1. The Research Paper English 12

2. Argumentative Research Papers  Present a strong claim to a possibly resistant audience  You will gather evidence by looking for sources to back up your argument  Is your topic debatable? 1. How many people could argue against my position? What would they say? 2. Can it be addressed with a yes or no? 3. Can I base my argument on scholarly evidence, or am I relying on religion, cultural standards, or morality? 4. Have I made my argument specific enough?

3. Argumentative Research Paper Cont’  You MUST choose one side or the other when you write an argument paper.  Make sure you know both sides because you will address this in a counterargument.

4. Why do I need to address the opposing argument (counterclaim?)  Illustrate a well-rounded understanding of the topic  Demonstrate a lack of bias  Enhance the level of trust that the reader has for both you and your opinion  Give yourself the opportunity to refute any arguments the opposition may leave  Strengthen your argument by diminishing your opposition’s argument

5.  Think about yourself as a child, asking your parents for permission to do something that they would normally say no to. You were far more likely to get them to say yes if you anticipated and addressed all of their concerns before they expressed them. You did not want to belittle those concerns, or make them feel dumb, because this only put them on the defensive, and lead to a conclusion that went against your wishes.

6. How can you accomplish this?  Jot down several good reasons why you support that particular side of the argument.  Look at the reasons you provided and try to argue with yourself. Ask: Why would someone disagree with each of these points? What would his/her response be? (Sometimes it’s helpful to imagine that you’re having a verbal argument with someone who disagrees with you.)  Think carefully about your audience; try to understand their background, their strongest influences, and the way their minds work. Ask: What parts of this issue will concern my opposing audience the most?  Find the necessary facts, evidence, quotes from experts, etc. to refute the points that your opposition might make.  Carefully organize your paper so that it moves smoothly from defending your own points to sections where you argue against the opposition.

7. The Thesis Statement  It is a claim (not a fact) that can be supported by a reason or reasons  It directly answers the question of the assignment  It is a statement that unifies the paper by stating the writer’s most important or significant point regarding the topic  It is usually one sentence that does not discuss many topics  It forecasts the content and order of the essay  It is placed most often in the beginning of the essay, preferably towards the end of the introduction, but at least within the first or second paragraph  It is sometimes—but rarely—implied rather than stated outright

8. Develop your thesis statement from brainstorming  Limit the thesis and rewrite after completing some research 1. What main or unifying idea do the facts and details suggest?

9. Composing a Thesis Statement  Now that you have decided, at least tentatively, what information you plan to present in your essay, you are ready to write your thesis statement.  The thesis statement tells the reader what you, the author, will be making.  You know what they essay will be about. That was your topic. Now you must decide what point you will be making.

10. Thesis Statements  Your thesis statement will have two parts.  The first part states the topic. 1. Kenya’s culture 2. Building a model train set 3. Public Transportation  The second part states the point of the essay. 1. has a rich and varied history 2. takes time and patience 3. can solve some of our city’s most persistent and pressing problems  Once you have formulated a thesis statement that fits this pattern and with which you are comfortable, you are ready to continue.

11. What a thesis is NOT  A thesis is not an announcement. Ex. I am going to tell you the importance of ABC. I don’t need the announcement element of this thesis. I can simply write, “The importance of ABC is XYZ” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______  A thesis is not introduced by an opinion phrase such as I think, I feel, I believe. Ex. I feel that good hygiene begins with the basics of effective hand-writing. I don’t need to write that “I feel” this because if I am writing it, then chances are that I feel it, right? _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______  A thesis is not a statement of fact. Ex. George Will writes about economic equality in the United States. Discussing a statement of fact is extremely difficult. How will I continue the discussion of something that cannot be disputed? It can easily be proven that George Will did in fact write about equality in United States, so I don’t really have a strong position because it is simply a fact. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________

12. A thesis is NOT continued  A thesis is not a question. Ex. What makes a photograph so significant? Remember, a thesis states your position on your topic. A question cannot state anything because it is not a statement. A question is a great lead into a thesis, but it can’t be a thesis. _______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________  A thesis is not a quote. Ex. George Will writes, “Economic equality is good for the United States.” This quote tells us George Will’s position, but it does not clearly express my position. It therefore can’t be a thesis.