3B
Medical Progress Unit
Essay
Introduction:
Define the key terms in the question: what is progress? What are different types of progress? What about medical
technology, are you speaking about all medical technology or a specific type and in that case, which one exactly?
If you have been instructed to take a stance on one side of a controversial issue, you will need to write an argument
essay.
The last sentence of your introduction is your “Thesis Statement”
What is a Thesis Statement?:
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

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
should identify the point that you will make in your essay.
should be specific.
Make every paragraph in your essay tie back to the thesis statement.
should express the stance you are taking and may give the reader a preview or a hint at your evidence
The thesis in an argument essay could look something like the following:
o When students are exposed to graphic documentaries that show the dangers of texting and driving,
they become more responsible drivers.
o The practice of hydraulic fracturing to access natural gas can lead to dangerous man-made
earthquakes.
o The popular practice of leashing a child can lead to risky behavior in adolescence.
o Street cameras and street-view maps have led to a total loss of privacy in the United States.
These work because they are opinions that can be supported by evidence (arguable statements). If you are writing
an argument essay, you can craft your own thesis around the structure of the statements above.
Writing Style:


Avoid writing statements about yourself. For instance, don’t write “I think” or “The point I will make today
is…”
When writing about an interpretation, use neutral language to state your opinion, “It can be stated...”, “One
can observe...”
Possible Ways to Organize your Arguments:
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Order of Importance
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Cause and Effect Order
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Affected People
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Compare/Contrast (topic one, topic two; point by point; similarities and differences)
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Problem/solution
Conclusion:
Recap your main points and insisting on your strongest argument. Demonstrate how you have proven your thesis
statement. End with a more general statement regarding the topic.
3B
Medical Progress Unit
Essay
Essay Question : Is new medical technology always a source of progress ? (500 words)
YOUR ESSAY MUST INTEGRATE THE DOCUMENTS STUDIED IN CLASS (My Sister's Keeper (film + novel extract) and
How to Save a Dying Child)
Due Tuesday, November 2nd, 2015
Typed essays with DOUBLE spacing.
No late copies accepted.
Barème de Correction:
Respect des Consignes (2 pts)
Présence d’un “thesis statement” en fin d’introduction (2 pts)
Intégration des documents étudiés en classe (4 pts)
Cohérence (arguments par paragraphe avec exemples) (4 pts)
Fluidité (2 pts)
Richesse grammaticale (complexité des phrases, absence d’erreurs) (3 pts)
Richesse lexicale (utilisation du lexique de la séquence à bon escient, expressions de liaison et de transition) (3 pts)
TOTAL (20 pts)