Your argumentative research paper is to be 5-6 pages of text.  You will need to consult with me on or by Wednesday, March 31 to give me your topic and thesis – and to talk about any questions you have regarding how to procede. This is the first of 4 steps.

You are responsible for having a rough draft to go over with me onor before Wednesday, April 7. The rough draft should include the following:

1. A brief working outline  2. A thesis statement   3. A works cited page with a minimum of 4 sources4. Parenthetical citations for the sources5. A minimum of 4 pages of text

The final draft is due on Wednesday, April 14. It should include the following:

1. A cover page with a title, your name, the course number and section, the professor’s (my) name, and the date that it’s handed in.

2. A brief formal outline

3. The research paper, which includes parenthetical referencing

4. A works cited page containing at least five works cited. Works should be accessed through the academic databases.( Opposing Viewpoints in Context and CQ Researcher are the best resources for argumentation.)

Any paper that doesn’t meet the standards in #3 and #4 will receive an F on sight.

Your paper is to be done in MLA style. It must be double-spaced with a 12 font size and one-inch margins. It must be done in Times New Roman. Chapter 26 (section G) in Handbook for Writers, which is available at the reference desk in the library, is an excellent reference, as is OWL (Purdue)

You are responsible for meeting with me to have your topic and thesis statement approved by March 31. If you don’t have an approved topic and thesis by then, I’ll assign a mandatory topic, or you may choose one from the list of suggested topics.These are provided only to help you get kick-started if you’re having trouble getting to a topic and thesis.

An argumentation research paper should have three parts:

1. The introduction, which leads to a thesis statement2. The body, which is the bulk of the paper. It offers evidence in the form of induction and deduction. The body must also offer rebuttal of the strongest opposing arguments. (See Patterns pages 533-4)3. The closing, which restates the thesis (in different words).

As discussed, you are responsible for understanding what does and does not constitute plagiarism. You are required to submit your paper to the dropbox for this class..   The percentage shown as a match doesn’t indicate how much is plagiarized – only what matches other submissions. You must then check the highlighted areas. Plagiarizing to any extent will result in your paper receiving an F (0 %).

You must submit your first draft by Sunday, April 11.You may make further submissions until Wednesday, April 14.