Elements of Argument. 11th edition. Annette Rottenberg. Bedford/St. Martin’s. ISBN: 9781457662362
In the first paragraph, clearly state your claim. After the claimwhich is your thesisinclude a roadmap (or blueprint) of the main points to follow.
Beginning in paragraph two, fully develop your supports. Each support must be in a separate paragraph or set of paragraphs. Do not put two points in the same paragraph!
Begin each paragraph with a transition word (first, second, next, etc.) in the topic sentence.
Order your supports by importance (that is, the most important or persuasive support comes first).
Make sure that you include a refutation of opposing arguments. This refutation should come after you have supported your claim.
Finally, summarize both your claim and your supports in your final paragraph.
You MUST include properly formatted in-text citations and a Works Cited section at the end of your essay. If you are not sure how to follow the MLA style, please review both the text and the lectures for example.
Be sure to write at least the minimum number of words. You must meet that requirement.
Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation before you submit your work. You will lower your grade if your writing contains basic mistakes. Don’t rely on spell check to catch every spelling error!
Start writing early. It’s obvious when the author waited until the last minute. It’s likely you will need several drafts to get it right. Give yourself the time to write those drafts.
Use transitions to signal to the reader that you are moving from one point to the next. If you omit transitions, it will be almost impossible for your reader to follow you.