Argument Essay
Overview
Multiple stages (outline, draft, revise) of an argument essay assignement.
Outline assignment
For this assignment you are not required to write a complete draft of your Argument Essay. Instead, you are to select a topic for your Argument Essay and write a detailed outline of your essay based on the model below.
Argument Essay Prompts
In this assignment choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented the following:
- Clearly opposing positions, and
- Clear agendas.
Choose the position, or side that you agree with, and argue that position using:
- Three separate pieces of evidence, or lines of reasoning, to support your position
- Research to support each line of reasoning (example, testimony, and fact/data, or any combination) that supports your position
- Research about the opposing position’s views
- Presentation of the opposing views, along with lines of reasoning to refute them
Final Draft Essay Requirements
This assignment will require a clear thesis statement, or "issue statement" that covers your:
- Statement of position; and
- Forecast (essentially a “preview”) of your lines of reasoning
The assignment also requires:
- A minimum of three credible outside sources formatted on a source page (MLA, Works Cited)
- MLA citation style for the paper
- Minimum of four (4) FULL pages not including the Works Cited page
Writing Tip #1
This Argument Essay is a Classical Argument Essay aimed at both arguing the author’s thesis and refuting the opponent’s thesis. It is NOT a Persuasive Essay, where the purpose is to pursuade without necessarily arguing against an opposing perspective. The difference is that an argument essay tries both to persuade and refute against an opposing view.
With this in mind, you should not choose a generic issue that has no credible opposing view – like "energy conservation" – for a Classical Argument essay. One can try to write a persuasive essay that makes an appeal to a reader to conserve energy. But unless you can find a credible opponent with an active agenda opposing your appeal ("We should NOT conserve energy"), then you cannot write a Classical Argument essay.
Writing Tip #2
It can be helpful to look into current legislation under debate everywhere from your city council, state legislature or even at the federal level. But be careful with large issues. Students often like to take them on, but they can be too unwieldy for a short assignment like this.
Writing Your Argument Essay
STEP 1: To get started writing, first pick at least one prewriting strategy (brainstorming, rewriting, journaling, mapping, questioning, sketching) to develop ideas for your essay. Write down what you do, as you’ll need to submit evidence of your prewrite.
STEP 2: Next, write outline for your essay.
Assignment Instructions
- Review the grading rubric as listed on this page.
- Choose a writing prompt as listed above on this page.
- Create a prewrite in the style of your choice for the prompt.
- Create an outline using the outline below as a potential guide, or other possible outlines presented in the course. Papers submitted that do not meet the requirements will be returned to you ungraded.
- Submit your detailed outline as a single file upload.
Argument Essay Outline
Below is a sample of a possible organization for your outline—look in the text for other ideas. This example starts with the opposing viewpoint first—you may want to do that, or include the rebuttal throughout, or the rebuttal at the end.
- Introduction and thesis statement
- Opponent's first claim
- One sentence summary of opponent's source support (To be most helpful for your paper later on, these one-sentence summaries should include a sentence about the claim as well as information about where you got this information, including the author, title, and source.)
- Opponent's second claim
- One sentence summary of opponent's source support
- Your first claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Your second claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Your third claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Conclusion: Summation of arguments and why should we care? What's at stake?
Requirements
Be sure to:
- Choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented clearly opposing positions and clear agendas
- Choose the position you agree with and argue that position using the following:
- Three separate lines of reasoning;
- Each line of reasoning will support your position with research (example, testimony, and fact/data, or any combination) that supports your position; and
- Research about the opposing position’s views
- Present the opposing views and refute them.
- Include a two-part thesis with:
- Statement of position; and
- Forecast of your lines of reasoning
- Develop an enticing title that implies your position.
- Use a sympathetic appeal and/or cited research in the introduction to establish the issue.
- Avoid addressing the assignment directly. (Don’t write “I am going to argue about…” Instead, introduce the issue in a more compelling way that makes the reader care.)
- Your voice should be professional and scholarly.
- Package your source material with appropriate signaling and commentary.
Grading Rubric: Argument Essay Outline
- Introduction and thesis statement
- Opponent's first claim
- One sentence summary of opponent's source support (To be most helpful for your paper later on, these one-sentence summaries should include a sentence about the claim as well as information about where you got this information, including the author, title, and source.)
- Opponent's second claim
- One sentence summary of opponent's source support
- Your first claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Your second claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Your third claim
- One sentence summary of your source support #1
- One sentence summary of your source support #2
- Conclusion: Summation of arguments and why should we care? What's at stake?
Rubric
Grading Rubric: Argument Essay—Outline | ||
| Criteria | Ratings | Point Total: 50 |
| Introduction | Outline includes a clear thesis statement and ideas for the introduction, as well as a conclusion. | __/10 pts |
| Content | Outline identifies one line of remaining and gives examples of types of evidence to support this reasoning | __/10 pts |
| Content | Outline identifies a second line of remaining and gives examples of types of evidence to support this reasoning | __/10 pts |
| Content | Outline identifies a third line of remaining and gives examples of types of evidence to support this reasoning | __/10 pts |
| Rebuttal | Outline highlights possible rebuttals and refutations | __/10 pts |
First Draft
For this assignment, you will work through the drafting stage of your writing process in an argument essay.
Assignment Instructions
- Review the grading rubric as listed on this page.
- Choose a topic based on the following prompt:
- In this assignment choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented the following:
- Clearly opposing positions, and
- Clear agendas.
Choose the position, or side that you agree with, and argue that position using:
- Three separate pieces of evidence, or lines of reasoning, to support your position
- Research to support each line of reasoning (example, testimony, and fact/data, or any combination) that supports your position
- Research about the opposing position’s views
- Presentation of the opposing views, along with lines of reasoning to refute them
- In this assignment choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented the following:
- Review the Argument Essay Outline you submitted along with feedback you received from that assignment. Make adjustments to the outline in accordance with the feedback. This may include strengthening lines of reasoning, expanding or improving research sources for supporting evidence, creating a more sympathetic introduction to your position, etc.
- Develop a complete draft of your essay using your improved Argument Essay Outline. It should meet the following requirements. Papers submitted that do not meet the requirements will be returned to you ungraded.
- A two-part thesis including statement of position; and forecast of your lines of reasoning
- A minimum of three credible outside sources formatted on a source page (MLA, Works Cited)
- MLA formatting
- Minimum of four (4) full pages, not including the Works Cited page.
- Submit your detailed outline as a single file upload.
Requirements
Be sure to:
- Choose a specific issue in which two credible parties have documented clearly opposing positions and clear agendas
- Choose the position you agree with and argue that position using the following:
- Three separate lines of reasoning;
- Each line of reasoning will support your position with research (example, testimony, and fact/data, or any combination) that supports your position; and
- Research about the opposing position’s views
- Present the opposing views and refute them.
- Include a two-part thesis with:
- Statement of position; and
- Forecast of your lines of reasoning
- Develop an enticing title that implies your position.
- Use a sympathetic appeal and/or cited research in the introduction to establish the issue.
- Avoid addressing the assignment directly. (Don’t write “I am going to argue about…” Instead, introduce the issue in a more compelling way that makes the reader care.)
- Your voice should be professional and scholarly.
- Package your source material with appropriate signaling and commentary.
Rubric
Grading Rubric: Argument Essay—Draft | |||
| Criteria | Rating: Meets Expectation | Approaching Expectation | Point Total: 50 |
| Ideas | The paper demonstrates outstanding or above average idea development, with a thesis that articulates a clear stance about a controversial topic. | The writer sufficiently defines the topic, even though development is still basic or general. | __/15 pts |
| Content | The paper demonstrates outstanding or above average evidence of supporting the main point with at least three lives of reasoning. Paragraphs are well-developed and clear, demonstrating research about the topic. Research may include examples, testimony, and fact/data that supports your position. | The writer demonstrates sufficient support of the main point, but could use more supporting details. | __/15 pts |
| Organization | The organization is clear and showcases the central theme. The presentation of information is compelling. Opposing viewpoints are addressed in a logical way, and refuted. | The organizational structure is strong enough to move the reader through the text without too much confusion. | __/15 pts |
| Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions | The writer demonstrates an outstanding word choice selection, flow and cadence, with well-built sentences and strong grasp of standard writing conventions. | The writer demonstrates sufficient selection of words. The text tends to be more mechanical and contains some errors of standard writing conventions. | __/5 pts |
Final Draft
For this assignment, review the feedback posted from your peer review, work your way through the revising and proofreading stages of your writing process, then submit your final version.
Assignment Instructions
- Review the grading rubric as listed on this page.
- Review the feedback posted from your peer review
- Work through the revising and proofreading stages of the writing process.
- Create a final version of your Argument Essay according to the following. Papers submitted that do not meet the requirements will be returned to you ungraded.
- Minimum of 4 typed, double-spaced pages (about 800–950 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt font size (not including the Works Cited page)
- Minimum of 3 credible outside sources formatted on a source page (MLA, Works Cited)
- MLA formatting
- Submit your final version of your Argument Essay as a single file upload.
Rubric
Grading Rubric: Argument Essay—Final Draft | |||
| Criteria | Rating: Meets Expectation | Approaching Expectation | Point Total: 100 |
| Ideas | The paper demonstrates outstanding or above average idea development, with a thesis that articulates a clear stance about a controversial topic. | The writer sufficiently defines the topic, even though development is still basic or general. | __/30 pts |
| Content | The paper demonstrates outstanding or above average evidence of supporting the main point with at least three lives of reasoning. Paragraphs are well-developed and clear, demonstrating research about the topic. Research may include examples, testimony, and fact/data that supports your position. | The writer demonstrates sufficient support of the main point, but could use more supporting details. | __/30 pts |
| Organization | The organization is clear and showcases the central theme. The presentation of information is compelling. Opposing viewpoints are addressed in a logical way, and refuted. | The organizational structure is strong enough to move the reader through the text without too much confusion. | __/30 pts |
| Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions | The writer demonstrates an outstanding word choice selection, flow and cadence, with well-built sentences and strong grasp of standard writing conventions. | The writer demonstrates sufficient selection of words. The text tends to be more mechanical and contains some errors of standard writing conventions. | __/10 pts |