In Essay #3, you are going to write an argumentative essay about some aspect of the year 2021.
You will learn how to come up with a subtopic to focus upon.
You will learn the difference between primary and secondary sources.
You will learn how to use the TSU Library’s databases in order to find sources appropriate for a college-level essay.You will need 3 to 7 sources to help support your position.
You will learn how to find and evaluate appropriate sources.
You will also learn and practice citing sources in MLA format, and how to avoid plagiarism.
This essay should be 750-1250 pages long (3-5 pages) and you should also have a “Works Cited” page in MLA format. The “Works Cited” page doesn’t count towards the essay page count, i.e. you can’t write two pages and a Works Cited page and claim you met the minimum page count.
Your essay should include:
An introduction that gets the reader’s interest and indicates your subject and your research question about the subject.
A thesis statement that states your position on the subject.
A summary of the issue to give it some context
A smooth transition to your reasons for your position, that is, supporting points for your thesis.
Direct quotations and/or paraphrases from your sources to support your argument.
A summary of the opposing side’s argument. Also use direct quotations and/or paraphrases from your sources to illustrate their position.
A rebuttal (response) to that possible objection.
Correct use of MLA style for in-text citations and Works Cited entries
A conclusion.
Before you submit the first draft of your Research Paper this week, make sure you have the following:
your heading with your name, class, date and professor’s name in the upper left-hand corner
An informative and interesting title that gives your reader an idea of your topic. Center this title.
Return to regular margins and double-space the rest of your essay.
An introductory paragraph that introduces your topic, your research question, and your thesis (the answer to your research question)
If needed, one to two paragraphs that summarize or describe the situation or event you are focusing upon. If you are discussing a specific term or object, you can define or describe them in a paragraph.
At least three paragraphs with topic sentences that are your supporting points or reasons for your thesis. Each paragraph should include some kind of evidence from any of your sources to support the main point you are making in the paragraph. The evidence can be a direct quotation or paraphrase.
Whenever you quote, make sure you are formatting the quotation correctly.
If you are quoting three lines or less of prose, include it within your paragraph. Set it up with an introductory phrase or sentence. Use quotation marks. Include an MLA style in-text citation. Follow your quotation with a sentence that responds to it, analyzes it, or explains it .
If you are quoting more than three lines of prose, format it as a block quotation. When you are about to quote, skip a line, indent your left hand margins, copy out your quotation and put your in-text citation at the end. Then skip a line, return to your original left-hand margin, and continue responding to, analyzing, or explaining the quotation.
Whenever you paraphrase, remember the following:
make sure you understand what the passage is saying. Look up vocabulary, reread, go sentence by sentence if necessary.
When you are sure you understand the passage, try writing in your own words what the passage says. Check against the original to make sure you are not copying the vocabulary or sentence structure. Also make sure you are accurate in understanding the passage.
A good paraphrase is shorter and easier to understand than the original passage. You are focusing on the information from your source, not on how it is worded.
Include an MLA style in-text citation at the end of your paraphrase.
After you have made your argument for your thesis with your supporting reasons, write at least one paragraph that addresses an objection someone might have toward your thesis. Describe that objection and why someone might come to that objection.
For each objection, write a rebuttal (response) paragraph. Acknowledge that the objection might have a valid point, but then state why you still stand by your thesis.
Concluding paragraph. Your concluding paragraph should restate your thesis and main supporting points. It should also indicate the essay is over.
A Works Cited page that should have:
At least three sources and up to a maximum of seven.
At least one primary source (an original document or artifact, a witness or participant’s account, a first-hand or personal essay explaining a viewpoint)
Sources arranged in alphabetical order by author’s last name. If there isn’t an author, then use the first letter of the title’s first word for arranging in order.
Each source should be in a Works Cited entry in MLA format. It should be the correct MLA format for the type of source (newspaper article, article from a journal found in a database, video, book, etc.)