Argument about an issue related to the theme of crisis
In this 6-8 page paper, you will make an argument about an issue related to the theme of crisis by drawing on the various skills we have developed this semester: summary, integrating evidence, synthesis and critique. In making your argument, you will engage in a conversation with your sources and make your thesis evolve through complicating evidence and naysayers.
Whatever your topic, you should identify an issue—a question that leads to disagreement about the best answer—and make an argument about that issue. That is, your paper should revolve around a thesis—your answer to the issue—and give reasons that support your thesis.
As we have discussed before, you might consider using the following template to organize your thesis:
Although “they say,” “I say” (claim) because (reasons).
I’ve included a sample paper was included with the book from which I took the “Linking Evidence and Claims” chapter. The sample should give you a sense of what it looks like to write a research paper with an evolving thesis.
A strong paper will:
Include an introduction that
Establishes the territory
Establishes a niche
And occupies that niche
Set up a conversation between scholarly sources (the “they say”)
Include a thesis in which you intervene in this conversation (the “I say”)
Analyze the issue and arguments of your sources by investigating their claims, reasons, and assumptions.
Address complicating evidence or naysayers in order to refine your thesis.
Clear writing: direct characters and descriptive actions; coherent and cohesive paragraphs; transitions
Draw on at least 3 scholarly sources from your research; you can include other non-scholarly sources, too
Makes a case for the “so what?” of your topic—that is, why other people should be interested and what they would lose if they disagree with you
Uses MLA format for the bibliography
Here is a link to the basis of the MLA format for citation: https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/#13
You can also use the website (https://www.easybib.com/) to generate citations. You select the type of source, input the information and it gives the proper format.
