How Does High Student Loans Affect the Economy?
The inquiry-driven academic argument is the third assignment in the research sequence, and is the culmination of the research you’ve been doing. It is the time for your ideas to shine!
Assignment Instructions:
The inquiry-based academic argument is the point when you contribute to the conversation on the topic you have been researching this semester. In this paper, you will present an argument in response to your research question. Keep in mind that this is not the same as a research report or a literature review that summarizes and synthesizes the information you have found. Your paper should be organized around your argumentative thesis statement–that is, YOUR answer to your research question, based on the research you’ve done. You will develop your thesis through a series of claims and reasons that will lead your reader to accept your position or point of view in response to your research question. Your claims and reasons should be supported with ample evidence from the research.
This project is designed to expand your critical reading, analysis and argumentation skills as you assemble information and persuasive moves that will help you convince an audience to respond when you present a clear argument. By now, you have identified a topic; have found, evaluated, learned from, and mined a range of academic and other credible source material. Now you will craft an original, focused argument that contributes a new perspective to a conversation in your field, integrating source material in order to demonstrate that you understand the complexity of the ongoing conversation and to support your own arguments and contributions to that conversation.
As you have learned over the course of the semester, academic writing is based on an argument. That is, it asserts a claim and supports it with reasons and evidence. Some arguments are controversial; some present a problem and propose a solution. Others argue that a topic deserves attention or should be interpreted in a certain way. The requirement is that you present a clear, specific, and arguable thesis about your topic and that you support it with logical reasoning and evidence.
Your paper should be 10 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 font, should be formatted according to MLA style, and should incorporate a minimum of 8 sources. These 8 sources should meet the source requirements for the annotated bibliography project. Your essay will be graded on the quality of your argument and your style, on how effectively you utilize strategies of development, on the appropriateness and consistency of your choice of voice, and on your level of success in creating a persuasive contextual analysis.
Tips for Success:
- your essay should be based on a “researchable” inquiry question. Remember, you are writing an academic argument not a research “report” that simply collects and reports information on a topic. Having a clearly stated debatable thesis statement is essential.
- START YOUR DRAFT EARLY! Procrastinating will not only make you miserable, it will also (likely) result in a poor draft which means you’ll have much more work to do when revising.