For your final essay assignment in the class, you will write an argumentative essay, utilizing academic research to support your points. Your main objective is to form a clear opinion on the topic you

For your final essay assignment in the class, you will write an argumentative essay, utilizing academic research to support your points. Your main objective is to form a clear opinion on the topic you choose and to strongly support it. Be sure that you do not take the middle ground – regardless of how you personally feel, your essay must very clearly represent a stand on the issue at hand. Do not forget to identify the opposing argument within your writing.

Your paper should be 5-7 pages in length, and should include at least four sources (a minimum of two academic sources).  Remember that these sources are meant to strengthen the argument, not replace your voice in your writing - avoid “Frankenstein-ing” your paper with others’ ideas.  Chose one of the following topics from the Opposing Viewpoints database to research. Once you have read a few opinions about the subject, decide on your own stance, avoiding the basic good/bad, right/wrong, legal/illegal binaries. The topics are quite general and require you to hone in on a more narrow approach. For example, when given the topic of marijuana, instead of arguing the broad approach "marijuana should be legal in every state," you would want to find a more narrow (and interesting) topic like "marijuana is not dangerous because it is not addictive."