Argument Paper Guidelines You need to complete an argument paper that proves your topic is a problem in North Carolina. You are going to show the following in your paper: A specific claim that promotes your position (side) on how your topic/issue is a problem in North Carolina – Remember, argument is based around the idea that people disagree and/or take various sides on an issue. You need to take a firm stand on how your topic is a problem in our state. Do not simply state a fact, like, “There are many homeless people in North Carolina.” This is not an argument. It is a fact that has been proven with research. However, you could argue, “The increasing homeless population in NC is largely due to mental health issues that are not properly addressed because of state laws.” Logical reasoning and evidence that prove your claim – You need to craft an organized and logical argument that proves your claim. You must present sound reasoning that is supported with scholarly, relevant and recent evidence. It is also important how your present this information, meaning the research you use should not take the place of your own writing. Remember, research is there to support YOUR reasoning, not take the place of it. You understand opposing claims/points of view and can refute them – You need to show that you understand the varying points of view on your topic, and that you can analyze, paraphrase or summarize them. Also, you are able to refute these opposing claims using logic, reasoning and evidence (not simply stating that others are “wrong” in their opinion). The use of a table, graph or infographic that adds emphasis to your argument – Select a relevant and recent table, graph or infographic from a source to incorporate into your argument. It should be tied to your reasoning and used as evidence to support your claim. Properly cite it using MLA citation. *Only use one and it can not be larger than the size of a normal paragraph. Carefully consider the sequence, structure and design of your argument when placing the infographic into your essay. You understand your college-level audience and write to them in an objective, high style using clear, concise language – Even though this argument is based off your own opinion, you still need to write in a formal manner. Don`t use wording that “hedges” your argument, like, “I believe” and “I think.” Write in a confident tone. You are the authority of this argument. Do not rely on sources too much or have sources take over your essay. Your research should support your voice, not replace your voice as the authority in this argument. You want to continue to show that you have progressed in your writing through this semester. It should be clear, concise and virtually free of basic errors in grammar and mechanics. You understand how to properly create a full citation and in-text citation using MLA or APA guidelines. *To complete the assignment: Write a four-page argument paper (not including your Works Cited page) that focuses on proving your topic is a problem in North Carolina Use MLA or APA citation Incorporate and properly cite a minimum of 5 sources – 2 of them MUST be new sources (not used in any of the previous writing assignments) and 2 MUST be from the library databases Incorporate one table, graph or infographic from a cited source that is relevant to your argument ***MUST INCLUDE A GRAPH– From my professor– There is not a way to filter database search results to just list charts, graphs, tables, infographics, or articles that contain those types of visual data. The best tip is to stay alert for results that offer PDF versions of articles. PDFs are scans of the print versions of articles (remember, many of these articles are published in print journals or magazines before they are digitized and added to the databases). PDF versions often include visual data of which you can take a screen shot to include in your essays. The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions: What is this? Why am I reading it? What do you want me to do? You should answer these questions by doing the following: Set the context –provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support State why the main idea is important –tell the reader why he or she should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon State your thesis/claim –compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility). For exploratory essays, your primary research question would replace your thesis statement so that the audience understands why you began your inquiry. An overview of the types of sources you explored might follow your research question. If your argument paper is long, you may want to forecast how you will support your thesis by outlining the structure of your paper, the sources you will consider, and the opposition to your position. You can forecast your paper in many different ways depending on the type of paper you are writing. Your forecast could read something like this: First, I will define key terms for my argument, and then I will provide some background of the situation. Next, I will outline the important positions of the argument and explain why I support one of these positions. Lastly, I will consider opposing positions and discuss why these positions are outdated. I will conclude with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research. When writing a research paper, you may need to use a more formal, less personal tone. Your forecast might read like this: This paper begins by providing key terms for the argument before providing background of the situation. Next, important positions are outlined and supported. To provide a more thorough explanation of these important positions, opposing positions are discussed. The paper concludes with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research. Ask your instructor about what tone you should use when providing a forecast for your paper. These are very general examples, but by adding some details on your specific topic, a forecast will effectively outline the structure of your paper so your readers can more easily follow your ideas. THESIS CHECKLIST Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis. This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire: Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis: A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of their children (good thesis). A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election. A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice. A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences. Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, “A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view” (Gibaldi 42). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences. Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis: A good thesis is unified: NOT: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them (floppy). vs. BETTER: Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise). A good thesis is specific: NOT: James Joyce`s Ulysses is very good. vs. BETTER: James Joyce`s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. Try to be as specific as possible (without providing too much detail) when creating your thesis: NOT: James Joyce`s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs. BETTER: James Joyce`s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness. Quick Checklist: _____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above _____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment _____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable _____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal **my discussion board post**– An argument that we have seen for several years is on teacher compensation. The topic that teachers are paid at very low wages and consistently put forth more than their pay matches still to this day is unacceptable. All over the United States you hear about pay rate for teachers and how it fluctuates tremendously. Currently for Mecklenburg County schools there has been talk on changing the formula for teacher pay. This formula is called “SAS EVAAS” which measures the student growth on state exams. The argument is that this would be unfair in projecting how much a teacher should be compensated because this is not a model that should be tied to teachers pay but perhaps could be a way of helping move a teacher upward in their career. Currently in North Carolina the starting pay is $35,460 which is equal to around $16.00 an hour. To put this in perspective, McDonald`s is starting their pay at $15.00 currently. Shift managers can even make up to $20.00 an hour. This is mind blowing because how is it that our education system which teachers to our future societies makes the same or less than a fast-food employee. This does not go to say that a McDonalds employee does not deserve better pay as well but our compensation scales are very skewed and should have been reevaluated long ago. You can read more on this here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article260160440.html
