Argumentative Essay
Overview (9-10.W.3.1)
Argument Writing
Write an argument in MLA style about a topic of your choice. Your argument must be at least 2-3 pages in length. You will utilize the research skills you've learned this year in order to find evidence for your essay. These are your expectations:
Throughout, use effective transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. Establish and maintain a consistent style and tone appropriate to your purpose and to your audience.
Write an argument in MLA style about a topic of your choice. Your argument must be at least 2-3 pages in length. You will utilize the research skills you've learned this year in order to find evidence for your essay. These are your expectations:
- Make a clear claim.
- Develop your claim with convincing, research-based evidence from the articles below. You must make this argument YOUR OWN.
- Determine your opponents’ best argument and objectively summarize their argument.
- Explain why your opponents’ argument is incorrect, faulty, or inadequate. Again, paraphrase and make it completely your own.
- Provide a concluding paragraph (restatement of claim) that follows from and supports the argument.
Throughout, use effective transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. Establish and maintain a consistent style and tone appropriate to your purpose and to your audience.
Possible Topics
Find a topic from this list. However, you must have it APPROVED by us before starting your research: essaybasics.com/100-argumentative-essay-topics/
Writing the Essay
Background and Introduction (first paragraph):
- Gain the reader's attention
- Provide background information and context for this argument. What do we need to know in order to understand your argument?
- Make a clear claim
- Transition word or phrase
- Briefly summarize your main points
- Cite strong evidence for your position to build your case. Appeal to both pathos and logos.
- Transition word or phrase
- Briefly summarize the opposing views (make sure you clarify that this is NOT your side of the argument)
- Explain why your view is better (shoot it down using evidence)
- Transition word or phrase
- Summarize your views one more time
Formatting and MLA Style
Quote citations: According to the text, “Minimum wage increasing would literally cause the world to end, and people would be screaming in the streets” (Reich).
Paraphrase citations: Raising the minimum wage would cause pandemonium among the public (Reich).
Paraphrase citations: Raising the minimum wage would cause pandemonium among the public (Reich).
Rubric
(10 points) Clear claim
(25 points) Convincing, research-based evidence
(10 points) Counterclaim brought up and shot down
(10 points) Effective concluding paragraph
(10 points) Grammar/Mechanics
(5 points) Appropriate style
(5 points) Transition words and phrases used
(25 points) Convincing, research-based evidence
(10 points) Counterclaim brought up and shot down
(10 points) Effective concluding paragraph
(10 points) Grammar/Mechanics
(5 points) Appropriate style
(5 points) Transition words and phrases used