This assignment requires the writing of a 4-5 page argumentative essay on a selected topic from the Gale resource on opposing viewpoints. Students must present a clear position supported by logical reasoning and credible evidence, acknowledging counterarguments fairly. The essay aims to enhance persuasive writing skills, critical thinking, and synthesis of sources, adhering to MLA format and including a works cited page.

1. Argument Essay Assignment
Assignment Description
For this essay, you should choose a topic from the Gale
resource on Opposing Viewpoints (see below) and write a 4-5
page essay that argues a clearly defined position about that
topic. The essay should have an introduction that has a clear
thesis statement and demonstrates the relevance of your topic,
several body paragraphs that each make focused claims, and a
conclusion.
In upper level courses, you will often be asked to demonstrate
your ability to converse with other scholars in your field. Your
job is to change the reader’s mind about a particular subject and
persuade the reader into believing your argument. Your paper
must be written so that it is accessible to readers from a
different perspective. In other words, be fair and unbiased when
acknowledging what others say about your topic, but then prove
why they are wrong using logical reasons and credible evidence.
In this essay, you must synthesize various sources while
persuading the reader to accept your viewpoint. You do not
want to simply report what others are saying, but engage in a
dialogue with them.
Purpose and Learning Objectives
The purpose of this assignment is to practice persuasive writing
and synthesis of sources. You will increase your critical
thinking skills by analyzing yours and others’ assumptions,
evaluating multiple perspectives, and developing a clear
position. Writing, research, and eloquent written expression are
vital for a successful future. You will express all of these skills

2. in this assignment. This essay will be used as the English
department assessment for the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board’s mandated core curriculum assessment of
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO). This essay will address the
SLO objectives of critical thinking and written communication.
Your research paper should demonstrate the following learning
objectives:
Awareness of the audience to whom you are speaking
Awareness of the purpose of your argument
Ability to enter into a scholarly conversation
Ability to write a qualified and narrow argumentative thesis
statement
Ability to synthesize information from various sources
Ability to craft an argument with different types of relevant,
credible, and detailed support
Ability to research and identify academic sources
Ability to summarize, paraphrase, and quote while citing
correctly in MLA to avoid plagiarism
Ability to converse in standard, academic English
Minimum Requirements
1,200-1,500 word essay (4-5 pages)

3. An interesting and informative title
A clearly stated thesis in the introduction that articulates your
position and what you want to argue in your paper.
Logical and clear reasons supporting your argument
A document formatted in correct MLA format
5 sources (peer-reviewed journals, books, and reliable web
sources)
One of your sources must disagree with your argument and be
used to create a counterargument. A counterargument occurs
when you show what the opposing side claims and then refutes
that side. For instance, if I am arguing that public schools
should require children to be vaccinated unless a documented
medical reason prohibits vaccination, then I might cite a source
that argues that vaccinations are dangerous. I would show one
or two main reasons the source gives and then show why those
reasons are invalid as I prove my point about the need for
vaccines.
A refutation of opposing arguments (in the counterargument)
A synthesis of sources; do not simply summarize your source
material, but show how they are connected and respond to them.
A works cited page in MLA format with corresponding in-text
citations. The works cited page should be included in the same
document as your essay.

4. If you fail to meet the minimum requirements, you should not
expect to earn higher than a D on the essay (but perhaps much
lower).
Due Dates
Refer to the assignment calendar for due dates for this
assignment.
Remember, the grade for the peer review is separate from the
grade for the essay. See the guidelines for peer review for
instructions about completing the peer review process.
Process of Completion
Here are a few steps that might help you develop your essay:
Choose your topic from the ones provided for this unit (see
below).
Once you’ve found a topic, determine if it needs to be narrowed
or if a particular focus might help the argument.
For instance, if you were writing about obesity, you might need
to find a slant that creates a more interesting argument than
“obesity is a problem” (of course it’s a problem!). Narrowing
helps a bit, but not enough: “to avoid obesity, Americans should
exercise more” (of course Americans should exercise more!).
But what if we narrow the topic further: “schools in Texas need
to ban unhealthy foods from the lunch menu and eliminate
vending machines with unhealthy snacks and sodas.” This
sentence establishes a more focused and nuanced argument than
the earlier topic of obesity. To create a more interesting topic,

5. you might then move to question who is responsible for obesity.
Is it individuals, corporations, cultural norms, the government,
or some other entity? What can we do to change the culture in
the United States so that obesity is not so prevalent? The more
focused and nuanced the topic, the better the paper usually is.
Starting with the topics from the list below, try to find a
focused topic for your essay.
After narrowing your topic, you should make a list of
everything you know about the topic and everything you want to
know. This list will guide your research.
Now, you’re ready to start researching. Be sure to only include
reliable sources in your research and to take careful notes to
avoid accidentally plagiarizing your sources later. As you
research, remember that plagiarism is still a serious offense
even if you just forget to cite a source. Always keep notes of
where you get information and be prepared to cite the
information correctly.
Be sure to allow a few days to draft your essay. You want to be
sure you don’t forget any of the wonderful arguments you
developed during the invention and research phases. You may
also want to outline the major points of the essay before
drafting.
Always allow several days to revise the essay. You will get
comments during peer review, and you should consider those
comments carefully.
Finally, be sure to edit your essay for mistakes in grammar,
punctuation, and proofreading.

6. Potential Topics
Choose your topic from the Gale Opposing Viewpoints
database:
http://ic.galegroup.com.dcccd.idm.oclc.org/ic/ovic/?p=OVIC&u
=txshracd2500
U.S. Borders (Emigration & Immigration)
Immigration
Civil Rights
Popular Culture
Culture of Beauty
Celebrity Culture
Renewable Energy
Animal Experimentation
Technology & Education
Vaccines
Privacy
Criminal Justice
Millennial Generation
Genetically Modified Foods

7. Social Media
Video Games
Submission Protocol
Your assignment must be submitted as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf
attachment
Grading and Rubric
To view the rubric, go to the assignment and select "View
Rubric." You should also keep in mind the following general
criteria that your instructor is looking for in the essay:
First, does the essay contain a clear argument? Arguments have
opposing sides, which means at least some portion of your
readership should disagree with your viewpoint. If your claim is
fairly obvious (“obesity is a problem,” for instance), then you
have not met the primary purpose of this assignment, which is
to take a side on an issue.
Second, does the thesis statement present your argument in one
clear and concise sentence? The thesis statement is the most
important sentence of your essay, so take time to revise it
(sometimes multiple times) before submitting the essay. The
thesis should present your main argument as well as provide a
brief overview of the major claims in the essay. After reading
the thesis, the reader should have a good sense of where the
essay is going.
Third, are the paragraphs organized, focused, and developed?
The paragraphs should be organized logically and should each
present one focused claim. That claim should be stated in the

8. first sentence, called a topic sentence, which should then be
followed by evidence to support the claim. Then, you should
provide commentary on the evidence (show why the evidence
leads you to your claim) so that the reader always understands
how to interpret the evidence as you do.
Fourth, is evidence from outside sources integrated seamlessly
into the essay? Be sure to quote, paraphrase, and summarize
accurately and to integrate all of the evidence into your own
sentences. See the lessons in unit 3, 4 and 5 about integrating
sources.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas without
giving credit and is a serious academic offense. It can range
from:
• Turning in a paper any part of which you did not write,
• Cutting and pasting a paper together from various sources
without attributing the sources correctly,
• Changing a few words but basically keeping most of the
words and sentence structure of the original,
• Using the ideas of another without giving credit to the
person who originally had the idea.
• Using the exact words of the source without using quotation
marks even if you give the name of the source.
Refer to the syllabus for consequences of plagiarism in this
class. For more information, see
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/