Argumentative Instructions

Argumentative Instructions

You are required to submit the FINAL copy of this assignment, but you may first submit an optional DRAFT. This will allow you to receive qualitative feedback that can inform your revision. You should always avoid focusing solely on the grader’s DRAFT feedback; use the feedback as a supplement to the course lessons and your own revision ideas. Always expect to revise beyond what the DRAFT grader specifically notes. 

Additional helpful resources:

Argument Rubric | Argumentative Sample

If the assignment does not address one of the given options, it will not be graded. 

 

Option #1: Your Position on Pirated Movies

Develop a thesis statement on the topic of pirated movies (piracy hurts the economy by…, society can prevent movie piracy by…, etc.) and write an argumentative essay. Strive for at least three strong arguments in addition to a counterargument and refutation (this resource) ill help you craft your counter argument and refutation). Using argumentative topic sentences that include your opinion for each section can help ensure the majority of your essay is argumentative. Beginning of a sample topic sentence: “The first way movie piracy hurts the economy is….” Then be sure to support that claim with researched data. Conclude each paragraph with a sentence that summarizes the paragraph’s main ideas. Sample Thesis Statement: Ideally, a thesis would include the major assignment objectives for the essay, which in this case would be your claim/opinion, reasons why you have that opinion, and the counter-argument: “Movie piracy is unethical because (add argument 1), (add argument 2), and (add argument 3), even though (add counterargument focus).” Note that a thorough thesis statement will include the counterargument in addition to your own arguments. See The Top Ten Tips for College-Level Writing (Presentation) for more thesis statement assistance. Use at least three credible sources (the author should be considered an expert on the topic in which he or she writes; try Google Scholar to search), such as books, articles, and websites, to support your thesis. Include a mix of cited paraphrases, summaries, and quotes in your argumentative research paper. Use MLA format (Tip: You will find useful MLA resources within the course topics, particularly in Topic 9) to create proper parenthetical citations as well as a Works Cited page at the end of your essay. For additional Works Cited assistance visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/and use the left navigation menu to locate the type of reference you need.

Option #2: Your Position on Electronic Policing

Develop a thesis statement on the topic of electronic policing and anti-plagiarism software and write an argumentative essay. Your chosen topic needs to be specific and might address a question like the ones you see in these examples:

• Should student writers be subject to having their work checked by anti-plagiarism software? Why or why not? 
• Is anti-plagiarism software an effective deterrent to stealing published work? Why or why not? 
• You may choose another topic regarding electronic policing as well; just be sure that your main thesis addresses the topic of electronic policing. 

Strive for at least three strong arguments in addition to a counterargument and refutation (this resource) will help you craft your counter argument and refutation). Using argumentative topic sentences that include your opinion for each section can help ensure the majority of your essay is argumentative. For example, “First, students should be subject to having their work checked by anti-plagiarism software because….” Then be sure to support that claim with researched data. Conclude each paragraph with a sentence that summarizes the paragraph’s main ideas.Sample Thesis Statement:Ideally, a thesis would include the major assignment objectives for the essay, which in this case would be your claim/opinion, reasons why you have that opinion, and the counter-argument: “Students’ work should be checked by anti-plagiarism software because (add argument 1), (add argument 2), and (add argument 3), even though (add counterargument focus).” Use at least three credible sources (the author should be considered an expert on the topic in which he or she writes; try Google Scholar to search), such as books, articles, and websites, to support your thesis. Include a mix of cited paraphrases, summaries, and quotes in your argumentative research paper. Use the MLA format to create proper parenthetical citations as well as a Works Cited page at the end of your essay. For additional Works Cited assistance visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/  and use the left navigation menu to locate the type of reference you need.

More Tips 

Visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/01/ for more argumentative thesis statement assistance and to learn if your thesis is both arguable and narrowed.

A counter-argument section for this paper should explain what the opposition believes, and it is the opposite of the opinion you are arguing in your paper. For example, if you are arguing that anti-plagiarism software should not be used in college classes, then the counterargument would be that anti-plagiarism software should be used. Then in your refutation, try to prove the counterargument false, insignificant, or unimportant with researched information that is new to the essay (avoid recycling facts from a previous argument in the essay). 

This resource will help you craft your counter argument and refutation.

The guidelines and requirements for this assignment are as follows:

Remember to apply the concepts you're learning in the course, including elements of grammar, punctuation, thesis development, and other skills. 

Length: This assignment should be at least 750 words

Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following information (Tip: This simple header is formatted according to MLA style guidelines. Note that you will not use a title page, which is more common in APA style. Failure to follow MLA guidelines will constitute a point deduction):

• Your first and last name 
• Course Title (Composition I) 
• Assignment name (Argumentative Essay) 
• Current Date 

Format:

• Three sources, documented using MLA style
• Last name and page number in upper-right corner of each page 
• Double-spacing throughout
• Title, centered after heading
• Standard font (Times New Roman or Calibri)
• 1” margins on all sides
• Save the file as .docx  or  .doc format

Underline your thesis statement in the introductory paragraph