Argumentative Project (~1000 words)
Title Evidence/Sources
A good title is informative and creative.
It lets the reader know what the paper
is about and is unique enough to be
remembered. Think about it this way: Name
one good book with an awful title.
Attention Getter/Hook
Things you can do:
Anecdote (personal or hypothetical)
Shocking or counter-intuitive statement
You story or statement
Provocative question or line of questions
Poetic or purple language Create a
picture
Paradox
Humor
Create common ground
Introduce your paragraph using the tone
of the essay
Be unique. Rely on what you think is right
and appropriate for your topic.
Things to avoid:
Rhetorical questions
Quotations that have nothing to do with
your paper
General Essayish bullshit:
Lists of your topics for your paragraphs
I believe statements
Essay preview (i.e. I will be telling you
about)
Argument/Thesis
Can you make your argument more
specific?
Take the unique words within
your argument and see if you can add Audience
adjectives to describe them more
effectively. For example, Titus
Andronicus has the best album ever.
Change to: Titus Andronicus The
Monitor is the best punk album since
London Calling.
Make sure your argument can be argued
against.
Your argument doesnt have to be black
and white or all pro/all con.
USE YOUR ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
FOR SOURCES.
Use credible sources. Consider:
Who is saying this?
What does it mean?
Why should I believe them?
What are their credentials?
What do you think about the
evidence?
Remember to:
Give credit to the writers of your
quotation or paraphrase via in-text
citations to avoid plagiarism
Allow your readers to explore the
sources via your annotated
bibliography or Works Cited Page
Build your reputation as an expert
by seamlessly introducing your source
and their credentials. Follow this with
your own thoughts on what your
source has said. For example, John
Darnielle, using his experience
working in a mental hospital, writes
about how mental illness affected his
patients. In one passage, he says,
Tone
Is your paper going to be serious, sad, fun-
ny or angry in tone?
Are you trying to use satire or another cre-
ative device?
Is your tone clear?
Will one way over the other seem more ap-
propriate for your topic?
Can you use a variety of tones to draw in
more people without seeming inconsistent?
Who are you writing this argument to?
Who are you trying to get on your side?
Who is already on your side?
Conclusion
What final thought do you want to leave
the reader with?
What can succinctly wrap up your paper?