Overview: Write an essay that takes a specific, nuanced position on the topic you researched for Writing Project 3 and that uses rhetorical arguments and other persuasive appeals to convince readers of that position, using evidence found in the sources you collected on that topic.

Objective: To develop your own distinct position on the topic you researched for Writing Project 3; to write an essay in which you both explain that issue to your audience and persuade them to think differently about it or take action on it, using argumentation and other rhetorical strategies.

Medium: An academic essay, minimum 700-900 words for the Half Draft; minimum 1500 words for the Final Draft; both drafts double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman or similar font; formatted and cited according to either APA or MLA style, as specified by your instructor.

Writing the Half Draft (Module 7)
Working Outline

WORKING OUTLINE. After you have a working thesis statement (after completing your initial post in the M07 Discussion: Thesis Statement Workshop), you need to plan out the arguments you will make and evidence you will use to support your thesis statement. To accomplish this, do the following:

Follow Step 5 in CHAPTER 13 of Writing: Ten Core Concepts, which will guide you as you develop claims to support your thesis statement and identify evidence from your sources to support each claim.
Complete the assignment Working Outline in Module 7. This assignment will help you plan out the arguments you will make as well as other elements of your Argument draft, such as introductory and concluding paragraphs and a counterargument.
Working Outline Overview: In your Working Outline, you will present an argument-based thesis statement; arrange and identify claims in support of that thesis statement; identify evidence from your sources to support each claim; identify the source of each specific piece of evidence so you can construct correct citations later; identify at least one important opposing view or argument that you can successfully refute; and write introductory and concluding rationales that help you analyze the rhetorical situation and the impact you want to have on a specific audience of your choice.

Parts of the Working Outline:

Create a working title: This title can change later, but right now it is another way for you to wrap your mind around your overall argument. Remember that your title should indicate the problem, issue, or controversy you are addressing, should imply your stance on that topic, and should try to evoke readers interest in your topic and your thesis. Your title should NOT be the name of the assignment (e.g. Argument, Argument Essay, Project Four, etc.) and should NOT merely reference your topic without also implying your view on that topic (e.g. Gun Control Now! or Gun ControlThe Wrong Solution are both better than just Gun Control).
Develop a working thesis statement: The argument you make must be based on the problem, issue, or controversy you researched and wrote about in Writing Project 3, Annotated Bibliography. To write a working thesis statement, you can begin by selecting one of the thesis statements you wrote for your initial post in the M07 Discussion or by combining a couple of those thesis statements to shape a more complex, interesting, and persuasive thesis. You should then refine that working thesis statement based on new insights youve gained from class discussion so far and your reading of CHAPTERS 11 and 12. If you choose, you may also write a brand new working thesis statement, as long as it is based on the problem, issue, or controversy you researched for WP3. Step 5 in CHAPTER 12 provides additional guidance on writing a working thesis statement, whether you are refining an existing thesis statement or starting a new one. Also, be sure that your thesis statement is a complete sentence and NOT a question.
Write your introductory rationale: Your introductory rationale will help you frame your central argument and confirm the relevance and importance of your thesis. Your introductory rationale should be about a paragraph long. In it, you should establish why your argument is important to the controversy at large and why it is relevant to your specific audience. Who are you gearing your argument towards? Who needs to be convinced of your position, and why? You should be targeting a specific audience that is relevant to your topic, the stance you are taking on the issue, and the working thesis statement you developed. Think carefully about the group or groups who might need to hear your point.
Develop your supporting claims: Briefly identify the claims you may make or reasons you may provide to support your thesis statement. Each supporting claim should be a strong, clear, relevant statement that helps to support, develop, complicate, or elaborate on your working thesis. Step 5 in CHAPTER 12 provides guidance on developing supporting claims for your thesis.
Identify your evidence: For each supporting claim, identify the evidence from your sources you may use to support that claim. Each supporting claim should be supported with at least one piece of evidence but will probably require multiple pieces of evidence. Each piece of evidence must be briefly paraphrased, quoted, or summarized and must include the correct citation for each piece of evidence so that you are prepared to correctly cite your sources in-text and in a Works Cited (MLA) or References list (APA) for your first draft of Writing Project 4. For each piece of evidence, also include explanations, descriptions, and/or discussion about how the evidence relates to a particular supporting claim. Although this can be written informally, it is important to immediately note what you are going to say in your discussion about each source you use to establish the relevance to the claim you have it under, to establish the authority and reliability of each source, and to connect the information to something that you calculate is important to your intended readers. Step 5 in CHAPTER 12 provides additional insights on selecting evidence. NOTE: Although you will begin by identifying evidence found in the sources you found for Writing Project 3, Annotated Bibliography, you may need to find and use additional sources to successfully support your claims.
Develop a counterargument: Identify and accurately paraphrase at least one opposing viewpoint or argument that may be used against your thesis and discuss a line of reasoning you might use to refute that argument or view. Include with this a citation if the viewpoint or argument you are refuting is derived specifically from one of your sources and include a cited paraphrase, quotation, or summary for any evidence you may use to refute it. Step 5 in CHAPTER 12 provides additional insights on identifying and refuting opposing arguments.
Write a concluding rationale: In your concluding rationale, specify what it is your intended audience ought to do with your argument, and make a case that these readers can, in fact, accomplish what you are asking them to dothat they are the right ones to take up this decision or action.
Format of the Working Outline:

Logical organization. Arrange your working title, thesis statement, claims and evidence, and your counterargument in a logical order that should make each claim clear to readers and so that each claim you make builds on the previous claim. Step 6 in CHAPTER 12 will guide you as you make decisions about how to organize your ideas and provides an example of an outline for an Argument essay. CHAPTER 11, pp. 345-348, offers some additional patterns and approaches to organizing your arguments. Samples of working outlines can also be found in Course Resources.
Label the parts. Be sure to use conventions such as labeling, roman numerals, lettering, numbering, and/or bullet points to clearly lay out your outline. Be sure to clearly label each part of your Working Outline (i.e. label your title; working thesis statement; introductory rationale; main supporting claim 1, main supporting claim 2, etc.; supporting evidence for each claim; counterargument(s); and concluding rationale).
In-text documentation. Cite all your evidence in-text, following MLA or APA style (as directed by your instructor) so that you are prepared to correctly cite your sources in-text and in a Works Cited (MLA) or References list (APA) for your first draft of Writing Project 4.
Submitting the Working Outline:

Submit your completed Working Outline as a Word document via the assignment link in Module 7.

Due date:

Click HERE for the Working Outline assignment in Word format.

Assessment Specifics

An outline of the first draft of Writing Project 4: Argument, identifying and logically arranging key elements of the Argument essay, including:

A working title
A working thesis statement taking a stand on the problem, issue, or controversy researched in Writing Project 3, Annotated Bibliography
An introductory rationale and a concluding rationale
Supporting claims backing up or providing reasons in support of the thesis, written in complete sentences.
One or more pieces of evidence from your sources you found for the Annotate Bibliography for each supporting claim, written as paraphrases, quotations, and/or summaries and correctly cited in-text following MLA or APA style (as directed by your instructor)
Brief explanations, descriptions, and/or discussions elaborating how each piece of evidence relates to a supporting claim
At least one counterargument refuting an opposing view or argument, with correct in-text citation of information or evidence from sources, following MLA or APA style (as directed by your instructor)
A logical, coherent arrangement for the arguments you are outlining. See Writing: Ten Core Concepts, CHAPTER 11, pp. 345-348 for ideas on how to arrange your arguments.
Rubric
Working Outline Rubric
Working Outline Rubric
Criteria    Ratings    Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWorking Title
Title reflects or suggests position and approach in some way (is more than the simple announcement of a broad topic such as Assisted Suicide or Argument Paper).
2.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeThesis Statement
A clear working thesis or main claim written in a complete sentence (not a question). The thesis is a debatable and supportable statement, taking a position on the problem, issue, or controversy researched in Writing Project 3.
4.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIntroductory & Concluding Rationale
About a paragraph in length each; introductory rationale analyzes the rhetorical context of the issue, problem, or controversy and points out one or two reasons why the audience should care about this argument. Concluding rationale analyzes desired impact on selected audience.
6.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOutlining & Organizing
Outline is clear and logical and all parts are labeled. Supporting claims are logically and coherently arranged.
5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEvidence
Evidence is provided for each supporting claim, drawn from sources; includes discussion of how/why each source is credible and how it supports the associated claim.
5.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCounterargument
Identification of at least one important opposing view or argument, fairly represented from source material, as well as a refutation of that opposing view, including reasoning and evidence for the refutation.
4.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCitations
Evidence for claims and counterargument correctly cited in-text, following MLA or APA style (as directed by your instructor).
4.0 pts
Total Points: 30.0