Essay Assignment Instructions
Argumentative Essay: You are to write a double-spaced, 12-point font, 18-20 page essay and argument diagram in two Phases and in strict accordance to the format below. THE SUBECT I SELECTED WAS OPEN CARRY, MY ARGUMENT IS IN FAVOR OF BEING ABLE TO OPENLY CARRY A FIREARM IN PUBLIC. PHASE 1 IS COMPLETED ALREADY, ONLY PHASE 2 IS REQUIRED.
THERE IS AN ATTACHED SAMPLE ESSAY, PLEASE DO NOT COPY BUT RATHER GET AN IDEA
Phase I: In this phase, you are to complete 3 tasks:
1) Write the Introduction (Section I-see essay outline below for instructions)
2) Your main argument in Standard Form (in terms of single sentence numbered premises and conclusion), along with its corresponding diagram (this will correspond to what you write in Section II.A-see essay outline below). Please see the Make sure that your argument does not have less than 4 or more than 8 premises. I will not accept diagrams that have more than 8 premises. Also, the argument must be a complex one (the diagram must have premises at least two levels deep-this means that at least 1 premise must also be a sub-conclusion and be defended by another premise). Please see the files under the “Additional Help with Arguments Diagrams/Maps” under “Week 1” in “Modules” for examples on Standard Form arguments and their corresponding argument maps/diagrams.
3) You are to write a 3-sentence template of your argument, in the following format:
a. I say _________, because___________________.(This corresponds to II.A below)
b. One might object that ______, because_______. (This corresponds to II.B below)
c. I reply that ______, because ________________.(This corresponds to II.C below)
For example:
a. I say that we should be free to smoke on campus, because even though smoking is bad, it’s worse to restrict our freedom.
b. One might object that restricting our freedom in this case is necessary, because otherwise, many people will be harmed by second-hand smoke.
c. I reply that freedom actually carries more weight than public health, because by restring freedom on this issue we might restrict it on other issue and this curtails our pursuit of happiness.
(Please do not include religious arguments, only philosophical ones. Moreover, the “dialogue opponent” objections should be actual objections. You will need to do some research to find out what these are.)
Once I receive your work for this phase, I will grade it and make comments on it. The work in this phase is worth 44 points and is due on Monday 7/03/17.
Phase II: In this phase, you are to finish the entire essay, including the diagrams, and rewrite the Introduction and the Standard Form argument and diagram from Phase I, in conformity with my comments.
You are to upload on Canvas(by clicking on “Essay Phase II (Upload Here).” I will discount points for faulty grammar and spelling. I will not accept Phase II of the essay if you email it to me, you need to upload it for me to accept it.
The work in this phase is worth 150 points and is due 7/10/17. The standard form arguments and corresponding diagrams and the bibliography count as part of the paper length.
The topic of your essay must be on a current and controversial issue, such as illegal immigration reform, gun control, the abortion debate, etc. You must explicitly state what specific position you will take regarding the topic.
You must write the essay as if your audience is intelligent and disagrees with you.
Make sure that you do not end up with an argument for your position that the article counters and that you have not dealt with. In other words, do not respond to the counter-argument with an argument that has already been dealt with in the article.
Paper Outline
Paper Title
I. Introduction This section contains no more than 2 paragraphs. I suggest that for the first paragraph of the introduction you include an explanation of the context or background of your topic. Please explain this context or background in neutral terms. Do not include arguments for your perspective here.
In your second paragraph you will ask a question related to your topic, such as, “Should our current immigration laws be strictly enforced?â or “Should we have stricter gun control laws?â You are to finish your introduction by clearly stating your answer to your own question. This answer will be the conclusion of your main argument (the argument itself is to be placed in section II.A.).
II. Body of Paper (supply appropriate title here)
A. Case for position (Recommendation: write a paragraph for each premise)
Clearly state the reasons (premises) for why you think that your position is true. (After you write the essay part of II.A., you must include the summary of this argument in “standard form,â along with the corresponding diagram. This is the Standard Form argument and the diagram that you turned in for Phase I and that you subsequently changed, according to my comments.)
B. Counter-Argument
Summarize your opponent’s strongest possible argument in a fair and honest way. Remember that the counter-argument must be a defense of the opposite response that you gave to the question in the introduction.
You must find and cite a source that supports or gives your counter-argument. (You must include the summary of this argument in “standard form,â along with the corresponding diagram. This diagram has no minimum of premises and the premises do not have to be at least two levels deep. However, it is not to have more than 8 premises or it will not be accepted.)
C. Respond to Counter-Argument
Analyze the argument, explaining what is wrong with it.
III. Conclusion (2 paragraphs)
IV. Bibliography
(For footnotes and bibliography use The APA Style format. See the citation guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/)
Important Points (reductions in your grade will be made if these points are ignored)
1) You must label each major paragraph of your essay in accord with the above outline (I., II., III, and IV also, you must label section II.A, II.B. and II.C).
2) Section II.A and B of your essay must match your two argument diagrams.
3) Use quotations sparingly and do not use quotations longer than two lines or points will be deducted. Quotations that include ideas must be explained.
4) Define terms that are ambiguous (those that can be taken in two or more sense), obscure, technical, or controversial.
5) Make sure to proofread your paper, taking out spelling and grammatical errors. You will be marked down for these.
6) Do not plagiarize. To plagiarize means “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source.â (Webster’s online dictionary www.webster.com (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.). If you plagiarize, you will be given “0â points.
7) Make sure that all of your standard form premises and conclusions are written in full sentences.
8) Make sure that your arguments and counter-arguments are relevant and strong.
