OVERVIEW
This argument essay requires that you not only inform, but persuade a reasonable audience to agree with a specific claim that you are making about your issue and to motivate action. You are making an argument in this paper, but beyond that you are seeking to persuade an audience to act on the argument you make. This paper will be more challenging because, it requires that you “state your position unequivocally and make it appear reasonable – which requires that you offer evidence and defend against logical objections” (Behrens and Rosen 82).

GUIDELINES
Develop a comprehensive and detailed Argument that appeals to a reasonable audience and motivates action. Support your discussion by synthesizing evidence from different sources. Write a paper of 2-3 (double-spaced) pages. In addition to the essay, you will need to include a Works Cited page that indicates the sources you have used to complete your assignment. As you integrate direct textual evidence, your analysis should solely represent your own analytical thinking.

Consider the following questions when developing your Argument:
⦁ Purpose: How can you establish a need for taking action? What is significant and current about this issue?
⦁ Angle: Where can you add to this conversation? How can you best appeal to ethos, logos and pathos to motivate your audience to act?
⦁ Tone: What attitude about the issue should be clear in your writing? What words will convey this tone?
⦁ Evidence: What specific evidence from the texts should be provided to support your claim? What evidence will effectively to develop appeals as you articulate your reasons, your counterargument(s), and your call to action?
⦁ Contribution: What have you said that goes beyond the current conversation? How is your argument different from the ones that you researched on your topic?
⦁ Style: How clear is the language/style/expression in your argument?
⦁ Conclusion: What meaningful and significant action should your audience take based on your argument? What practical steps have you provided for your audience to act upon? How will taking these steps benefit your audience and the larger community?

ORGANIZATION
Note the possible ways to organize your essay on page 179 in The Norton Field Guide.
At a minimum, your Argument Essay should include the following elements:

ARGUMENT  STATEMENT
But where does argument statement go? Persuasive arguments develop and support an arguable claim, but they also encourage action. When writing an argument, put your thesis in the introduction. Your thesis indicates what you will contribute to the conversation surrounding an issue. Avoid a thesis statement that has already been developed by one of your sources. Instead, you should strive for something that adds to the conversation. Your thesis statement should indicate your position (stance), who you are talking to (audience), and should logically lead to your call to action.

AUDIENCE
For this project, you’ll be writing for a specific audience (you decide) whose values and beliefs may be difficult to pin down and are different from your own. Arguments are not made to people who agree with you. You’ll need to make a good impression by ensuring that your argument is well-supported with strong evidence and explanation and that you avoid bias and fallacy that might otherwise undermine your credibility. Clear communication and critical thinking are also necessary for a successful project. Finally, don’t assume that just because someone will read your essay that he/she will automatically be interested in what you have to say. Generate reader interest by making clear what is at stake in your essay, and why the issue is important.