Open the John Muir Essays document in your Google drive folder and create a new heading.
Issue
Purpose – Argument & Persuasion
- To argue for the significance of an issue
- To persuade the audience of the importance of your issue and the reasonableness of your solution or position
Audience – Your classmates and myself who may not know about this issue or who may hold a different position about it.
Format – 5 paragraph essay
| Paragraph 1 – Introduction |
Introduce your issue by providing background information about what it is, who is involved in it, where it is effecting people, how it became a problem, or topic of debate, etc. Include at least one quote from your sources. Write a thesis statement listing three reasons why readers should care about your issue or adopt your position or agree with your solution.
| Paragraph 2 – Reason 1 |
Create a topic sentence that states your first reason for why your issue is significant. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Cite at least one of your sources. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 3 – Reason 2 |
Create a topic sentence that states your second reason for why your issue is significant. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Cite at least one of your sources. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 4 – Reason 3 |
Create a topic sentence that states your third reason for why the issue is significant. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Cite at least one of your sources. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 5 - Conclusion |
Restate your reasons for why your issue is significant. Explain one or more possible solutions to your issue and why they are reasonable or summarize the main points in support of your position. Identify what someone opposed to your position on the issue might think and respond to it. End with a memorable rhetorical appeal that emphasizes the importance of your issue.
Evaluation –
- Organization – you followed directions and have at least 5 paragraphs that are well developed with a topic sentence and details.
- Focus – your thesis is clear and your essay does not stray from it. You wrote persuasively.
- Support – you used appropriate rhetorical appeals & descriptive details to persuade the reader of your issue’s importance. You included many specific examples and cited your sources at least three times.
- MLA style – internal citation, proper heading, double spaced, etc. Works Cited page included.
- You have at least 500 words. The final draft must include a Works Cited page.
- Refer to this site for an example Works Cited page: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/
- See the rubric for more specific evaluation criteria.