Argumentative Research Paper
Lessons Learned
Follow the steps to ensure success (Notes & Source Handout, Outline, Sample MLA document, etc.)!
Your Outline, Rough Draft, and Final Draft must be completed using the provided Google docs.
Make sure your paper is argumentative and not informative. You are convincing your reader of a specific position regarding a topic.
Introduction
Contains an attention-getter, provides necessary definitions/history of topic, and thesis provided at the end.
Your thesis should be one sentence containing your 3 main ideas. These ideas should be listed from weakest to strongest. It should follow the format on the outline that begins with "Indeed, ....(acknowledge main counterargument). However,..."
Your thesis should be the last sentence in your introduction. Your thesis should have parallel structure.
Thesis Examples-
1. Indeed, many might believe international remediation is problematic. However, international organizations should aid states in trouble because international trust and bonds may grow, less privileged countries can redevelop, and all aspects can turn the world toward an optimistic state.
2. Indeed, some might believe the draft is beneficial. However, the draft should not come back because it is more cost effective without one, it is not fair to the lower class, and it interferes with free choice.
Counterargument Paragraph
1. Remember that this paragraph acknowledges the counterargument, and it requires facts with parenthetical citations.
Body Paragraphs
1. The topic sentence (1st sentence in paragraph) of each paragraph should clearly connect to the thesis (should be first idea listed in thesis). Your topic sentence should begin with a strong transition (initially, furthermore, ultimately... NOT first off, next, secondly).
2. You must include examples of support (facts and quotations) for every body paragraph. All facts and citations must have a parenthetical citation.
3. If you did not summarize the information, you must provide quotes around information that was directly quoted from a source.
4. Avoid ending your paragraphs with a quote. Anything that is not common knowledge, must have a citation.
5. Explain the significance/importance of these examples/quotes. How does this evidence support the main idea (topic sentence) of this paragraph? Do not simply summarize the quote.
6. Body paragraphs should build from strong to strongest regarding your argument and evidence presented. All body paragraphs should clearly support the thesis.
7. Your body paragraphs should have transitions within each paragraph introducing specific examples (for example, for instance, to illustrate).
8. Don't abruptly stop your paper when you meet the minimum page requirements.
9. Your body paragraphs should have a blend of sources/parenthetical citations. Avoid having only one source for your facts in each paragraph.
Conclusion
1. Your conclusion should restate the thesis. It also must elaborate on the significance/importance of the evidence presented in the paper.
2. Do not end your paper with a generic question (How do you feel about this topic?). If you provide a question, make sure it clearly leans toward your argument. Provide a powerful, thought-provoking statement for the reader concerning the topic.
MLA Formatting
1. Times New Roman Font, size 12 font, double-spaced
2. One inch margins
3. Header in upper right hand corner with student's last name and page number on ALL pages.
4. First page contains centered title (no bold, no italics, all important words capitalized).
5. Only the first page contains student name, teacher's name, English class, MLA date (20 Sept. 2017) in the upper left corner.
6. Each paragraph should be indented only once. There should not be extra spacing between paragraphs.
Parenthetical Citations
1. Parenthetical citations must be included for every quote used.
2.. The period for the sentence goes AFTER the parenthetical citation.
3. Only use the author's last name (Jones).
4. You only need to use two words from the title of the article if no author is listed; both words are capitalized ("Health Crisis"). You must use the title of the article, not the title of the database!
5. I should easily be able to look at your parenthetical citation and find the matching source on your Work Cited page.
6. You must meet the minimum page requirements.
Work Cited Page
1. Make sure you copied the full citation from the database.
2. Your sources should be listed in alphabetical order by the first word of the entry (ignore the, a, an).
3. The Work Cited needs to be MLA format (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins, size 12 font).
4. There should be no extra spaces between entries.
5. Citations begin to the left. The second line of any entry is indented (if computer is acting wacky with the indents, put the cursor at the end of the first sentence, hit return, now hit indent).
6. Contains the required amount of sources.
7. All sources listed on the Work Cited were used at least once in the paper.
8. The full source for all parenthetical citations used within the paper can be found on the Work Cited.
9. All sources are credible (you are NOT allowed to use Wikipedia, Blogs, Ehow, dictionary.com, etc.). You must use the databases for your sources!
Style
1. Do not use contractions (don't, isn't, won't)
2. Do not use first person point of view (I, we, my) or second person point of view (you, your)
3. Vocabulary-avoid using conversational vocabulary (Society messes up, history starts off good, things go downhill, alot, lost her mind, etc.) Use the 101+ Power Verbs link. Highlight words on Word and choose "synonyms" if you're having a hard time finding a better word.
4. Do not use all caps, bold, underlining, etc.
5. Write out all numbers under 100 (exceptions: dates and decimal points). Percents are written out (eighty percent instead of 80%).
6. Your paper must have an appropriate and formal tone. Avoid statements like, "People who disagree with this are morons!"
Turnitin.com
Make sure you upload your final draft to Turnitin.com by 11:59 p.m. on the day your paper is due.
Once your paper is uploaded, hit "view" and it should give you a percentage of what is plagiarized.
Look at anything that is highlighted for similarity/plagiarism. If it highlighted one of your quotes, make sure you have the correct quotations marks on both side of the quote.
If it highlighted sentences that were not direct quotes, you need to do one of two things. You can add quotations marks around it since it is a direct quote; remember to say how this quote relates or supports your topic in the next sentence. If you don't want it to be a direct quote, you can summarize the information in your own words. With either option, you need to make sure you have a parenthetical citation after the fact.
Make sure your paper is under 15% in the "similarity" category.
Fix any grammatical errors that are highlighted.
If you want to resubmit your paper after edits, e-mail Mrs. Spriggs bspriggs@covenantday.org. I will delete your first submission which will allow you to resubmit a new version.
7. Remember to turn in your draft to Google Classroom.
* If you do not submit your paper to Turnitin.com, your paper will not be graded and will remain a zero.
Proofreading
1. Check for obvious errors (repeated words, misspellings, lack of punctuation, incorrect capitalization)
2. Check your paper for the following common errors:
-Subject/verb agreement errors ("individuals have many choices" instead of "individuals has many choices")
-Correct capitalization and punctuation. Commas and periods always go inside quotation marks!
-Correct style and diction. Avoids a lot, it's like, kinda, tons of, lots. Do not use exclamation marks (you'll be "yelling" at your reader).
Run-on Examples:
1. I was very tired, I took a nap. (This needs a conjunction.)
2. I was very tired so I took a nap. (This needs a comma.)
3. I was very tired I took a nap. (This needs either a period, a semicolon, or a comma and a conjunction).
Fragment Examples:
Like how mechanics change tires. (Remove "Like how")
Which is why the job market is very difficult. (Don't start sentences with like, which, so, but, and)
-Avoids spelling and usage errors (their/they're/there, too/to/two, our/are)