Essay # 2 Assignment
You will have a few choices of focus (Misinformation/Hate Speech) so you may choose the topic that you prefer. You will need to be logical, not reactive. Having an informed opinion is part of our goal in this class, thus we read things we might not already know about or have thought about prior to these readings. You will need to sustain solid reasoning throughout your essay to support your thesis. Never make assertions that you cannot support with textual evidence. That said, your first job is to read all the relevant articles well. Remember that emotion and/or generalization does not make for well-reasoned analysis. Be sure your arguments can hold up in “the real world” and are informed by the nuances of our topics. You will also draw from real world news that supports your point of view, but it’s vital that you know the source is reliable and that you cite all sources on your MLA Works Cited page. It is best to choose one specific example in our news today to support your argument and to stay focused on that in your discussion, as opposed to drawing from too many other things. Be intelligent. Show depth to your understanding of the texts and issue at hand.
What is an argumentative essay overall?
The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.
Argumentative essay assignments may call for research of previously published material on the topic or gathering information about your topic in a means that is appropriate to it. As always, you want to use reliable academic sources not things like Wikipedia or Google. Argumentative assignments may also require research by which the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning. For our purposes please use the sources you have been provided to support your claims and be sure to cite them. As mentioned, you may use 1 external source so that you can make use of an example from recent world events in your analysis. Note: Check with the librarians about how to be sure your sources are valid.
The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.
- A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs at the end of the first paragraph of the essay.
In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next, the writer should explain why the topic is important or why readers should care about the issue. In your introduction, briefly summarize the assigned articles. Be sure to mention the authors, titles, and specific arguments of each author. Lastly, students should present their thesis statement. For our purposes, the thesis is what you want to address about the issue you are writing about. What would you like the person you are writing to do about it? What do you want them to believe by the end? It may be a call for some sort of action or awareness about your topic.
- Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Transitions are the glue that holds the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.
- Body paragraphs that include claim, evidence, and analysis.
Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates easy readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis.
However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Students should dedicate one paragraphs of this argumentative essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be less useful.
- Evidence to support the thesis (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).
The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and to consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date on the topic.
- A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.
It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis.
- A complete argument
Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.
- The five-paragraph essay (3-5 pages)
A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory paragraph with thesis (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of opposing views and (c) a conclusion. Often students reserve the second to the last paragraph for opposing views, but they want to come back to their own points by the end of the essay to show that what they are arguing is the best approach to the issue.
