WORKSHEET/OUTLINE FOR ANALYTICAL/ARGUMENT ESSAYS 1. My subject is (complete this sentence in 10 words or less) 2. I believe that (make an assertion about your subject to complete this sentence) 3. One reason this assertion is true is that (in completing this sentence, support your assertion by supplying the main reasons for your belief about the subject) 4. Supporting evidence for this reason includes (give specific examples) Supporting Evidence 1: Supporting Evidence 2: Supporting Evidence 3: Counter evidence that needs to be accounted for in my evidence is: 6. Continue with the pattern of step 4 for as long as your essay requires (usually at least one more time). REVISION CHECKLIST FOR ANALYTIC/ARGUMENT ESSAYS 1. Is my topic debatable? 2. Does my essay include an effective argumentative thesis? Writing checklist: identifying an effective thesis ! Does my thesis clearly communicate my essay's main idea? Does it suggest the approach I will take toward my material? Does it reflect my essay's purpose? ! Is my thesis more than a title, a statement of fact, or an announcement of my subject? ! Is my thesis carefully worded? ! Does my thesis accurately predict my essay's direction, emphasis, and scope? 3. Have I adequately defined the terms I use in my argument? 4. Have I considered the opinions, attitudes, and values of my audience? 5. Have I identified and refuted opposing arguments? 6. Have I supported my assertions with evidence? 7. Have I established my credibility? Guidelines for establishing my credibility FINDING COMMON GROUND ! Identify the various sides of an issue. ! Identify the points on which I and my readers are in agreement. ! Work the areas of agreement into my argument. DEMONSTRATING KNOWLEDGE ! Include relevant personal information. ! Include relevant special knowledge of my subject. ! Include the results of any relevant research I have done. MAINTAINING A REASONABLE TONE ! Use a confident tone. ! Avoid sounding high-handed or pedantic. ! Use moderate language and qualify my statements. 8. Have I been fair and accurate? 9. Are my arguments logically constructed and have I avoided logical fallacies? 10. Does the structure of my essay suit my material and my audience? 11. Have I provided my readers with enough background information? 12. Do I present my points clearly and organize them logically? 13. Do I have an engaging and interesting introduction and a strong conclusion? THE FIVE-PART ESSAY: Two common variations on the pattern Pattern 1: 1. Introduction, at least 3-5 sentences, includes ! One or more audience-engaging sentences ! A specific, clear, arguable, supportable thesis statement ! One or more sentences that develop and explain your thesis in more detail 2. Supporting Paragraph #1, at least 3-5 sentences, includes ! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that further develops the thesis ! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence ! .

1. WORKSHEET/OUTLINE FOR ANALYTICAL/ARGUMENT
ESSAYS
1. My subject is (complete this sentence in 10 words or less)
2. I believe that (make an assertion about your subject to
complete this sentence)
3. One reason this assertion is true is that (in completing this
sentence, support
your assertion by supplying the main reasons for your belief
about the subject)
4. Supporting evidence for this reason includes (give specific
examples)
Supporting Evidence 1:
Supporting Evidence 2:
Supporting Evidence 3:
Counter evidence that needs to be accounted for in my evidence
is:
6. Continue with the pattern of step 4 for as long as your essay
requires
(usually at least one more time).
REVISION CHECKLIST FOR ANALYTIC/ARGUMENT

2. ESSAYS
1. Is my topic debatable?
2. Does my essay include an effective argumentative thesis?
Writing checklist: identifying an effective thesis
! Does my thesis clearly communicate my essay's main idea?
Does it suggest the approach I will take toward my material?
Does it reflect my essay's purpose?
! Is my thesis more than a title, a statement of fact, or an
announcement
of my subject?
! Is my thesis carefully worded?
! Does my thesis accurately predict my essay's direction,
emphasis, and
scope?
3. Have I adequately defined the terms I use in my argument?
4. Have I considered the opinions, attitudes, and values of my
audience?
5. Have I identified and refuted opposing arguments?
6. Have I supported my assertions with evidence?
7. Have I established my credibility?
Guidelines for establishing my credibility
FINDING COMMON GROUND
! Identify the various sides of an issue.
! Identify the points on which I and my readers are in
agreement.
! Work the areas of agreement into my argument.
DEMONSTRATING KNOWLEDGE
! Include relevant personal information.
! Include relevant special knowledge of my subject.
! Include the results of any relevant research I have done.

3. MAINTAINING A REASONABLE TONE
! Use a confident tone.
! Avoid sounding high-handed or pedantic.
! Use moderate language and qualify my statements.
8. Have I been fair and accurate?
9. Are my arguments logically constructed and have I avoided
logical fallacies?
10. Does the structure of my essay suit my material and my
audience?
11. Have I provided my readers with enough background
information?
12. Do I present my points clearly and organize them logically?
13. Do I have an engaging and interesting introduction and a
strong conclusion?
THE FIVE-PART ESSAY:
Two common variations on the pattern
Pattern 1:
1. Introduction, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! One or more audience-engaging sentences
! A specific, clear, arguable, supportable thesis statement
! One or more sentences that develop and explain your thesis in
more detail
2. Supporting Paragraph #1, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that further develops
the thesis
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A sentence that explains the significance of this example to
your thesis

4. statement
3. Supporting Paragraph #2, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that further develops
the thesis
and that is linked to the previous paragraph through
transitions, word
choice, etc.
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A sentence that explains the significance of this example to
your thesis
statement
4. Supporting Paragraph #3, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that further develops
the thesis
and that is linked to the previous paragraph through
transitions, word
choice, etc.
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A sentence that explains the significance of this example to
your thesis
statement
5. Conclusion, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A sentence restating the main idea of the thesis, but in
different words
! A sentence summarizing the main ideas in the supporting
paragraphs
! A sentence that presents a new perspective on the information
in the rest of
the essay that has broader implications than those discussed
earlier in the
essay, but which leaves the reader with something new to
consider about the
topic in light of the argument

5. Pattern 2:
1. Introduction, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! One or more audience-engaging sentences
! A specific, clear, arguable, supportable thesis statement
! One or more sentences that explain your thesis by providing
the background
to your argument
2. Evidence Paragraph 1, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that introduces the
first piece of
evidence in your argument and links back to your thesis
(normally, you
should present your weakest piece of evidence here)
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A concluding sentence that accounts for an opposing view, but
presents it in
such a way that it does not completely refute your own
argument
3. Evidence Paragraph 2, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that introduces the
second piece of
evidence in your argument and links back to your thesis
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A concluding sentence that accounts for an opposing view, but
presents it in
such a way that it does not completely refute your own
argument
4. Evidence Paragraph 3, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A topic sentence beginning the paragraph that introduces the

6. third, and
normally strongest, piece of evidence in your argument and
links back to
your thesis
! At least one specific example that supports the topic sentence
! A concluding sentence that accounts for an opposing view, but
presents it in
such a way that it does not completely refute your own
argument
5. Conclusion, at least 3-5 sentences, includes
! A restatement, in different words, of the thesis and a summary
of the
evidence and counter arguments presented in the rest of your
paper
! And/or a new perspective on the information in the rest of the
essay that
has broader implications than those discussed earlier in the
essay, but
which leaves the reader with something new to consider about
the topic in
light of the argument
ENGL 101
Unit 2: Article Review Worksheet
Article Review
Select an article from the list in the assignment based on your
interests. Type the title of the article here:
Read the article, paying close attention to the main idea,
supporting details, and whether or not the article is effective.
You will want to consider whether the author of the article is

7. successful at meeting the intended goal in writing the article.
Thesis Statement
Identify the thesis statement in this article:
Main Point(s)
In your own words, summarize the main point or points of the
article that support the thesis statement:
Supporting Details
In your own words, summarize the supporting details that are
presented to support the main points in the article:
Effectiveness
After reading the article and identifying the thesis statement,
main point(s), and supporting details, discuss the following in
6–8 sentences:
· Is this article effective?
· Does the author achieve the intended goal in writing the
article?
· In what way could the article be improved?
Argument Essay SAMPLE OUTLINE and guidelines
You will be graded on how well you complete the assignment,
which has several parts. Please look at this outline to see what
these parts are. Please refer to page 163 in your textbook for
further guidance.
I. Introduction (10 points)

8. A. Hook:
B. Connecting Information:
C. Thesis: use modals such as: Should, must, have to, ought to,
to state your opinion about a controversial topic.
II. Supporting argument 1: provide facts that support your first
point (arguments are worth the remainder of the score)
A.
B.
III. Supporting Argument 2: provide facts that support your
second point (more paragrapsh may be added according to your
needs)
A.
B.
IV. Opposing viewpoints: provide ONE opposing
argument and in the same paragraph, refute that argument by
showing that it is incorrect. Use your sources to provide
FACTS to back it up. (Counterargument and refutation are
worth 10 points).
A.
B.
IV. Conclusion: Provide a suggestion or a prediction about the
topic, and sum up your arguments. (worth 10 points)
Guidelines:
Your outline is also worth one letter grade (10 points) and your
references worth another 10 points. They must be formatted
correctly according to APA style.
The essay must have five pages of written text, in double-

9. spaced Times New Roman 12 point letters. Use the APA
formatting that you were taught at the beginning of the
semester.
You must properly cite your sources within the text for a good
grade.
NOTE well: DO NOT try to argue both sides of the issue. The
assignment is to choose one side, either pro OR con, and argue
that side. I will deduct massive points if you do not offer a
persuasive essay. I am not looking for information, I am
looking for persuasion.