Mod 3:  “Independently” Researched Argument Essay Instructions

Overview:

“Independent” is the key part of our title. For this essay, you’ll use an academic database to help you pick the topic, the sources, and the approach.

Continued Goals:

• Reinforce our understanding of argument structure
• Use an effective mix of appeals to persuade a specific audience

New Goals:

• Select your own sufficiently narrow and debatable topic.
• Select which one of two strategies (cause-effect or proposal) best fits your argument.
• Select at least four effective sources to provide supporting evidence.

Topics/Source:

The good news? You’re finally going to get to start picking your own topics! The bad news? There’s a list of topics you have to choose from, from a database you have to use.  But there are many topics to choose from, and the required database is incredibly helpful.

Here’s what to do:

Step 1

Go to the Opposing Viewpoints database, which is accessible through the STLCC library’s “Articles(Databases)” link. [Remember, if you’re off campus, using the library’s database requires you to sign-in; plus, the sign-in is a bit different than others, so pay close attention to the instructions.]

Step 2

Once in Opposing Viewpoints, you will find a menu ribbon in the upper right side of the page. Select  the first item, “Browse Issues.”  On that page, there’s a drop-down menu in the upper left that will allow you to narrow this long list of issues to general subjects, like, “Business and Economics,” or, “Family Issues.”  This can be helpful if you want to focus on an issue related to your major, which might be useful in the not-too-distant future.

Step 3

Read the “Overview” section of a few issues to get a feel for what topic you’d want to read more about.  Make sure you find an issue that interests you or you’ll have a tough time reading the articles, and if you don’t have good information and, more importantly, a strong understanding of the issue, the paper is not going to be very good.

It’s pretty obvious when someone has written a paper and then “plopped in” a few sources to make it seem like a research paper.  However, a true research paper grows from the sources.  So learn about the issue from the sources, then start thinking about what you’ll write.

Step 4

Settle on an issue.  After you’ve read the “Overview” section of your issue, you’ll see why Opposing Viewpoints is so useful.  For each issue, you’re provided with a tremendous variety of sources.  All are generally useful to some degree, but I’d strongly recommend focusing on the “Viewpoint” and/or “Featured Viewpoint” articles.  Those arguments have clear titles that will allow you to quickly identify the thesis, which can help you be clear about what side of the debate you’re reading about.

Step 5

Eventually, you’ll need to incorporate and cite four sources from this database.  (Don’t choose the first four you read- find the most useful!) Note that when you’re reading a “Viewpoint” article, there’s a “Cite” button at the top. Clicking on that will give you an MLA entry for your Works Cited page!

Step 6

After reading your sources, you’ll want to pick a good approach/structure.  The assigned chapter readings on cause-effect and proposal essays each offer a suggested structure for their respective approaches to argument, and while there is no doubt those are good blueprints, you may need to alter your argument’s structure to incorporate more supporting points or to place a refutation in a different spot.

Otherwise, the essay’s structure should have all the key features of a well-organized argument: a clear introduction that summarizes the controversy and common views on it before ending with a clear thesis; topic sentences that clearly announce the body paragraph’s point/argument; body paragraphs that introduce and analyze the cited material; paragraph closings and a conclusion that support the overall argument.

Length:

Approximately 3-4 pages (Not including Works Cited page; minimum 3 full pages for a “C” grade.)

Documentation: 

See Step 5 above for a reminder about how to get correct end citations, but also remember that we’ll read about when to cite information, so you’re expected to know when to use in-text citations. Also remember that since we’re using electronic sources, your in-text citations will typically only include the author’s last name (Smith) as page numbers may not be available.

Key Criteria (in order of importance):

• Use of four sources for support (using good sources effectively is more important than citing them correctly!) 35%
• Choice of a debatable topic and use of a clear strategy (cause-effect or proposal) 30%
• Argument essay basics: structure, tone, appeals, development 25%
• College-level grammar and mechanics 10%

Points Possible: 150