Guidelines:

ENG 102: Writing Academic Research Papers                                                                

Argumentative Research Paper Guidelines

Assignment Description

Write an argumentative research paper on your chosen topic.

Remember this is an academic paper. Therefore, you must use an appropriate academic tone and language. A clear and precise expression of ideas as well as a fluent writing style will be credited in the grading of the paper. You must carefully consider both sides of the argument and put forward reasonable and logical counter-arguments and rebuttals. If you caricature or falsify the counter-arguments, you will have marks deducted.

Submission Date:

·         The first draft of your essay must be brought to my office no later than 12 noon Sunday 2nd Jun.

·         I will return your draft with feedback during our Individual Conference in week 6

·         The FINAL SUBMISSION DATE for your essay is Wednesday 26 Jun (during Class). Marks will be deducted for late submission.

Your essay should:

• Be on A4 paper; double line space.
• Have ample margins (1” or 2.5 cm) on all sides.
• Have in the upper left hand corner your name, course, semester, instructor, date and type of assignment; single line spaced.
• Include right below this (and centered) an original and brief title that reflects your topic accurately (as separate from type of assignment).
• Not use fancy fonts.
• Not use plastic covers; use only stapled pages.
• Be submitted to www.turnitin.com by the end of the teaching weeks (week 14).
• Be between 2000 and 2600 words (6-8 pages).

Your essay must have:

·         A clear and concise introduction that establishes a rapport with your audience and a plan (roadmap) of your paper’s development.

·         A debatable claim phrased in a clear and precise way.

·         An orientation that assumes your audience includes people who may not agree with your claim; so your argument must include valid and convincing support (evidence).

·         An identifiable warrant, that is to say, link between the support you offer and the claim you make.

·         An explicit counter-argument with reasonable arguments and adequate evidence.

·         A rebuttal of these opposing views.

·         A strong conclusion.

Issues to keep in mind:

1. Who is your intended audience? What do you expect your audience to believe or think about your topic?
2. What are the main points of support that will best convince your audience of the validity of your claim?
3. What specific counterarguments that can be advanced against your claim in general or against specific points of support do you anticipate from your audience?
4. What information about your topic will you need to supply as background for your topic?
5. Do you plan to use pathos appeals in your writing? Why and at what point?
6. Will you employ inductive or deductive reasoning?
7. Above all there must be a clear and logical flow of ideas through your argument,  counter-argument, and rebuttal.

Your essay will be graded according to the Argumentative Research Paper Grading Rubric posted on elearn.

Grading

ENG 102: Writing Academic Research papers                                                                        

Argumentative Research Paper: Grading Rubric

Grades for the argumentative essay are calculated according to the following breakdown:

1. Introduction: establishes a rapport with the audience, makes the reader aware of necessary background information relevant to the argument, and concludes with the main claim and an outline of the argument. (10%)
2. Claim:  is clearly stated and debatable. (10%)
3. Argument: restates your main claim and the reasons you hold this claim to be true. More than one line of argument/reasoning defends the claim. Evidence must be provided in support of your reasoning, and such evidence must be both sufficient and exhibit logically valid inductive and/or deductive reasoning. Any use of authority or analogy for support should be logically valid; all points of support should be appropriately selected and emphasized to be convincing to the intended audience. (20%)
4. Counterarguments: are appropriate and given reasonable weight and consideration in your essay, including valid evidence in their support. Counterarguments should directly address the reasoning provided in support of your claim. (20%)
5. Rebuttal: responds to the counterarguments not by simply restating your previous arguments but by presenting new evidence and reasoning; concessions or refutations should show valid reasoning and serve to strengthen support for the claim or the audience’s perception of the writer’s ethos or credibility. (10%)
6. Conclusion: may restate your main claim and argumentation; focus on a specific instance that illustrates your argument; finish with a memorable quotation that reinforces your main argument; and should try to come up with an evocative thought that will leave the issue lingering in the reader’s mind. (10%)
7. Coherence and Focus: reveals a clear line of reasoning; individual paragraphs are logically organized; transitional words and phrases accurately indicate relation of ideas; and source material is clearly and accurately synthesized. The essay maintains a consistent focus on its topic and purpose throughout—that is, everything included in essay serves to support, explain, or illustrate the argument; assumptions about what the intended audience knows or believes about the topic are consistent (10%).
8. Presentation and Style: create an appropriate title, and share correct information on the first page. Edit to ensure a minimum or no typos. Use appropriate academic tone and language; a clear and precise expression of ideas; a fluent writing style that avoids colloquialisms and contractions; and avoid fragments of sentences and syntactical ambiguity. (10%)

Name ________________________________

1. Introduction                                                                                       ___ out of 10

1. Claim                                                                                                 ___ out of 10

1. Argument                                                                                           ___ out of 20

1. Counterarguments:                                                                           ___ out of 20

1. Rebuttal                                                                                             ___ out of 10

1. Conclusion                                                                                         ___ out of 10

1. Coherence and Focus                                                                      ___ out of 10

1. Presentation and Style                                                                      ___ out of 10

Total   _____ %

Grade ______

Outline of the paper:

Topic : The Legalization of Marijuana – Outline

Thesis Statement: The legalization of marijuana has positive impacts on the criminal justice that result from the reduced crime rates and cost of incarceration of users, as well as increased chances of low-income families to experience upward social mobility. Also, the economic benefits that are accruable to the local and state governments outweigh the cost of the implementation of the policy.

1. Introduction
2. Arguments for the Legalization of Marijuana
3. Arguments against the Legalization of Marijuana
4. Conclusion