Classical Argument, a Claim with Reasons

ENG 112 – Essay 2: Classical Argument, a Claim with Reasons

The Assignment

For your second major paper, you will have the opportunity to apply your skills in research and critical analysis by selecting a current socio-political or legal issue that you are interested in and presenting your argumentative opinion to an audience using the classical claim with reasons argumentative strategy. Please do not pick topics that are light-weight; your topic should be substantial and likely to be deemed important by a sizable academic audience. At the start of the research process, you should put aside whatever initial opinions you already hold and commit yourself to thoroughly researching various opinions on the issue, as well as facts and other substantial evidence. This means that during your research, you should make a good faith effort to critique the evidence, assumptions, and logic on which the various opinions on your topic are based, while being willing to subject your own views to the same level of critical evaluation. Be sure to use valid, credible, and objective sources, both electronic and in traditional print. Only when you have employed these methods will you then be ready to formulate your own argumentative opinion, which will become the focus of your paper.

Goals

Students will achieve through the research process:

• A deep knowledge of their topics, including important recent historical events, relevant facts, and correct use of names and terminology associated with the subject.
• A conceptual understanding of the subject’s cultural and political context, both past and recent.
• A practical understanding of research techniques including using the library, making use of electronic sources of information, and interviewing primary sources.
• An understanding of the relationship between differing resources through categorizing, comparing and contrasting, summarizing and paraphrasing, inferring, and constructing appropriate examples to illustrate major ideas.
• An ability to analyze competing arguments through an examination of their structures, with attention to the use of logos, ethos, and pathos.
• The means to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments through a careful examination of methods, criteria, fallacies, assumptions, evidence, and conclusions.
• The formulation of original ideas through the development of an argument, while avoiding opinions based solely on personal beliefs.

Requirements

• The paper must be 5-6 pages in length.
• The thesis must be Argumentative (as opposed to merely persuasive, or informational), and your support should show your abilities to interpret and summarize facts, synthesize information, and infer relationships between differing views and types of evidence while employing a claim with reasons strategy.
• Employ proper MLA rules for format and documentation, using signal phrases and parenthetical references for in-text citations, and a correctly formatted works cited page. Please use the Times New Roman font at 12pt size.
• Use between 5 and 10 sources, all of which must be valid and meet the standards expected in college level research.
• You must submit copies of your drafts, sources, and an electronic copy of your paper when turning in the final draft.
• Show a preference towards the use of reason in your evaluative and analytical process, while avoiding argumentative methods based on beliefs which do not require defense and are, therefore, unarguable beyond those who already hold those same beliefs.
• It goes without saying that sound grammar, spelling, and sentence structure worthy of an academic essay is expected in your writing. Please use the objective 3^rd person (no “I”)

The Strategy: Claim with Reasons

The Claim with Reason method of argument is sometimes called a Classical argument because it harkens back to the development of argumentative rhetoric in the Greek Classical period. It involves the systematic presentation of a specific claim (your opinion—the thesis) about your topic, the development of reasons for the claim through rhetorical appeals and various types of valid researched evidence (your reasons), and a careful refutation of the strongest opposing view(s).

In order to meet the assignment’s minimum requirement for length and depth, your essay’s organization should adhere to the following pattern:

I: Introduction (1 paragraph, 1/2 pg.) – In the introduction, you should acquaint the reader with your subject, providing essential background—the conversation–and explaining the significance of the issue, such that the reader understands why the subject merits an academic paper. You will then provide a thesis statement which first details your claim and the specific reasons for it that you will discuss in your essay, and second, provides an accounting of how you will refute the opposing view(s).

II: Your Reasons (multiple paragraphs, 3 pgs.) – In this section, you will provide compelling support for your claim with researched evidence, organized around the specific reasons given in the essay’s thesis statement.

III: The Refutation (multiple paragraphs, 1 pg.) – In this section, you will carefully refute the major reason(s) for the opposing view(s) for your issue and specific claim.

IV: Conclusion (1 paragraph, 1/2 pg.) – To conclude your essay, you should provide a summary of the claims you have made and reestablish for the reader the importance of the issue and the need for others to adopt your opinion.

*Please note that suggestions for the length for each section are to meet the basic minimum requirement of five pages for the paper’s length. ANY paper under five pages will face serious reductions in the grade proportional to the missing content.

Topics

Please bear in mind that with some issues, most people already agree, such that there is no real debate. In order to make an argument, you must focus on an area where there is real disagreement. Choose from the following list of subject areas, generated by you during our class discussion:

• Abortion Rights and Policy
• Military Policy
• Government Transparency
• Militarization of Civilian Police
• Homelessness
• Capitalism in a Democratic Society
• Gun Laws
• Global Climate Change
• Health Care and Mental Health Policy
• LBGT Rights
• Police Violence Against African Americans
• Human Trafficking
• Legalization of Cannabis
• Decriminalization of Drugs
• Retirement & Social Security
• Child Abuse

Grade Assessment

            Evaluation of the Argument:

• I will expect to see your topic both narrowly focused for the paper’s required length and comprehensive in your coverage within that narrow framework. You must work with a specific and detailed argumentative thesis and follow through on the organizational pattern you establish.
• The argument you put forward in your thesis should be the result of a careful weighing of different opinions–those you held before starting, as well as a range of perspectives including those opposite your own–and rest solidly on rational thinking and evidence (logos), the establishment of your own credibility (ethos), and the restrained use of emotion (pathos).
• The Claim with Reasons strategy should be carefully tailored to the subject itself, and reflect an equal attention to consideration of your audience: their potential opinions, natural skepticism, and expectations of fairness and altruistic motives when dealing with the subject at hand.
• Your persona should be fair, measured, without anger, and trustworthy.
• Your use of outside sources employed to help formulate your argument should be appropriate for academic research. You should rely on scholarly sources and popular sources known for reputable journalism; other types of sources should be strictly evaluated for accuracy and integrity. Further, you should make correct use of the information you find by quoting sparingly, opting for summaries and paraphrases introduced with signal phrases in most cases, and demonstrating your command of the subject with examples, facts, statistics, and authoritative testimony.
• You must use correct MLA format, providing in-text citations and a Works Cited page, as well as proper text formatting throughout the paper.
• Correct spelling and grammar is essential in academic writing.