Q Education is an important part of life. It allows people to learn, think, wonder, reflect, and cultivate ideas. Education can promote diversity while fostering autonomy. It allows for accountability while exploring decision-making. It embodies voice and energy, and it requires practice. It, in part, leads life to the future. With that said, please choose one of the following topics for your Argumentative Research Paper. Read through the entire document (I would print it) and get any necessary clarification before you commit to your choice. • Does online education enhance accountability? • Do re-entry students have a different level of commitment? • Does a college degree cultivate courage? • Does follow-through foster intelligence? • Do students learn more effectively using e-books? • Does technology decrease a student’s self-awareness? • Should intention impact grades? Important Information/Summary: This paper IS NOT about you. Your opinion/experiences cannot enter the essay, so you must rely on reliable sources with strong facts. It's critical that you not under-represent either side. There has to be a balance of information. A reader cannot get a complete feel for the argument if you provide them with one-sided, opinion-driven insights. It’s important that you NOT rely on non-expert perspectives. Your paper is required to have five points. They are essentially sub-topics/debates that fit into the main topic. They need to be worded in question format, and they need to be answerable with yes and no. The points are the basis of the argument, so you need to spend time selecting/wording them effectively. You need to make sure you have current, reliable resources that represent both sides, yes and no, for each point. As you gather the sources (see the required sources list below), label each one. Tell yourself whether the source represents Side A (the yes side) or Side B (the no side). There is even the possibility of the source having reliable facts that have both Side A and Side B. Make note of that as well. If you keep track of the information along the way, you can better utilize it for your paper. In addition, you can easily see whether or not you're finding equal parts (balance) for both sides. Be sure you understand the information you’re gathering. If you don’t understand the reliable sources, you cannot use them effectively. If you DO fully understand each one, critical thinking is more effective. You're required to use a minimum of five sources in your essay, and they must include ALL of the following. NOTE: You can use other reliable sources in addition to these. All sources must be current. So, don’t rely on anything that’s more than five years old. ALL of these sources are the required minimum: 1. Online resource from our library’s database. You can access this at: http://www.westhillscollege.com/lemoore/academics/library/index.asp 2. Book (online or traditional) 3. Newspaper/journal/magazine (online or traditional) 4. Video from Ted.com 5. Personal interview… You conduct this with a reliable source (a reliable source is considered someone who has been educated in the subject or has direct experience with the subject). You can conduct this interview face-to-face, via email, or on the phone. You must ask a minimum of five questions. Those questions should be based on each of your five points. In addition… You may NOT utilize pictures, graphs, and charts in your paper. You must have a minimum of 1500 words (more are welcomed). The required Works Cited does NOT count in that minimum length. The format for the paper is provided. Please note you are required to use the templates provided for your Neutral Introduction and your Common Ground (paragraphs one and two). Remember… You do not enter the essay. You control the sides, but you don't ever give your opinions. "I" stays out of the paper completely (unless you're quoting a source and they use it). In addition, don’t utilize “you” because it implies the reader takes on that perspective. You should use analysis and critical thinking, not just quotes, to elaborate and explain. So, you can re-state a quote or share what it “proves,” but you don’t ever provide your personal opinion and emotional bias. Carefully balance the sides. Don't allow one to be more evident than the other. They deserve equal representation. For every Side A, in points 1-4, you must have a Side B paragraph. Point 5 will be one-sided. It will be the side that is GOING TO BE announced as the winner in the conclusion. It’s treated as a new point. A new question is announced. New evidence is shared. However, POINT 5 ONLY shares the evidence of the side that’s going to win. They get to control the paragraphs. No alternation. No argument. This leads to the conclusion. You must have a "winner" at the end of your essay. The winner comes from the side with the most reliable, factual, logical information. As you research your specific points, you’ll see the winner start to appear. The winner will be the side that gets to control Point 5. You're required to use MLA Format. You can use Purdue Owl for MLA insights, and that information can be accessed at: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ You need to use Times New Roman 12-point font, double-spacing, and 1-inch margins. You need the MLA heading, page-numbering, in-text citations, and Works Cited. Be aware of long quotes and how their format changes. NOTE: Don’t over-use them. I don’t want to see more than two long quotes in the entire paper. You’ll lose track of the point’s argument, and the reader will begin to skip over the large chunks of quotes. Keep in mind… No late papers will be graded. In addition, essays that don’t meet the minimum requirements, or are incomplete, will be deducted 100 points. For example, a paper without a Works Cited is incomplete and considered unreliable. So… BE PROACTIVE, ORGANIZED, and PREPARED. Make wise decisions, and treat this paper as a learning process. I encourage you to send me drafts throughout the process. Each time you revise, I’m happy to provide new feedback. How to Organize the Argumentative Essay Using the Alternating Method Paragraph one is your neutral introduction. It establishes the topic question, the sides, and the reliability of the research. Using the required template below, just fill in your topic and sides. You are required to use this. Note: Don’t change the wording for your responses. And notice there is no reliable evidence yet. Keep this simple. USE THIS: In order for any argument to be dependable, research must take place. Analysis, assessment, and, eventually, judgment occur. This, however, does not happen until thorough evaluation of reliable sources takes place on behalf of both sides. In order for this assessment to take place, it's important to dwell on the following question: Place your argumentative question here. While Side A believes, yes, place your argumentative Side A answer here, the opposition does not share the same perspective. Side B, on the other hand, thinks place your argumentative Side B answer here. It's important to explore both sides in order to fully answer the question being debated. After the introduction is established, you need to create a paragraph to provide a Common Ground. Paragraph two, the Common Ground, prepares the reader for a reasonable argument. It is merely a definition, FROM A STANDARD DICTIONARY, of the most important word from your argumentative question (the topic question you chose from this assignment sheet), a definition that BOTH SIDES AGREE UPON. It is not arguable. Rather it's a point of common interest. It allows the argument to begin on an equal, common level. It must be directly quoted, and it must be properly cited for MLA purposes. It is one or two sentences. You must use the template provided. This is your paragraph two (in bold below). According to state the title, in italics, of the standard dictionary you used here, place your word here is defined as "put your definition here" (in-text citation goes here). If you need to define two words, please do so. You would have two sentences in your paragraph rather than one. Your second sentence would begin with: In addition, place your second word here is defined as "put your definition here" ( ). A dictionary definition in-text citation provides the word you looked up in quotation marks (“Accountability”). Paragraph three is an optional history paragraph. If you need to do a history paragraph, it should be the third paragraph of your essay. A history paragraph would be utilized if you need to provide a brief background on the subject. It's not required, but it can be helpful is some cases. Please note that it can only be one paragraph, and it needs to have in-text citations. Your points start next… Point 1 begins. Always announce the point’s question in the first Side A paragraph. Side A paragraph… One important point to consider is: “State the point’s question here”… Side A believes… Next paragraph is the Side B paragraph… On the other hand, Side B argues… NOTE: You can use as many paragraphs as needed within each point. Alternate between Sides A and B for every point (except for Point 5). So, if you have a Side A paragraph, in Points 1-4, you MUST have a Side B paragraph. Thus, the debate. Please be aware of the obvious announcement of each point. This is critical. Don’t dismiss this element at it will make the points (and the argumentation) much clearer. In EVERY paragraph, provide a clear sense of the side. So, you can use a variety of transitions… Side A, Side B, those in favor of, those opposed to, those who believe in, those who are against... There are many others to choose from, but you want to have one of these transitions in EVERY paragraph. It not only helps your readers keep track of the information/argument, but it helps you, as the writer, stay much more organized. The alternating format will be much more obvious. Your grade will be higher because of it. Be sure to have reliable evidence in EACH paragraph. Each sentence that is quoted or paraphrased requires an in-text citation. Be aware of critical thinking and analysis as you develop and utilize the evidence. Don’t end a paragraph one a quote. Rather, end on critical thinking. Your conclusion is after Point 5. A conclusion in the final nail in the building of an argument. A conclusion should leave the reader persuaded that the reasoning is valid. A winner must be announced, but you still DO NOT GIVE YOUR OPINION. If you wish to, you can utilize this wording (or a variation of it)… In conclusion, based on the evidence gathered, analyzed, and argued, it's clear that Side ____ is the winner. The reliability of the facts share the truth, and the truth leads to a clear conclusion. Without sustaining the debate by means of thorough research, this decision would've been biased. But because the proof was carefully examined, there is no doubt. It's obvious, based on the research, that ________________________________ wins. So… As I mentioned, I would print this document. I would highlight, underline, make notes on, and ask ANY questions I have… That way, I am preparing myself by having a complete understanding. Once I fully understand the parts/goals of the essay, I would pick my topic. I would keep in mind that I cannot enter my opinions and emotions or experiences, so I would want to pick a topic that I’d like to research. But I wouldn’t pick a topic I already know the winner of. I would potentially be biased in my research if I am already “SURE” of the winner. I might even start my research before I fully decide on the topic choice. That way, I can see what’s available for the reliable facts. Once I’ve committed to my topic, I would continue researching AND thinking about the five point questions I am going to focus on… Begin there. Ask questions along the way. Send drafts. You can do this! I look forward to your creations!