Module 6 Lecture
 
This week's reading in Chapter 10, "An Introduction to the Types of Claims, discusses various types of claims that drive argumentative writing.  The chapter states, "understanding the types of claims will help you focus an argument and generate ideas for it [,and] a study of claim types teaches you characteristic patterns of support for each type, thereby helping you organize and develop your arguments" (199).  This chapter discusses several types of claims:

Type 1:  Categorical Arguments

Type 2:  Definitional Arguments

Type 3: Cause/Consequence Arguments

Type 4:  Resemblance Arguments

Type 5:  Evaluation Arguments

Type 6:  Proposal Arguments

Pay careful attention to the 6th type, Proposal Arguments.  This is the type of argument that you are most often called upon to write in college.  It is also the type of argument you will be writing for your third essay.  See below:

Essay #3

For this week's assignment, you will write a proposal argument, but first, you should brainstorm using the "For Class Discussion" section on p. 331-332.  Although you will not be able to work in groups, you may still answer the questions for yourself as a way to discover how to approach your argument.  You may consider a social problem facing your community instead of a problem at the college.  For the paper topic, refer to the assignment on p. 332-333.  Referring to option 3, pick a problem that is of importance to you.  Your paper needs to be 7- 9 pages.  Follow the strategy of the sample in the chapter on page 344-350.  Some ideas for the topic are listed on page 334, but keep in mind that these are very narrow topics.  You may also explore a social problem and provide evidence to support your solution to the social problem.  Some examples of social problems include:

increase in urban gangs

research on television for children

obesity in America

environmental issues like offshore drilling or deforestation

violence in schools

You will also need additional outside sources to support your opinion.  Be sure to conform to the conventions of MLA documentation.  (I will be checking and giving you points based on your MLA documentation.)  Refer to Chapter 17 for a discussion of citing sources.  Also see the links listed below

http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocMLA.html

http://www.mla.org/

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html

A rough draft of this paper is due this week on Thursday, April 24 at midnight.  The final draft of this paper is due, Thursday, May 1, midnight.  Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

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