Assignment
Write an argument for same sex marriage.
WRITE YOUR OWN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON AN APPROVED TOPIC. THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL NOT USE FIRST OR SECOND PERSON (no I, you, we, us, our, my, mine, your, etc.).
Write a 750-word argumentation/persuasion essay.
Writing Approach
1. The introduction and thesis need to state the issue being discussed and your formal position on the issue (remember, no personal pronouns! This essay presents evidence for your position in third person). Narrow your thesis down to show your purpose in presenting the argument: Why are you arguing about this issue and what do you want your readers to do about it?
2. Generate strong support for the thesis. Prewriting is a must is this case; research is unavoidable. You will need a good deal of information to support your point in a unified, adequate, and specific manner. Document your sources correctly by copying down all appropriate information (author, title, volume, page numbers, exact quotes, publisher, etc.). Plagiarism is inexcusable in this class.
3. Organize the supporting evidence into a minimum of three points for body paragraphs. You might need to include some description, to show cause and effect, or to explain a process as part of your argument. In any case, arrange the details effectively to convince your reader. For some writers, this means leaving your strongest point to the final body paragraph and following it with a strong conclusion.
4. You may briefly acknowledge and refute the opposition in order to strengthen a particular point in your argument. This shows the reader that you are not a fanatic, and that you have considered both sides. This does not mean you will be presenting both sides throughout the essay; this simply means that in one body paragraph where you are discussing a specific point of support for your topic, you may be able to mention the opposition to your point AND tell why the opposition falls short in its thinking process on that point.
5. Establish a solution in your conclusion. Simply arguing a point is not enough. Remember the "so what" aspect. So, what is your reader supposed to do with this information?
Pt. I: Post a 2 ½-page draft (about 750 words, excluding the articles "the," "a," and "an") for an argumentative paper, as explained in the reading assignments (paraphrases, summaries, and direct quotes are not included in your word count). Follow the format requirements for MLA as listed in the Syllabus and in your St. Martin's Handbook. An outline must precede the essay. Remember that this paper must contain three sources that you cite in the paper (no more than two sources may be internet sources). List them in proper MLA format at the end of the paper after the centered heading, "Works Cited." For this essay and the remaining essays, you must write in the third person.