ENGL 104, Sections 572 & 873
MWF 1:50-2:40 & 3:00-3:50
Instructor: Kim Wells

Paper #4: Position Paper with Research

500-800 words, 2-3 research paper sources, "Works Cited" page.
Wednesday, October 27, rough draft, for peer editing, due.
Monday, November 1, final draft due.

Objective:

• To begin to identify library sources you will use in your argumentative research paper (#5), as well as begin to explore your argument for Essay 5.

Rhetorical Situation: The goal of an academic, argumentative essay is to persuade, not antagonize, your readers. However, in order for this to occur, your readers must actually disagree with your thesis, or at least be undecided about it (in other words, you can't persuade someone who already agrees with you). For this assignment you will write an argumentative essay. Your readers are from similar backgrounds. Imagine a reasoned argument, intelligent, rational, and valid debate between opposing sides without offending anyone.

In this paper you will practice the following skills: citation, documentation, argument, close and critical reading, analysis, and evaluation. Sources for Paper #4 that can also be used for Paper #5 (the research report) are encouraged; if you work on the same general topic for Papers #4 and #5 you will be better prepared to build a complex argument.

You should go beyond response to construct an original argument, defending a position you yourself hold with adequate support from within and from outside the texts (2-3 sources) under consideration.

Assignment: Paper #4 requires you to do the following:

• Make a claim of fact, definition, cause, value, or policy,
• Support the claim in the body of your paper, using the library sources to help make your case.

Your thesis statement will deliver your claim. The rest of the paper will provide reasons to support the claim. You may include warrants, backings, rebuttals, and qualifications, as defined in our readings (Motives for Writing and/or Writers Inc.)

Format: Follow the form of most academic essays.

Documentation: Papers should be typed and documented according to MLA guidelines.