Assignment: Argumentative Research Paper
Due Date: Rough draft due Wednesday, November 26th; Final Draft due Friday, December 5th
Page Requirements: 4-7 pages, double-spaced; MLA format; 12 point font, Times New Roman; Include page numbers in the right header; 1” margins.
Assignment Description: Write an argumentative research paper, taking a stance on the topic for which you wrote your Synthesis paper. You will use the same research that you compiled for the last paper. When arguing your position, you can showcase holes in your opponent’s argument by identifying logical fallacies they might use, you can explain how or why your position is superior to the alternative, you can elaborate on an idea presented by a source with whom you agree, or you can do a combination of the three. Make sure to avoid making claims that are logical fallacies. Please use at least three sources for this paper.
Rough Drafts: You will be required to write multiple drafts of this paper. The first draft is due on Wednesday, November 26th and must be submitted in the Argumentative-Rough Drafts dropbox on D2L by the beginning of class. I will provide feedback to you through one-on-one conferences during the first week of December. You will need to sign up for a conference date on November 26th. Failure to turn in a rough draft will result in the forfeiting of your participation points for the conference, and you will not receive feedback from me for your final draft.
Late Papers: If you turn in your final draft late, you will receive a penalty of 10% reduced from the paper’s final grade. Whether it’s late one day or seven, your grade for this assignment will be lowered 10% if it’s not turned in on time. You will be required to turn in a final draft via the D2L dropbox marked, Argumentative-Final Draft, and you will be required to turn in a hardcopy in class on the due date. This assignment counts for 25% of your overall grade, so it would be to your benefit to turn it in on time.
Plagiarism: If you do not give credit where credit is due, if you fail to cite sources or blatantly steal someone else’s work, you will receive an automatic zero for both the assignment and the class. MSU has a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism. Remember: if you can find it on the Internet, so can I. If you feel unsure about citing and paraphrasing from your sources, feel free to ask for some assistance.
If you have any questions regarding the assignment requirements, grading criteria (provided as a supplement to this sheet), or policies, please contact me via email, my office phone, or stop by during office hours. Please refer to your syllabus for contact information.
