Discussion: Organizing an Effective Argument
Writers often face the challenge of too many ideas swirling about their heads when they sit down to draft an essay or other document. The swirling ideas can lead to writer's block or a disorganized draft. This Discussion will help you bring order to an argument for change by using a graphic organizer like those in the KUWC resource "Graphic Organizers for Invention" or writing an outline. Your outline or graphic organizer should include at least four points that will help you to support your essay's thesis statement; be sure to include that thesis statement in the outline or organizer in addition to the four supporting points. Once your ideas are organized, you will then draft a body paragraph that can then be revised for your persuasive essay in the next unit.
Begin by reviewing the Unit 8 Assignmentinstructions, and then respond to all of the following prompts:
? Post an outline or graphic organizer that captures and organizes at least four ideas for your persuasive essay. Be sure to include the revised thesis statement in your outline or graphic organizer. Also, include at least one misconception or opposition point to your argument that you will need to rebut in the essay.
? Post a draft version of a body paragraph that would be appropriate for your persuasive essay.
To earn full participation credit, you will need to respond substantively to at least two peers' initial Discussion posts and show active engagement in the discussion as described in the grading rubric. Consider using the Checklist for Crafting an Effective Paragraph, from the KUWC article "Paragraph Development" to guide your feedback on the peers' paragraphs and sentence structure. These responses should stay on topic and generate further discussion by asking questions, mentioning relevant examples, and if possible, referencing concepts from the unit's Learning Activities.
All Discussion posts and responses to peers should be written in complete sentences using Standard American English. Before posting, proofread for grammar, spelling, and word-choice issues. Be sure to respond fully to every aspect of the Discussion.