Choose one of the following topics: The adjunct professor problem is everyones problem (why my college professor should make a living wage) Black lives matter LGBTQ rights matter Womens rights matter (campus rape and sexual assault, equal pay, paid maternity/family leave) The U.S. political system needs major reform Or take a stance on: A specific aspect of womens reproductive rights (abortion, Planned Parenthood, availability and cost of birth control, etc.) Gun control (Respecting/altering the 2nd amendment, stricter laws/regulations, background checks, automatic rifles) Marijuana legalization Capital punishment Immigration The Syrian refugee crisis Raising the minimum wage Homelessness and/or hunger in America Choose your own topic but clear it with me first No matter which topic you choose, or which side you take, keep in mind that you will have to narrow and focus your topic. What you see in parenthesis are just some of the specific aspects you can explore for each broad topic. As we did in compare/contrast, remember that it is important to look at all sides of an issue, and that often times issues that seem black and white actually have a middle ground or can be compromised on. Make sure you: Write a five paragraph persuasive/argumentative essay including an introduction, 3 body paragraphs and a conclusion. You will use research, facts, and evidence to support your claim and articulate an intelligent, well-reasoned argument. Your goal is to persuade the reader to your way of thinking, or prove your thesis. The introductory paragraph should have a strong hook that grabs the readers attention. Open with an unusual fact or statistic, a thought-provoking question or quotation, an emphatic statement or an interesting observation. The thesis statement must be the last line in the introductory paragraph and leave no doubts about the writers position. Dont be wishy-washy. Take a stance and support it. You will use 3 sources in this paper. The Works Cited page must be formatted correctly and each work you cite should have a corresponding parenthetical citation in the body paragraphs of the essay (unless you name the source in text itself). Use only the best sources that help support the 3 points you are already trying to make. Using an abundance of sources will give you lengthy body paragraphs that try to do too much. Remember, quality over quantity. Each body paragraph should cover a separate point, and the sentences of each paragraph should offer strong evidence in the form of facts, statistics, quotes from experts, and real-life examples. Use one source per body paragraph. One body paragraph must address the opposing side of the argument and defeat it. Remember the straw man fallacyyou dont want to defeat the other sides weakest argument just like you dont want to win a championship game because the other team is sick and their best players are injured. You want to beat them at their best to prove you are the best, and you want to defeat the other sides best argument to prove you are in the right. Consider various ways to make the argument, including using an analogy, describing, telling a story, appealing to emotion and/or logic, drawing comparisons, analyzing or interpreting situations, or illustrating an example with a hypothetical situation (e.g., what if, suppose that). Emotional and passionate appeals based in your feelings, opinions and beliefs are okay, but they will not effectively stand alone. Choosing good sources that support what you already feel will strengthen your argument. Dont assume the audience has in-depth knowledge of the issue. Define terms and give background information where needed. Use MLA format throughout your entire essay and to cite your sources.

Choose one of the following topics: The adjunct professor problem is everyones problem (why my college professor should make a living wage) Black lives matter LGBTQ rights matter Womens rights matter (campus rape and sexual assault, equal pay, paid maternity/family leave) The U.S. political system needs major reform Or take a stance on: A specific aspect of womens reproductive rights (abortion, Planned Parenthood, availability and cost of birth control, etc.) Gun control (Respecting/altering the 2nd amendment, stricter laws/regulations, background checks, automatic rifles) Marijuana legalization Capital punishment Immigration The Syrian refugee crisis Raising the minimum wage Homelessness and/or hunger in America Choose your own topic but clear it with me first No matter which topic you choose, or which side you take, keep in mind that you will have to narrow and focus your topic. What you see in parenthesis are just some of the specific aspects you can explore for each broad topic. As we did in compare/contrast, remember that it is important to look at all sides of an issue, and that often times issues that seem black and white actually have a middle ground or can be compromised on. Make sure you: Write a five paragraph persuasive/argumentative essay including an introduction, 3 body paragraphs and a conclusion. You will use research, facts, and evidence to support your claim and articulate an intelligent, well-reasoned argument. Your goal is to persuade the reader to your way of thinking, or prove your thesis. The introductory paragraph should have a strong hook that grabs the readers attention. Open with an unusual fact or statistic, a thought-provoking question or quotation, an emphatic statement or an interesting observation. The thesis statement must be the last line in the introductory paragraph and leave no doubts about the writers position. Dont be wishy-washy. Take a stance and support it. You will use 3 sources in this paper. The Works Cited page must be formatted correctly and each work you cite should have a corresponding parenthetical citation in the body paragraphs of the essay (unless you name the source in text itself). Use only the best sources that help support the 3 points you are already trying to make. Using an abundance of sources will give you lengthy body paragraphs that try to do too much. Remember, quality over quantity. Each body paragraph should cover a separate point, and the sentences of each paragraph should offer strong evidence in the form of facts, statistics, quotes from experts, and real-life examples. Use one source per body paragraph. One body paragraph must address the opposing side of the argument and defeat it. Remember the straw man fallacyyou dont want to defeat the other sides weakest argument just like you dont want to win a championship game because the other team is sick and their best players are injured. You want to beat them at their best to prove you are the best, and you want to defeat the other sides best argument to prove you are in the right. Consider various ways to make the argument, including using an analogy, describing, telling a story, appealing to emotion and/or logic, drawing comparisons, analyzing or interpreting situations, or illustrating an example with a hypothetical situation (e.g., what if, suppose that). Emotional and passionate appeals based in your feelings, opinions and beliefs are okay, but they will not effectively stand alone. Choosing good sources that support what you already feel will strengthen your argument. Dont assume the audience has in-depth knowledge of the issue. Define terms and give background information where needed. Use MLA format throughout your entire essay and to cite your sources.