Draft 2.1
Researched Argument
Free Write
• Watch the following video clip, Neil deGrasse Tyson
at UB: What NASA Means to America's Future, and
respond using the following questions as guides:
o What is Tyson’s argument? What is his thesis statement? What is his
purpose?
o What types of rhetorical appeals does he use?
o How does he construct his ethos? Does he do so effectively?
o What do you think of his argument?
Assignment: Draft 2.1: Researched Argument
• Objective: To practice locating and evaluating sources
and then integrating those sources into a researched
argument.
• Description: To complete this assignment, write an
argument using the strategies and structures described
in your textbook and the handbook. The argument
should have an identifiable thesis, lines of argument,
logical support, ethical and emotional appeals (if
applicable), and consideration of alternative views.
• You should use 6 sources from the TTU library or library
databases as specified by your instructor for this
assignment. Your essay should be 1500 words in length,
not including the list of works cited. Please use MLA
format (see Ch. 16 of your handbook) for in-text citations
and your list of works cited.
Scoring Guide
C1—Issue Identification and Focus
Has the student focused his or her argument on a narrow topic? Is the essay argumentative rather than informative? Are the
claims presented in the argument concrete and specific?
C2—Context and Assumptions
Has the student considered the contexts of the articles which he or she quotes? Has the student discussed any assumptions
which he or she makes about the topic as well as the assumptions which the articles make?
C3—Sources and Evidence
Has the student presented sources effectively to support his or her points? Are all points supported with scholarly work? the
sources credible? Has the student cited these sources correctly? Is the Works Cited list formatted correctly? Has the student
cited all of the sources listed in the Works Cited?
C4—Diverse Perspectives
Does the student consider the counterargument fairly and carefully? Do the articles which the student cites in the
counterargument support the counterargument and not the argument? Sometimes, students will “borrow” a summary of the
counterargument from a source that they have been using to support their own lines of argument.
C5—Own Perspective
Has the student clearly stated an arguable thesis statement? Do the lines of argument provide adequate support for this thesis
statement, and is it clear how they support it?
C6—Conclusion
Does the student summarize the main points the student has made? Does the conclusion restate the thesis statement? How
effective is the conclusion rhetorically?
C7—Communication
Is the essay clearly organized and easy to follow? Can you tell which paragraphs are lines of argument? Is it clear how every
paragraph helps to develop the thesis statement? How effective is the student’s writing at the sentence level?
Organization
Thesis Statements
• Anticipate readers’ needs
• Consider how much prior knowledge readers are
likely to bring to the subject
• Clear and focused
• Should be problematic
• Embed the thesis statement in purpose and
organization
• Consider guiding readers into the essay by
describing the purpose of your research and
outlining the organization of your argument
Introductions
• A striking or memorable quotation by a major figure
related to the research question or purpose
• A brief sketch of a debate among experts to be
evaluated in detail in the essay
• A summary of the history of an issue or debate, and
why it’s relevant now
• A rhetorical question posed to readers
• A forecasting statement indicating the organization
and main points of the argument
• A thesis
According to the Evan B. Donaldson
Adoption Institute, there are 1.5 million
children adopted in the United States each
year (Fields and Jason par. 1). In recent
years, there has been a shift in the choice
between open or closed adoption, as
researchers are beginning to challenge the
idea that closed adoption is the only
effective practice. This questioning affects
1.5 million children and their families.
Adoption is becoming more common and
there is a chance you or someone in your
family will someday adopt a child. This
could affect you or someone in your
family, too. Even though many researchers
claim closed adoption is the most
traditional and logical choice for adoption
cases, more and more researchers are
encouraging to consider open adoption
for all cases. Because open adoption is
found to be favored by adoption triads
and has shown to be beneficial, open
adoption should clearly be considered in
all adoption cases.
Sample
Introduction
• Locate the purpose of
the essay
• Locate the thesis
statement
• What kind of
organizational strategy
does the writer use to
introduce us to her
essay?
• What are the strengths
and weaknesses of this
introduction?
Activity 8.2 (from p. 181)
Draft an introduction for your formal research essay
using the outline you have brought to class. It
should incorporate some of the strategies
introduced here.
Open with a “hook”
State a tentative thesis
Forecast the organization of your project
Activity 8.2 cont.
• Exchange introductions with a peer reviewer.
Reviewers should consider:
How did the writer choose to introduce the project?
Does the writer include a thesis statement in the
introduction? Whether yes or no, is the decision
logical?
Does the writer forecast the organization and/or
major points to be developed in the rest of the
essay?
What else would you like to know as the essay
begins?
Body Paragraphs
• Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence
• Use sources to support the argument you have
made in your thesis statement
• Integrate quotations into your sentences
• Instead of block quotes, paraphrase information
and only quote phrases that couldn’t be said by
you better (you must cite paraphrases)
• Use transitions between sources
• Forecast the next section of your essay
Contact with the birth parents can considerably improve
the adopted child’s well being. An adopted child could feel
rejected from his birth parents because they do not
understand why they were given up. The child can feel as if
there was something wrong with them and that’s why
they were given up. Annette Baran and Reuben Pannor,
child psychologists, explain a story about an adopted child
Johanna who was part of a closed adoption with no
contact with her birth parents that sent private
investigators out to search for her birth mother. When
they found the mother and reunited Johanna and her
biological mom, Johanna claimed that she felt “relieved
and finally knew the truth to why she was given up”
(Baran and Pannor 327-328). Open adoption can
considerably lessen the adopted child’s feelings of
rejection. As the child matures they can realistically have
an understanding of the reasons their birth parents gave
them up for adoption (Rompf 220). Researchers have
found a consensus in studies that adopted children with
contact with their birth parents experience improved
psychological changes such as improved self-esteem and
self-perception (221-222). Other research has shown that
the adopted child develops a positive identity as an
adopted person (Jones and Hackett 159). Also, there has
been no evidence found that contact between the adopted
child and birth parents is harmful to the child’s well being
(Grotevant et al. 96). Thus, we can conclude that if an
adopted child has open contact with their birth parents
then they will develop as healthier adopted adults,
physically and mentally.
Sample Body
Paragraph
Locate the topic sentence
Which types of appeals are
being used (logical,
emotional)?
Locate transitions between
quotations and evidence.
What are the strengths and
weaknesses of this
paragraph?
Is the following paragraph
forecasted at all in this
paragraph?
Activity
Your outlines should already contain topic
sentences. Now write some transitions between
paragraphs and/or quotations/supports.
Exchange outlines with a peer reviewer. Reviewers
should read the thesis statements and the topic
sentences.
o
o
o
o
o
What kinds of discrepancies exist between them?
Do all of the topic sentences directly support the thesis?
Does the organization of the essay support the argument being made?
Do the transitions set up a logical flow of information and argumentation?
What could be done to further enhance either topic sentences,
transitions, and organization of this essay as it currently stands?
Addressing
Counterarguments
• Anticipate challenges readers might make against
your claim
• Refute or concede the counterargument
• Shows readers that you are fair, which enhances
your personal ethos
• Either work in counterarguments for points you
make in each body paragraph or put
counterarguments in their own paragraph (typically
follows your own arguments)
Even though open adoption has been
found by many studies to be very
beneficial for all groups of an adoption
triad, some people are still against
open adoption and wish to practice
the traditional, closed adoption. Some
surveys claim that a majority of the
United States is still skeptical of open
adoption. Proponents for closed
adoption fear that open contact
between the birth parents, adopted
child, and adoptive parents could
cause complications in the child’s
identity. Closed adoption advocates
claim that contact with the birth
parents would interfere with the
bonding between the child and the
adoptive parents (Siegel 410).
However, studies and researchers have
already proven the contact with the
birth parents significantly improve a
child’s well being and strengthen the
relationship between the child and
adoptive parents.
Sample counterargument
paragraph
• What is/are the
counterargument(s)
• Does the writer refute
or concede them?
• What are the strengths
and weaknesses of this
paragraph?
Conclusions
• Demonstrate the broader significance or
application of the issue you’ve addressed
• Recommend action that should be taken
• Propose directions for further research
• Revisit a quotation or anecdote with which you
opened the essay
• Revisit a key example or illustration from the essay
Open adoption has been proven by
researchers and studies to provide
multiple benefits for the birth parents,
adoptive parents, and adopted child.
Open adoption can facilitate the birth
parents’ grieving process. Adoptive
parents can feel more at ease about
the birth parents and strengthen their
relationship with the child by giving
the adoptive parents the reassurance
that they can take on the parental role.
Open adoption also aids in the positive
well being of the adopted child. There
are 1.5 million adoptions in the United
States each year; thus, choosing open
or closed adoption affects millions of
children, birth parents, and adoptive
parents. It could even affect you
someday, and the benefits of open
adoption should strongly be
considered if you ever become
involved in an adoption process.
Conclusion
Paragraph
• Is the purpose of the
essay stated?
• Is the thesis of the essay
stated?
• Are the primary
arguments
summarized?
• Which conclusion
strategy has been
used?
Homework
• We will be peer reviewing your essays on Monday,
August 6. Please bring a completed draft printed on
paper to class that day.
• There is a sample Draft 2.1 (the entire paper that
I’ve used throughout this presentation) in the back
of your book on page 504. Its revised version,
completed for Draft 2.2 is located on page 504.
• I have also posted a Draft 2.1 to the blog. This draft
was written by a student last semester and contains
revision comments.