Argumentative/ persuasive paper

1. Argumentative/persuasive paper English 1302 Version #1

2. Crucial! • KEEP ALL DRAFTS OF THIS ESSAY ASSIGNMENT AND BRING THEM TO CLASS EACH DAY • You will receive grades for each draft

3. requirements • Research your topic. • You must use at least three credible, reasonably unbiased sources. • You must add appeals to logic to this version of your essay. • You must submit a copy of your source material with your paper. • Photocopy or print the pages you take your information from • Highlight the passages you take your information from • Put these in order as they are referenced in your paper and staple them to the back of your paper

4. requirements • You must use parenthetical citations to document your information. • You must create a Works Cited page for the essay. • Your Works Cited page is always the last page of your paper and must be numbered as such • Your citations and Works Cited page must be completed using MLA style (7th edition). • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

5. requirements • Write a well-organized paper on your topic; create a three-part thesis. • Underline and label the following: • Lead • Identification of the controversy surrounding your topic • Thesis statement • Topic sentences • Appeals to logic (research!)

6. requirements • Be sure your essay: • is revelatory; you should discuss a topic that is a bit off the beaten track • appeals to a wavering audience (check to see if you need to change your tone or focus to fit this audience) • identifies the controversy surrounding the issue • includes a strong, clearly stated thesis that states your position on the topic and includes three items that will be discussed in your paper • utilizes information from at least three credible, reasonably neutral sources

7. paragraph #1 • Introduction • Must have a fabulous lead (first sentence) • Must identify the controversy surrounding the issue • Last sentence is the three-part thesis statement. The thesis must state your position on the topic and include three items that will be discussed in your paper. It may also give a solution to the problem or direct the audience to do something specific to ameliorate the problem.

8. Paragraph #2 • First body paragraph • Discusses the first item in your three-part thesis • Be sure this paragraph has a strong topic sentence and includes outstanding evidence

9. Paragraph #3 • Second body paragraph • Discusses the second item in your three-part thesis • Be sure this paragraph has a strong topic sentence and includes outstanding evidence

10. Paragraph #4 • Third body paragraph • Discusses the third item in your three-part thesis • Be sure this paragraph has a strong topic sentence and includes outstanding evidence

11. Paragraph #5 • Conclusion • Do not introduce new topics or evidence • Tie the conclusion to the introduction • Create an interesting, thoughtful, satisfactory ending for the reader

12. example The following slides show an example of a three-part thesis with topic sentences that could be used to support this thesis.

13. Thesis / paragraph #1 • Air pollution in Dallas must be reduced because the current poor air quality causes asthma, contributes to lung disease, and stunts plant growth. • This statement gives the author’s position and includes three items of discussion

14. Topic sentence / paragraph #2 • Studies from the past ten years show that asthma cases in the Dallas area have risen as air quality has worsened. • Evidence • Significance (answers the question, “So what?”)

15. Topic sentence / paragraph #3 • Not only does poor air quality cause asthma, it contributes to lung disease as well. • Evidence • Significance (answers the question, “So what?”)

16. Topic sentence / paragraph #4 • Beyond its direct effects on people, air pollution also inhibits the growth of vegetation in the area. • Evidence • Significance (answers the question, “So what?”)