Paper 4: Persuasive Essay
English 121 –
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is for you to further develop your critical-thinking,
research, and documentation skills. This paper requires you to analyze an issue, research varying
opinions on it, determine your position, and persuade readers to agree with you. Please do your
best to use either Classical Argument or Rogerian Argument as a model to form your paper.
The Assignment: Using the same topic you’ve been working with for the last paper, write an
essay arguing your position on this issue. Your purpose is to try to convince your readers to take
your argument seriously. Therefore, you will want to acknowledge readers’ opposing views as
well as any objections or questions they might have.
Specific Guidelines:
• This is a position paper. Hence, you will need to develop a debatable thesis statement.
Remember that a thesis statement consists of a claim + reasons.
• You will need at least 5 sources. At least 3 of these sources need to be peer-reviewed
journal articles. The other sources may be of your choosing, but should be credible.
• The paper must be at least 5 full pages long and no more than 7.
• You will need to follow MLA documentation (parenthetical in-text citation as well as a
Works Cited).
• Remember to introduce each source the first time you use it. Example: According to John
Smith, in his article, “How to Write a Research Paper,” one should always brainstorm
carefully before developing the topic (2).
• Remember to document quotes, paraphrases, and summaries parenthetically and in the
Works Cited. Never place URL’s in parentheses inside the essay!
• Be sure to acknowledge the opposition and potential objections to your position.
• Make concessions when possible and try to build common ground, or else refute, or both.
• The introduction should clearly and concisely introduce the issue and engage the reader.
• A clear organizational pattern and smooth transitions need to be evident.
• The conclusion should obviously restate the thesis but also reach out to the audience and
explain how and why your position should matter to them. Explain why the issue (and by
extension, your position) should be significant to your readers.
Submission Requirements:
• You need to provide me with an electronic and hard copy of final copies of major papers.
Please follow the instructions on Canvas that explain how to submit work electronically.
If you ever have difficulty with Canvas, please ask the librarian Katy Walker (Room
106), go to the CMC Learning Lab and ask a writing tutor (Room 205), come to my
office hours (Monday, 11:00a-5:30p or by appt., Room 263/271), and as a last resort
please email a copy of your paper to me at vlkillpack@coloradomtn.edu.
• When turning in the hard copy of major papers, you will need to turn in the final copy as
well as any drafts and completed peer-editing forms.
• Please double spacing, twelve-point serif font (such as Times New Roman), black ink,
and include a one-inch margin on all sides of the page. You will not need a cover sheet
for any of the assignments but please include the following information in the upper lefthand
corner of the first page of the assignment: Your name, my name, class name, and the
date. Center your title, skip a line, tab in, and begin writing your essay.
• Try to make the title informative as well as creative. Your title should have no quotation
marks around it nor should it be bold-faced, underlined, or italicized.
• Make sure to number the pages of your paper as follows: In the upper right hand corner,
starting with the first page, include your last name, a space, and the page number.
First Rough Draft Due:
11/09/2016 at the Beginning of Class. Please bring 3 printed copies to class.
Second Rough Draft Due:
MONDAY 11/14/2016 Submitted on Canvas by 11:59p.
Final Draft Due:
SUNDAY 11/20/2016 Submitted on Canvas by 11:59p.
Remember to turn in the following along with the paper itself:
• Final draft with Works Cited section submitted on Canvas.
• Peer-Editing Forms and rough drafts with comments and works cited.
• Five articles which are your secondary sources. If your secondary sources can be
accessed online, you do not need to turn in hard copies.
• Your prewriting materials and any other work.
