Argumentative Essay

“Why Spanish is the Most Beneficial Second Language To Learn”

• Word count requirement: 2500-3000 words
• Source requirement: 7-10 sources (two of which must be peer-reviewed scholarly sources)

Thesis
This is an argumentative paper, so it should have a debatable thesis that is the last sentence or two of the introduction (the rest of the introduction should introduce and explain your topic). The thesis should fully, specifically, and accurately summarize the argument and main points of the paper. After reading the thesis, your reader should be able to outline the paper accurately. Do not leave any “surprise ideas” in the paper for the reader to discover later.
Research
Sources must be reliable. For this assignment, the university also requires at least 2 peer-reviewed, scholarly sources. Peer-reviewed sources come from a university press or a journal associated with a university. Be aware that library databases and Google Scholar archive both peer-reviewed AND non-peer-reviewed resources, so always check to see who the publisher is. Peer-reviewed sources go through a strict review process before they are published, and always contain the most accurate and thorough information.
Paper Organization (including introducing quotations)
Give some thought to what organization would most help a reader through your argument. Your paper will develop differently depending on your topic, so I strongly encourage you to send me an outline or draft ahead of time.
Paragraph Organization
All paragraphs for critical writing have a fairly standard format:
Topic sentence: first sentence of the paragraph. Should be debatable/require evidence for support.Evidence: In the form of quotations, personal anecdotes, statistics, etc. If a quotation, it MUST be introduced. NEVER begin a sentence with a quotation.Discussion: should explain the relevance of the essay for the argument. Do not merely re-state the evidence; tell the reader why it matters. DO NOT use the last sentence to “transition” to the next paragraph. This is confusing for readers, who are conditioned to expect a new idea at the beginning of a paragraph, not at the end.

MUST INCLUDE: 1-2 paper (NOT: Outline) explaining the topic/argument, the thesis, and citing 3-5 out of 7 sources used. Explain: What is the main argument that each source puts forth and how does each source shape the claim you are making? Explain how you will argue each point of your thesis, etc. 

^THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE 2500 WORD PAGE PAPER. Two separate documents.