Gun Control

Instructions: A HALLMARK OF ACADEMIC ARGUMENTS IS SHOWING RESPECT TO YOUR OPPONENT.  ANOTHER HALLMARK IS THE WORDING OF THE THESIS.  AVOID UNCLEAR WORDS AND WORDS THAT ARE AMBIGUOUS (have 2 or more meaning). these examples show each mistake in the thesis word choice. Unclear:  Democracy is a way of life. Ambiguous:    My English teacher is mad. DEDUCTIVE REASONING—-ORGANIZATION:  USE ONE OF THE 2 CLASSICAL INFORMATION ORGANIZATION PATTERNS.  After your intro paragraph with the thesis at the end of the paragraph. 1) use least important reason moving to most important reason.        OR 2)  use a strong reason, put weak reasons in the middle, end with a very strong reason. COUNTERARGUMENTS: ACKNOWLEDGMENT and REFUTATION. You may use them anywhere in the paper.  There is no rule about where they appear.  writers choice.  In the basic argument, use one of each.  In the 2000 word researched argument, you can use as many of each as you wish. DEFINED: Acknowledgment is where you agree with A reason given by your opponent for the opponent’s position.  You admit the opponent is right on that one point. Refutation  you explain what is wrong with A reason in your opponent’s argument.  Your explanation IS the refutation.  The refutation  is NOT the opponent’s argument and it is NOT only your saying “no.”  It IS YOUR EXPLANATION. BOTH PAPERS (THE BASIC ARGUMENT AND THE 2000 WORD RESEARCH ARGUMENT) ARE WRITTEN FOR YOUR SIDE. Underline acknowledgment. Add “(a)” after the acknowledgment and before your next sentence. Underline refutation.  Add “(r)”  after the refutation and before your next sentence. CONCLUSION:  May be short. May be simple. DO NOT SUMMARIZE .  COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION IS NOT REQUIRED.  Ok to just have the conflict without fixing it in writing; although if you come up with a solution it won’t be wrong.  A solution is not a requirement. ·      SOURCES– never write like this “a book,” or “a magazine.”  Name specific titles. You must investigate like academics do. THIS TAKES TIME.  THEN, at the end of your 1 paragraph research proposal, have a little fun: what do you expect to find?  No right or wrong comments here.  Speculate.  Use your imagination.  Lighten up.   ·      Located at the end of the introductory paragraph, a THESIS IS NEVER: a fact a simple statement of feeling, i.e” I love Tuesdays.”  or ” I hate sauerkraut.” a question (there is no such thing as a thesis question.                        It’s always a thesis STATEMENT.) an announcement i.e., “now I will discuss .”  or ” this paper is about. . ..”   *****A THESIS IS                        an assertion that that has some probability of being true.   also, a strong thesis could be a combination of opinion and fact!         EXAMPLE: In novels, opinionated characters may be disliked by some; the deeds of Camus’ Fr. Paneloux and Cottard characters illustrate this fact. (Notice the use of the semi-colon in the example above.  This is the ONLY OK USE OF THE SEMI-COLON– GENTLY SEPARATING 2 INDEPENDANT CLAUSES OR SENTENCES.) YOU MUST WRITE A 2-SIDED ARGUMENT; THE WRITER CLEARLY TAKES A SIDE THROUGHOUT.  THE WB AND THE AWC COUNT AS ADDITIONAL WORDS, THEY ARE NOT COUNTED AS PART OF THE 1500- 2000 WORD ESSAY. Write a major 1500- 2000 word researched argument essay in perfect MLA format, including an MLA formatted Working Bibliography and Annotated Works Cited.  NO RESEARCHED REPORTS.