Taking a Position – Argument Essay with Research Assignment
For this assignment, you will argue for what you consider the best solutions for solving the most serious
problems in the U. S. (or Chicago) educational system. This means you must do a few things. You must illustrate the
most serious problems (using your “problems in education” illustration essay as a start), you must describe the
solutions you recommend, and you must prove they are the best.
This means your essay will be longer than five paragraphs, most likely the body will be six paragraphs:
problem #1 / solution #1 / problem #2 / solution #2 / problem #3 / solution #3. You may choose some solutions
from the in-class essay prompt if you like. Also, your format may differ from the one above. Maybe you will have
one solution and in your essay you will explain how that solution could apply to all three problems. Because you are
taking a position on the best solution(s), you may need to address alternative solutions and why they are NOT good
options, or at least not as good as yours. Even though you will use your illustration and in-class essays as starting
points, you do not have to stick to the supporting points you used in these essays. This essay is more complex than
either of those and requires a bit more critical thinking. Remember, some of you wrote about very personal
problems in the illustration essay. You CANNOT do that here. Although you can use your experience in anecdote
form to prove there’s a problem, you’ll need to present these problems as SYSTEMATIC problems experienced by
a number of students, not just you. Support can also be in the form of hypothetical stories, or scenarios. Another
required form of support for this essay is outside research.
For full credit, you must complete prewriting, an outline, and revised rough draft (BEFORE doing any
research), a revised draft with research, rewriting plan, and final draft. This is NOT to be an essay heavy with
research. Instead, it is the same type of essay you have been writing, with most of the support consisting of reallife examples and scenarios as evidence. The only difference is that you will find two spots where more
authoritative support would strengthen your point and make it more convincing. At two points in your paper then
you will include in-text citations (see “Research Component” and “Research Assignment” sheets for details).
REQUIREMENTS: Two in-text citations, from TWO DIFFERENT SOURCES, must be included. You must also
include a “Works Cited” page. Without such a page, you will be plagiarizing and receive a “0” for a grade. Three
annotated articles (from an approved list) will be in the final packet.
FORMAT: The rough draft and final draft must be 3.5 to 4 pages (not including “Works Cited” page),
typed, double spaced in 12 pt. font with a one inch margin.
DUE DATES: 11/29 – Prewriting, outline, rough draft (without research)
12/3 – Annotated articles, rough draft with research included
12/6 – Final draft packet
NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT!!