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4: ARGUMENT ESSAY ENG 101: ESSAY 4 For Essay 4, you will be writing an argument essay in which you take a strong position and provide persuasive evidence. Your thesis statement and topic sentences should clearly show your point of view (without using 1/2 person) Then, you will back up your position (the thesis) with a combination of facts, statistics, examples, and informed opinions from validated sources from the Alabama Virtual Library. This essay will consist of six paragraphs; an introduction with a thesis statement, 3 body paragraphs that argue your stance, a counterargument paragraph, and a conclusion. As the writer, you should also consider what your readers already know about the topic, if they’ll be likely to disagree with you or not, and what kind of evidence you will need to convince them of your point of view. Possible Topics (Topics should be specific, not broad): • Should college be free? • Should college athletes be compensated? • Should children be allowed to have social media access? • Are energy drinks dangerous to the human body? My topic choice: _______________________________ Instructor’s Initials: _____________________ MAIN GOALS FOR ESSAY: Focus your essay with a strong thesis statement that shows the scope of the assignment as outlined above. Illustrative essays should show rather than tell; you your critical voice to explain (see below) Topic sentences for body paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 should validate & mirror the thesis statement. Create 3 organized body paragraphs that focus on one main point each and divide your essay into manageable sections for the reader. Create a 4th body paragraph that counterargues your thesis statement and give reasons why Provide specific, effective examples and explanations for your 3 topic sentences This essay must include at least three sources (2 of which should come from the Alabama Virtual Library) with correlating in-text citations & a works cited page REMINDER FOR ESSAYS: Use multiple examples and explanations to highlight/prove the topic sentences Each paragraph should be a minimum of 8-10 meaning sentences Avoid taking a stance or providing examples/explanations that contain opinions Complete essay should be written in 3rd person point of view (NO: I, me, you, your, we, us, our) DO NOT WRITE WITH CONTRACTIONS Use your critical voice to explain/describe your topic. HINT: Show that you have thought out each explanation by giving commentary that accurately links your examples back to your thesis statement. ESSAY FORMAT: • Follow MLA Guidelines • Double Spaced w/ Info Block & Header • Typed w/ 1-inch margins • Avoid spelling, mechanical, and grammatical errors • Avoid awkward or incorrect wording • Narrow topic; clear thesis • 6 paragraphs; all indented w/ clear structure ESSAY TIMELINE: You should write your essay for an educated, informed audience who is NOT in this class and may not be familiar with the terms or examples that you may use. You will need to summarize key ideas, define any terms that might not be familiar, and choose appropriate diction to help your reader understand your topic.
