Argumentative Essay
Argument to Convince
This is a three to five page essay that seeks to convince readers of the validity of your claim. Your claim should be backed up with a minimum of three reasons. This Argument to Convince will eventually evolve into the development of your Research paper, in which you will evolve your argument and provide each reason with documented evidence. For now, though, you do not need to back up each reason with evidence. If you do provide evidence, though, make sure you use proper citations and a Works Cited page.
Make sure your essay is well structured:
Introduction:
- Set the stage.
- Tell a story, an anecdote, an example of why your claim is necessary.
- Deliver your claim in a single sentence that incorporates your (minimal) three reasons.
A basic thesis example: Cigarette smokers should quit smoking because cigarettes cause potentially life-threatening health issues, damage the health of others through second-hand smoke, and have a negative environmental impact.
Body:
- Keep your reasons in separate paragraphs. Let your reasons be the topic sentences.
Example: People should not smoke cigarettes because it is bad for one’s health. There is no question that smoking has a negative impact on one’s health. Some of the health threats surrounding smoking are emphysema, lung cancer, and diabetes, just to name a few. Lung cancer cause by smoking kills more people a year than all other types of cancer combined. [PARAGRAPH/MULTIPLE PARAGRAPHS WOULD CONTINUE WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF WHY SMOKING IS BAN FOR ONE’S HEALTH.]
* Note that if you provide statistical evidence it should be cited. Even if your in-text citations and Works Cited page aren’t perfect for now (they will need to be perfect for your research paper), you should make an attempt. For now, just include wording such as: According to an article in the New York Times, smokers who are pregnant are more likely to have babies with malnutrition.
Conclusion:
- Revisit (don’t restate) Claim.
- Make one more point
- End on a strong note
Things to consider as you write and revise:
Do you balance the abstract with the concrete? Do you launch good theories and apply them?
- Is your claims overly general, or are it specific?
- Do you support your argument with sound reasoning and substantial evidence?
- Is each paragraph organized around a single main idea?
- Is your reasoning complex, or do you cover overly familiar territory?
- Do you provide a thesis that works as the true focal point of the essay?
- Is the paper mechanically sound?
- Did you cite your sources using MLA style in your Works Cited page?
- Did you share your work with a peer or visit the Writing Lab to consult with someone about your work?
Format
If you have incorporated evidence, your final draft should include a Works Cited page, and the essay should be typed, double-spaced, and carefully proofread. Follow the formatting guidelines set out in the course syllabus. Be sure to provide solid introductory and concluding paragraphs, organize the essay coherently, and avoid errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Grading Criteria
Your essay will be evaluated according to these criteria:
- Demonstrated ability to construct a rhetorical analysis
- Construction of a significant and arguable thesis
- Demonstrated ability to use clear claims and substantial evidence
- Confident but civil advocacy of your own position
- Proper use, citation, and documentation of source material
- Effective essay organization to create a clear line of argument
- Clear and precise sentence-level rhetoric (grammar and style)