Assignment: Building off your Topic Proposal and your Annotated Bibliography, compose an academic argument (often called a "position paper") that takes a clear stance on your central research question. Your paper should be 6-8 pages, include a Works Cited page (this does not count towards paper length) and use MLA citation.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate your paper:
1) Does the introduction introduce the reader to the issue in a clear and accurate way? Does the author establish his/her ethos? Does the introduction clarify who is a part of the conversation as well as the ‘stakes' involved in this issue? Is there a clear, central thesis (specific/narrow, debatable and qualified) that relates to the framing of the topic in in the introduction?
2) Are the body paragraphs thoughtfully composed and arranged so that the reader can follow the author's logic? Is there a topic sentence that introduces the reader to the idea of the body paragraph? Is there a clear, fair explanation of the opposing viewpoint/counterargument and the opposing viewpoint's evidence and/or reasoning?
3) Do the body paragraphs include appropriate and persuasive evidence that encourage the reader's acceptance of the thesis? Does the author account for the potential shortcomings of the evidence presented?
4) Does the conclusion reevaluate the author's stance on the issue and examine this stance in relation to the stakes? Does the conclusion add insight to the complexity and specificity of the prior discussion? Does the conclusion take full advantage of having earned the freedom or opportunity, by the end of the essay, to step back and think?
5) Is the paper appropriately formatted with an introduction, body paragraphs, a conclusion and Works Cited Page? Does the author cite parenthetically (Author, Page Number) and accurately, remaining faithful to proper MLA format?
6) Is the essay a sufficient length for both the requirements of the assignment (6-8 pages) and to fully explore the issue, deeply engage the reasoning, and adequately support the claim?