WritingProject3:PersuasiveEssay

Overview: A good researcher fluidly shifts between the questions that drive research and their answers.
Reflecting on those answers with skepticism can leadaresearchertoreviseheroriginalproposition(s),which
in turn can lead to new questions and new directions to be explored. This can give research the appearance
that it is a never ending process. However, researchers must at times move beyond mere discovery and
exposition to take positions on their researched inquiry. Put another way, sometimes researchers mustmake
argumentsabouttheirresearchsimplications.

Thus, the assignment for Writing Project 3 asks you to take a position on an issue you haveresearched.You
will construct an argument, one that shows readers why they should accept (or at least entertain) your
position.Tothatend,youressayshould:

addressanissueofsocial,cultural,orpoliticalimport
bethesisorclaimdriven
supportclaimswithsoundreasoningandvalidevidence
accountforcounter-argumentsanddivergentperspectives
appealtoaninformedaudienceinanaccessibleandrhetoricallyeffectivemanner

Research: In order to effectively persuadeyouraudiencethatyourpositionisworthyofconsideration,youwill

need to highlight the significant, compelling, and novel information you have discovered and effectively
deploy that information to support your claims. Thus, you will use your research from WP2 to (1) teach your
audience about something of which they havelimitedawareness,and(2)convincethemthatyourpositionis
validandworthyofconsideration.

Requirements: Your essay should be 2000 words in length, incorporate at least 7 credible sources, attend to
thespecificrequirementsoftheassignment,andadheretoAPAformattingstandards

Project Submission: Much of your process work for this project will be posted to Google Classroom and/or
completed in class. Specific details about the process work of WP3 (e.g. readings, etc.) can be found in the
learning modules on BlackBoard. Your final project will be submitted in two ways, (1) as an APA formatted
document to the WP3 submission drop box on BB, and (2) as a webpage on the Writers Website that you
createdinENG101oratthebeginningofENG102.

SampleOutline(basedonToulmin)

Introduction
Presentthetopic
Providebackgroundonthetopic
Assertthethesis(yourargument)

CounterArgument
Summarizethecounterclaims
Providesupportinginformationforcounterclaims
Refutethecounterclaims
Giveevidenceforrefutation

YourArgument
Assertpoint#1ofyourclaims
Illustrateyourclaim
Explainyourclaim/illustration
Assertpoint#2ofyourclaims
Illustrateyourclaim
Explainyourclaim/illustration
Assertpoint#3ofyourclaims
Illustrateyourclaim
Explainyourclaim/illustration
Conclusion
Restatetheargument
Asserttheargumentsimportanceandimplications
Proposeaplanofaction