Section 2
 
Introduction to Argumentation
 
 

MAIN

Welcome to Section 2.

In Section 2 you will continue your study of argumentation by doing a summary of an argument developed by another writer over the course of a Persuasive Essay.   The readings listed immediately below are examples of arguments presented in essays.  The first slide presentation shows how to summarize an argument in an essay of your own.

 

 
 

1213 Home

 
 

The written assignment for Section 2 consists of the following:
  1. Formal Outline for Paper 1
  2. Paper 1

Paper 1 is a five hundred (500) word essay which summarizes an argument.  A sample essay is provided in the second presentation.  Paper 1 must be accepted before you move on to Section 3.

 
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   
     
 

Before you do the readings and view the presentation below, please be advised of the following:

  1. In this Section you will complete and submit your first written assignment.  Remember to follow the Submission Procedure outlined on the Web 1213 Home Page.

  2. Paper 1 is a formal essay.   It should be written in a formal style.  You should use a formal five-paragraph essay format, with an introduction, a conclusion, and at least three body paragraphs.  You should use parenthetical citations for quotes, and do a Work Cited page.

  3. If you have questions about  formal essay style, please see the review of sentence and paragraph structure on the Web 1213 Home Page.

Note 1: When you choose your essay from the Packet, use the example on page 755 of the St. Martin's Guide, A WORK IN AN ANTHOLOGY, to do your Work Cited page.  In addition to the title, author, and Course Packet page numbers for your essay, you will need the following information:

Title of Anthology: The Bedford Introduction to Literature

Editor: Michael Meyer

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Place of Publication: New York

Year: 1986

Note 2: The sample entry for A WORK IN AN ANTHOLOGY on page 755 of the St. Martin's Guide is incomplete.  It lacks the required page numbers for the target essay.  You should include, at the end of your entry, the page numbers for your Packet essay.  You should use the big handwritten page numbers.

Note 3: You will be using the same Persuasive Essay from the Course Packet as the subject of both the assignments for Section 2 and Section 3.  You should therefore choose an essay that you feel comfortable with.

 
     
   
 
  READINGS  

 

 

St. Martin's: Chapter 22, Using and Acknowledging Sources.

St. Martin's: 772-779, Sample Formal Essay and Works Cited

Course Packet: 3-12 (contained in the pdf file directly below).

Pack2

 
 
   
     
  PRESENTATIONS  
 
 

For information on summarizing an argument and a sample summary necessary to the successful completion of Paper 1, please click on the hyperlinks below and view the presentations.

 
 

section2.htm

sample2.htm

 
 
 
  ASSIGNMENT  
 
 

Paper 1

Write a formal essay of approximately five hundred (500) words which summarizes the argument of a Persuasive Essay from the Paper 1 Essay List.

You may summarize the argument put forward in any of the six essays to be found in the Course Packet from Pages 3-12.  The Paper 1 Essay List is provided directly below.

Remember: do not evaluate the essay.  In a summary you merely report on content and organization.  You will judge the essay, point by point, in your Critique (Paper 2).

Once you have selected an essay - and studied it carefully - you must follow these steps:

  1. Write a Formal Outline of the argument contained in the Persuasive Essay.  Use complete sentences, follow the steps in the SAMPLE presentation, and use the format laid out in the sample Formal Outline for Paper 1 contained in the second PowerPoint presentation above.  Again, you need to carefully study the sample outline before trying to complete your own.

  2. Submit your Formal Outline for Paper 1.

  3. Rewrite/Revise/Edit your Formal Outline until it is returned marked ACCEPTED.

  4. Summarize the argument in essay form by expanding your Formal Outline into Paper 1, using the Formal MLA Style.  You must use parenthetical citations for all quotes.  You must do a Works Cited page.  You should use the sample Paper 1 contained in the second PowerPoint presentation above as a model.  

  5. Go over the Summary Checklist to be found directly beneath the Paper 1 Essay List and make sure your Summary conforms to the guidelines.

  6. Submit Paper 1.

  7. Rewrite/Revise/Edit Paper 1 until it is returned marked ACCEPTED.

Note: Your Formal Outline must be submitted and returned marked ACCEPTED before you submit Paper 1.

 
     
   
     
  PAPER 1 ESSAY LIST  
     
 

"Is a Tree Worth a Life?"

"Why Smaller Refrigerators Can Preserve the Human Race"

"Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor"

 
     
   
     
  SUMMARY CHECKLIST  
     
 
  1. Does your Summary focus on the central idea (claim) and the supporting points only?

  2. Does each of your body paragraphs contain facts and examples from the work you are summarizing?

  3. Is the summary written in the student's own words, using at least one quotation per body paragraph to give a taste of the original?

  4. Does the summary omit the student's opinion, focusing only on the author's ideas and the way in which they are presented?

  5. Is it factually accurate?

  6. Is the summary written in 3rd Person?

  7. Do you use present tense verbs?

  8. Does your essay refer frequently to the author and how he/she presents the ideas in the work (e.g. "Estrich's main points is..." or "The author organizes her essay in three main parts...")?

  9. Do you use parenthetical citations for all your quotes?

  10. Do you have a Works Cited page?

 
     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
LINKS
 
  Section 1 Section 2 Section 3  
  Section 4 Section 5 Section 6  
  Section 7 Section 8 Section 9  
 
 
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Dr. Andrew Geyer