Your third essay is an argumentative essay. Though this seems to suggest picking a “side” in a
debate and sticking to it, the purpose of this essay is to develop a nuanced position on a topic.
Your task is to present your position logically and persuasively in a clear thesis statement.
You will also defend your position from a counterargument that you define clearly. Your
audience will be a scholarly audience who are not experts in your topic. To further develop
your argument, you will use 4 reliable sources to incorporate into your essay. You will cite
your sources in your writing as well as in a formatted works cited page.
For the sake of paper length, we will avoid longstanding controversies (ex: the death penalty,
abortion, etc.) and topics that are too broad to cover in 3-6 pages (ex: climate change, the
electoral college, etc.). Choose ONE of the following options:
Social media – We live in an era when social media makes it easy to develop and
maintain connections with each other. At the same time, social media can also have
drastic negative effects on one’s mental health and wellbeing. Write an essay centered on
the effects of social media.
Here are some questions to consider to narrow down the focus of your argument:
o Is social media necessary? What aspects are/aren’t necessary to our society
and/or wellbeing?
o What aspects of social media are beneficial? What aspects are harmful?
o What actions should be taken (by individuals or institutions) regarding social
media and its effects? How should these decisions be implemented? What effect
would these actions have?
Art requirements – Researchers have posited that there are psychological benefits to
both studying and creating art (painting, film, writing, music, etc.). However, it’s a well-
known cliché that art can be both costly and unprofitable. Write an essay centered on
why school curricula should/shouldn’t require the study and creation of art.
Here are some questions to consider to narrow down the focus of your argument:
o Is art necessary? What aspects are/aren’t necessary?
o What exactly are the benefits of studying and creating art? Can these benefits be
reaped by studying any other school subject?
o What is and what should be the purpose of schooling? To prepare students for
the workforce? To develop well-rounded adults?
o What are the potential consequences of requiring or not requiring art classes?
If neither of these options appeals to you, come up with a list of topics and speak to me
about your plan for your argument. Your chosen topic must be signed off by me before
you can start writing on it.
A potential starting point for developing a nuanced position on a topic can be found in observing
these subjects/the world around you and taking notice of contradictions that nonetheless
coexist. From there, you can develop your thoughts on why and how these contradictions can be
true at the same time. Ex: we can agree that technological devices (phones, laptops, tablets, etc.)
are capable of much more now than it was even a decade ago. At the same time, modern devices
seem to break so easily and/or need replacement so quickly. What is the main source of this
problem, and what steps should be taken to resolve the issue?
Also remember that while your task is to defend your position, you must still maintain a
respectful and professional tone.
