other sections, utilize
external evidence to support the counterarguments. You do not need to include
every possible objection to your point of view, but it is important to include
the ones that you anticipate your reader to have.
Follow the
counterargument with a refutation and an argument of your own.
Here you will disprove what opponents have to say and offer your own solution
in its place. You may refute a counterargument by disputing the
evidence/reasoning and showing that it is untrue / unfair / illogical /
irrelevant / unimportant, etc. Your aim is to show that you have considered the
argument from multiple perspectives, but you want to bring your reader back to
agreeing with your position.
Each point
of the argument should be backed by a variety of evidence from several sources.
Each point must represent an idea—not a source. Plan for at least three,
possibly more, supporting arguments and
organize each supporting argument clearly into separate paragraph(s). Begin
each paragraph with your own topic sentence. Doing so should keep each
paragraph unified—should keep each paragraph focused on one main idea. Make
sure you bring in external sources to provide credible evidence for your
arguments. Demonstrate that you have learned about the topic through your
research. You are reporting, analyzing, explaining, comparing, synthesizing,
and evaluating the ideas of experts, the statistics, and the examples you have
researched. Use MLA style to cite any sources you summarize, paraphrase, and/or
quote.
Write a conclusion that reaffirms your
argument’s claims. You could include a call to action. Try to create a memorable last line. Use the
resources in Blackboard and Chapter 10.1 on writing good conclusions to help
you finish your essay in style.
You must
cite at least six sources, at least
four must be from the FCC Library databases, and at least one must be
scholarly.
Remember: All borrowed material must be cited
using MLA style. This includes paraphrased and summarized material, not just
quotations. The exact words of a source must be in quotation marks. While most
of the material in your paper will be borrowed, most of the words in the essay
should be yours. Work to paraphrase as much of the information as possible. Failure
to cite borrowed material correctly is plagiarism.
