Create an outline for your Argumentative Research Paper. Organize your writing by creating an outline which supports your position (your argument). After you have gathered what you believe will be adequate supporting material, outline your paper. Here are a few rules to keep in mind when preparing an outline:
• Include your thesis statement.
• Always have more than one sub-division.
• Use parallel form (choose a structure and stick with it).
You may learn more about creating an outline by visiting the Purdue Online Writing Lab. You can also examine this Preparation Outline for more information on how to create an outline.
Write the 1st draft of your Argumentative Research Paper using the APA style of documentation. The argumentative research paper should be approximately 8-9 pages in length, complete with an abstract of 150 words, an interesting introduction and thesis statement, at least 6 references, a well-developed conclusion, and the reference page. Your argumentative research paper will be graded according to the following specifications:
• The scope of the research topic is narrow enough to handle the subject matter effectively.
• The writer remains focused on the purpose of the paper.
• The writing is well-organized.
• Central points are made in each paragraph. Each paragraph includes a clear topic sentence.
• Research is drawn from researched articles. (Research is drawn from the literature (i.e., peer-reviewed articles) and an in-depth analysis of at least six research articles with no more than one non-juried/non-refereed Internet site being used.)
• The writer clearly presents contrary opinions about his/her thesis statement.
• The writer used quotation, summary and paraphrasing skills in providing information.
• The writer relies on objective data to support his/her final claim.
• The writer provides enough information for the audience to understand each argument or claim.
• Conclusion contains a summary of the findings and possible recommendations for future research.
• The writer supports generalizations effectively with vivid details and vivid examples.
• The paper is in APA style form.
• The paper includes a one paragraph abstract.
• The paper includes a thesis statement which expresses the over-arching point of the research paper.
• There is an attention-getter to capture the reader’s interest at the beginning of the paper.
• The introduction establishes the context of the topic in broad terms.
• The paper is free from grammatical errors.
• Information is cited correctly.
• All sources are cited correctly on the Reference Page.
• Overall the paper reflects college level writing skills.
Also answer these questions:
Reflect back on your draft. Reread it. Analyze it. What are the strengths of your draft? What areas will need improvement?
Editing and revising is the crux of this course. It is detailed, complex, and hard work. Describe your revision process to your classmates. What strategies do you use when you edit and revise? Did you revise your essay in one session or did you spread it out over multiple revision sessions? Did you find yourself lowering your standards if you found significant problems (e.g., your research didn’t support your thesis) or admit you needed to throw some of it away and rewrite a section of it?
