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Argument Research Paper Assignment Sheet
READ THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET
There are a lot of instructions here.
You may want to print this assignment sheet,
so the requirements are easy to look at while you work on your paper.
Choose a controversial, contemporary issue related to your major and, after doing some serious research about
all aspects of the issue, choose one side, and argue for that side in a five- to seven-page argument research
paper.
You must also provide a rebuttal, which will require you to know your opposition. The rebuttal for this paper
should be contained to ONE paragraph near the end of the paper (PRIOR to the conclusion).
Your paper should have a minimum of eight sources. They MUST include each of the following:
1) Three academic journals.
2) At least one multimedia news source – you may access this source online. For example, a documentary,
YouTube video, or television show.
3) At least one magazine – The following sources are acceptable: AARP The Magazine, Architectural
Digest, The Atlantic, Business Week, Consumer Reports, The Economist, Esquire, Field & Stream,
Forbes, Fortune, Glamour, Golf Digest, Men’s Health, The Nation, National Geographic, National
Review, Newsweek, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Popular Mechanics, Popular
Science, Rolling Stone, Runners World, School Library Journal, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, Teen
Vogue, Time, Vanity Fair, Vogue, The Weekly Standard, Wired, Women’s Health.
If none of these sources fulfill your need, you must select another magazine and get it approved by
me to fulfill this source criteria.
4) At least one newspaper published in the United States. Your newspaper source may NOT include an oped or letter to the editor.
5) A personal interview – You may interview a family member, a friend or a teacher who is an expert on
your topic or has some personal experience (rather than only opinion) to contribute.
To fulfill the eight sources minimum, you may include an additional approved magazine, an international
newspaper or an academic journal. In addition, a few government websites will be allowed as sources for
particular purposes. Please check with me to verify reliability – among those U.S. government websites which
are acceptable: U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Defense, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The
U.S. Constitution is acceptable, as are U.S. legislation such as laws and proposed bills (local, state and federal).
Please be sure to check Purdue Owl for how to cite. Ask me for help if, after class discussion, you still do not
understand the difference between a bill and a law. It is important to understand the difference between the
two when we write about them and also cite them in a paper.
Try to find information published within the past five years, unless your topic requires older sources.
Please introduce each source by author, article title if applicable, date published, and container. After first
introduction, please do formal MLA in-text/parenthetical citation.
An example: In the January 5, 2017 Sunshine Science article “Planets for Days,” writers John Smith and
others note the sun has been around for millions of years. There are only eighty-six plant species that can
live without sun (Smith et al 265).
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Argument Research Paper Assignment Sheet
READ THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET
REMINDERS:
Do not include someone else’s words without a citation! Make sure your Works Cited page is in Modern
Language Association format. Remember to use Purdue Owl as a guide. Do not use EasyBib to generate Works
Cited page entries. We will use Eighth Edition MLA Style.
*******The following topics will NOT be accepted for this paper:
Concussions/CTE, euthanasia/right-to-die, capital punishment/death penalty, abortion topics of any sort,
lowering the drinking age, anything to do with drivers’ licenses, legalizing drugs (marijuana is a drug), steroid
use in sports, should student athletes be paid, obesity and diabetes epidemic, climate change, air pollution, water
pollution, UFOs and conspiracy theories, restricting sugary soft drinks, banning smoking, body image and body
image in the media, school uniforms, arguing for or against the existence of God or the theory of evolution,
violent media/games causing violence in people, tanning beds, Hillary Clinton should go to jail, Kyleigh’s Law,
designer babies/genetic selection, stem cell research, equal marriage rights, bullying in any form (including
cyberbullying), whether or not someone should stand for the national anthem.
***** There are several reasons these topics are banned. Some of those reasons: peer papers on the topic are too
easily available on the internet (which increases occurrences of accidental plagiarism); the topic is no longer
controversial enough or the topic no longer is relevant; arguments gravitate toward logical fallacies on the topic;
the topic does not provide an opportunity to do true research with an open mind (i.e. the topic typically is
chosen by people who have a strong pre-conceived bias about the topic, which stifles research abilities); the
topic is too broad; there is not enough fact-based evidence about the topic to make for a good research paper.
*You must bring your research paper proposals to the next class for discussion.*
This is part of the class participation grade.
Students who come to class unprepared will get ten points deducted from their class participation grade.
You will not be asked to turn your proposal in, but you will be asked specific questions in class and should be
prepared with the following (it does not have to be typed):
Three topic ideas, ranked 1, 2, 3.
The ability to answer basic, pointed questions related to your topic ideas. For example, the ability to
demonstrate a thirst to find out more about your topic, and the ability to keep an open-mind and avoid leaning
on pre-conceived notions or biases about your topic.
An indication of who you think you will do the personal interview with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------We will take this research paper S L O W …
On Thursday, February 22 -- bring your proposals.
On Thursday, March 1 -- Bring a DETAILED argument-research outline to class, with a strong thesis
statement, good topic sentences, an indication of points and evidence per paragraph,
and a proper Works Cited page.
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Argument Research Paper Assignment Sheet
READ THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET
Tuesday, March 13 – First peer review for FP2. Please bring the first draft of your paper with the works
cited page. No names on the drafts please. Be sure to print prior to class. .
Thursday, March 15 -- peer review for FP2. Same rules apply.
Tuesday, March 20 – last FP2 peer review. Same rules apply.
Thursday, March 22 – FP2 due in Dropbox by start of class time. UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT TO THE
PROPER DROPBOX PRIOR TO CLASS. Please do not bring a printed copy in. I
cannot accept it.
DUE: This paper with the citation page as part of the Microsoft Word document must be placed in the Dropbox
by start of class Thursday, March 22. No late submissions will be accepted.
One of the most important things to remember for this paper is DO THE RESEARCH FIRST. Do the research
BEFORE you take a side on the issue you’ve chosen.
DO NOT, under any circumstances, do research at the same time you write the first draft. This always, without
exception, results in a mess of a paper. Do a LOT of the research BEFORE you write the thesis.
The student is expected to:
1) Demonstrate the ability to conduct thorough research, select focused evidence appropriate to the
argument, and determine the reliability of information.
2) Relate the subject matter to personal narrative.
3) Brainstorm the topic thoroughly and subsequently organize the paper in a logical way that includes
seamless transitions and an introduction and conclusion that implement ethos, pathos and/or logos in
some way.
4) Show a mastery of grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation and capitalization.
5) Continue toward improved writing and critical thinking skills, avoiding logical fallacy.
CRITERIA:
Research – (40 points) – The student demonstrated that she/he is able to conduct thorough research, and the
research consistently supported the thesis statement. The research selected was appropriate to the topic, reliable
and cited appropriately at all times. Further, the citation page had a header (Works Cited or Citation Page or
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Argument Research Paper Assignment Sheet
READ THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET
Bibliography) and was done according to Modern Language Association guidelines, which includes lining up
each entry flush left and indenting subsequent lines .5 (hanging indent). Also, each entry should be singlespaced, and there should be two spaces between each entry.
Argument – (30 points) – The student demonstrated she/he can thoroughly analyze information with an eye on
the argument. In addition, toward the end of the paper (in the paragraph or two prior to the conclusion), the
student addressed logical counter-arguments. Argument is different from research. To argue, the student must
use the research to support a conclusion. For example, This [fact] demonstrates [student’s analysis of
information]. Argument is not repetitive opinion statements. Argument does not include logical fallacy.
Argument is critical analysis of the situation based solely on interpretation of facts.
Polished Work – (30 points) – This includes all aspects of the presentation of a proper paper. There should be
NO TITLE PAGE. However, the paper should be slugged properly (LastnameFirstInitial_FP2), and the header
should include name and section number. The footer should include Page X of Y. There should be a creative
title. All text should be Times New Roman, 12-point, double-spaced. Also, the student should have mastered
any grammatical, clarity, spelling, syntax, capitalization or punctuation problems that have been pointed out in
prior papers. Directions on this assignment sheet should be followed.
Total – 100 points
This paper is worth 20 percent of the final overall class grade.
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