ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Peer Review Draft

Due March 12
 Essay 2

What are the assigned topics?

OPTION #1
Write an argumentative essay
defending one side of the
class debate issue.
THE UNIVERSE IS
 A PRODUCT OF EVOLUTION

THE PRODUCT OF
EVOLUTION
OR
A PRODUCT OF AN INTELLIGENT
THE PRODUCT
DESIGNER OF AN

INTELLIGENT DESIGNER
OPTION #2
Defend a side (either pro or con)
of one of the following
controversial issues:
TORTURE OF PRISONERS IS ACCEPTABLE
IN ISSUES INVOLVING NATIONAL
SECURITY
2. HUMAN CLONING SHOULD
BE BANNED
3. PARENTS SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THEIR
BABY’S GENDER.
4. PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION
SHOULD BE ILLEGAL
.
Your paper must . . .
Have a debatable
claim!
It must adhere closely to the
format of an “argumentative”
essay. So check the rules in the

PROMPT!
 If you HAVE IN MIND

a topic not among the assigned choices . . .

The topic MUST BE pre-approved
before you submit the peer review draft
on March 12.
Don’t become a victim of
the following pitfalls
.
 If you are arguing for or
against an opinion
expressed by someone else
Do not simply summarize
what someone else is
arguing and leave it at
that.
The following is an example of
what NOT to do.
Edison, in his book on birds, is
arguing that all Canadian geese
should have their wings clipped.
This sentence makes it clear what
Edison’s position is, but is that
enough to establish YOUR
position?
 Where is the commentary that
lets the reader know how you feel
about the issue?
 .

Here’s a similar
mishap . . .
 .
Do not simply compare opinions
of two writers and leave it at that.
 .
The following example is a nice
comparison, but still the writer
does not state his position on the
issue.
 ,
Edison is arguing that all Canadian
geese should have their wings clipped.
On the other hand, Samuel believes
they should not have their wings
clipped because it inhibits migration.
 ,
Neither sentence in the
comparison gives the
writer’s position.
This is your argument. You must
state an opinion of your own in the
form of a debatable claim.
Note how the following
example makes it clear
what the writer’s position is.
Clipping the wings of geese is
inhumane, unnecessary,and
harmful to the survival of the
species.
Does that mean it’s okay to use
first person pronouns such as
“I,” “me,” and “my” to state my
position on the issue?
 NO!
IT’S NOT OKAY.
Not in academic
writing!
 In academic
writing! always use the
third person
in your commentary.
An example of some third person
pronouns is shown below and a complete
list of all pronoun categories can be
found in the “Debate Protocol”
handout.
Let me think now. Just how can I
state MY position without using the
first person?
To help you out, let’s
consider some brief
examples.
Incorrect:
I believe the writer makes a valid point
when he says the wings should not be
clipped.

Revised:
The writer makes a valid point when he
says the wings should not be clipped.
Let’s try another example
Incorrect:
Our legal system is flawed when our
lawmakers can ignore injustice.

Revised:
America’s legal system is flawed when its
lawmakers can ignore injustice.
 Do not use 2nd

person (You) point

of view
The following is an
example of what
NOT
to do.
The absurdity of the whole
thing makes you mad.
 LET’S REVIEW

• .
 .
AT THIS POINT IN THE SEMESTER,
YOU SHOULD HAVE A WORKING
KNOWLEDGE OF . . .
 .

THE FOLLOWING EQUIREMENTS.

 .

THEY APPLY TO ALL WRITING

ASSIGNMENTS IN THIS CLASS.
 1 and
st 2 second
nd

persons are no-no’s in

academic writing
Have a unique and
creative title

for your essay

Double space your essay
Have No special effect in
your fonts.
Stay with a standard font
such as 11 or 12 size
Times New Roman
Have No quotation marks
or italics for

YOUR

paper’s title
 Have At least
THREE
different references.
.

Adhere to the
“hanging” indention
in your Works Cited.
List Works Cited
References in
alphabetical
order.
 .
Check and Double Check!
 Make sure
.
MLA Citation and
Documentation
are Correct.
 THE FOLLOWING ARE
QUESTIONS
TO ASK BEFORE
SUBMITTING YOUR ESSAY FOR
EVALUATION.

.
Did I correctly format my . . .
.
Signal Phrases?
.
In-text Citations?
.
Works Cited References?
.
 .

There’s another area

you should also be
concerned about . . .
 Did You Avoid
.

Logical Fallacies
 .
Remember the
Fallacies Discussed in
Class?
 Begging the question
.

Treating an opinion that is open to question as if it were already

proved or disproved. In other words, the writer begs readers to
accept his or her ideas from the start.
strawman
.
 Non Sequitur
("it does. not follow")

Drawing a conclusion from irrelevant

evidence. In other words, the second
thought does not follow from the
first
 .
If you can’t remember
them all from our class
discussion, then . . .
 .
Review them in Your Writer’s
Reference textbook. In
Sections A-3 & A-4 you’ll find
more examples of logical
fallacies.
Important .

Deadline
Reminder
Coming Up
Next.
 .
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Writing Assignment # 2
Peer Review Draft Due
March 12th
Check CougarView “Class Announcements” for the prompt
 .
BRING FOUR HARD
COPIES TO CLASS
&
Submit one teacher’s copy to
CougarView submission folder
no later than 11:30 PM
March 12th
Check CougarView “Class Announcements” for the prompt
 .

Some research that

might be useful for
your next essay. . .
After extensive research and testing,
some noted meteorologists have
determined which temperature (hot
or cold ) is actually faster!
THEIR FINDING….?
Hot is faster.
 Because you can
catch a
cold!
That’s All
.

Folks!