OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

6 Please print out the following steps for easy reference and check them off as you complete them. To be successful, it is CRITICAL that you complete all steps IN ORDER and complete each step fully before continuing on to the next.

____1. Review last week’s Opposing Viewpoints Essay Preparation. In particular re-read steps 8 and 9 of last week’s assignment and the sample student essay “Students, Take Note!” (You will find this essay on pp. 289-291 of Steps to Writing Well.)

____2. Review again the topic you chose and the opposing essays you found. These were steps 8 and 9 of last week’s assignment.

____3. Decide which side of the topic you will support and defend. The side you take will be the thesis of your essay.

____4. Write your thesis sentence. Below are some sample thesis sentences—please note their style and content:

· Participation in Alcoholics Anonymous is effective for a majority of people.

· I believe that the Environmental Movement over the past two decades has been remarkably ineffective.

· Contrary to what many politicians might tell you, the 2003 war in Iraq has increased our nuclear security.

· There is little doubt that Global Warming is the most serious threat to our continued existence on this planet.

____5. Turn to p. 277 of Steps to Writing Well and study the three organizational patterns presented. Note the different organization of each.

____6. Choose either Pattern A, Pattern B, or Pattern C to build your essay.

[If you choose Pattern A or Pattern B, you will need two points of support for your position and two opposing points that you will refute (argue against).

[If you choose Pattern C, you will need three points of support for your position that will by inference refute three points of your opposition.

____7. Following the organizational pattern you chose (Pattern A, B, or C), brainstorm and list reasons, thoughts, persuasive details, examples, etc., that you can use to develop your body paragraphs.

Note: Have NO sources open in front of you when doing the above step.

____8. Write rough drafts of each of your body paragraphs.

____9. Refer to the opposing essays you collected in steps 8 and 9 of last week’s preparatory assignment. Locate and highlight specific quotes you could blend into your body paragraphs to add support and to make your position stronger. If you chose Pattern B or C, you can also locate specific quotes you could refute.

EKeep the quotes you will borrow small in number and short in words.

____10. Turn to p. 289 of Steps to Writing Well and re-read the first paragraph of the sample student essay “Students, Take Note.”

ENotice how this paragraph first introduces and explains the issue and then ends with the author’s thesis—his position on the issue. You will want to do the same in yours.

____11. Write your introductory paragraph using this sample paragraph as a model.

[Place your thesis statement at the end of this paragraph. (Make it the paragraph’s final sentence.)

____12. Turn to p. 291 of Steps to Writing Well and re-read the last paragraph of the sample student essay “Students, Take Note.”

ENotice the tone and content of this conclusion.

____13. Write your concluding paragraph using this sample paragraph as a model.

____14. Collect all the paragraphs you have written and stack them in the proper sequence. Add any transitions your reader will need to move comfortably from one paragraph to the next.

CYou now have built the rough draft of your essay, so take a break, relax, and celebrate for a bit. When you feel appropriately refreshed, go on to the next step.

____15. Read ALOUD through your rough draft. Revise and polish it as best as you can.

____16. Post this revised rough draft to your Writing Group no later than midnight Sunday, March 4.

____17. Respond to your Writing Group's rough drafts by midnight Friday, March 9.

As always, please offer constructive comments and encouragement.

This will earn 25 points.

____18. Make any final adjustments to your essay and bring it to our end-of-the-quarter meeting (either March 12 or March 13) at the beginning of class—1 p.m.

A competent essay can yield up to 100 points.