Lesson 7: Increasing awareness
Hold on tight!
This is where the rubber meets the road!
So far, for numerous lessons we've learned about academic argument--what makes an academic argument, how to use and identify certain techniques that can persuade, how to conduct research to support a claim, how to cite your sources according to MLA format, and now--it call comes down to this: it's our turn to create our own academic argument.
For the remainder of this unit, we will, lesson-by-lesson, write an argument essay. In lesson 12, we will present our arguments to an audience (your Learning Coach).
DO NOT GET OVERWHELMED.
YOU CAN DO THIS.
WE ARE GOING TO DO IT STEP-BY-STEP TOGETHER.
The first thing we need to do is decide upon a topic.
This is where the rubber meets the road!
So far, for numerous lessons we've learned about academic argument--what makes an academic argument, how to use and identify certain techniques that can persuade, how to conduct research to support a claim, how to cite your sources according to MLA format, and now--it call comes down to this: it's our turn to create our own academic argument.
For the remainder of this unit, we will, lesson-by-lesson, write an argument essay. In lesson 12, we will present our arguments to an audience (your Learning Coach).
DO NOT GET OVERWHELMED.
YOU CAN DO THIS.
WE ARE GOING TO DO IT STEP-BY-STEP TOGETHER.
The first thing we need to do is decide upon a topic.
essay topic
The lesson provides two options for topics for our argument essays:
Do you think college athletes should be paid to play?
OR:
Do you think people shouldn't be allowed to read certain books?
Think about which topic you have the strongest opinion about--that should probably be the topic you chose to argue.
Do you think college athletes should be paid to play?
OR:
Do you think people shouldn't be allowed to read certain books?
Think about which topic you have the strongest opinion about--that should probably be the topic you chose to argue.
What to turn in when
By the end of lesson 11, you will have a complete MLA formatted thesis essay.
By the end of lesson 7 (this one) you will have your research and one paragraph of your essay complete, as well as your MLA Works Cited page.
This lesson asks you to complete a worksheet. The worksheet is called 'Research Guide Worksheet' and can be found on slide 4.
By the end of lesson 7 (this one) you will have your research and one paragraph of your essay complete, as well as your MLA Works Cited page.
This lesson asks you to complete a worksheet. The worksheet is called 'Research Guide Worksheet' and can be found on slide 4.
'Research Guide Worksheet'
There are several different tasks to complete on the worksheet for this lesson.
First: find three credible sources (do they pass the CRAAP test?)
Fill out the table on the worksheet.
*You DO NOT have to locate a 'print resource'--if all three sources are websites, that is ok.
The first column asks you to list the title of the source--this is the title of the website
The second column asks you to write down how you know the source is credible--what about the website gives you the impression that it is legit, and not just some person's opinion about what they want you to believe?
The third column asks you to write down the information you'll need to create a MLA citation. For a website you'll need: author, title, name of institution/organization, date of website update, date you accessed it.
First: find three credible sources (do they pass the CRAAP test?)
Fill out the table on the worksheet.
*You DO NOT have to locate a 'print resource'--if all three sources are websites, that is ok.
The first column asks you to list the title of the source--this is the title of the website
The second column asks you to write down how you know the source is credible--what about the website gives you the impression that it is legit, and not just some person's opinion about what they want you to believe?
The third column asks you to write down the information you'll need to create a MLA citation. For a website you'll need: author, title, name of institution/organization, date of website update, date you accessed it.
Finding and citing sources
Take the time right now to find your three sources that provide support for your argument. If I were a student, I'd print out or re-create the table on the 'Research Guide Worksheet' and write down on the worksheet the information needed with a pen/pencil while I looked at the websites on my computer screen.
Before you find sources, you have to know what position you are going to argue:
Do you think collage athletes should be paid to play?
Yes or no?
Do you think people shouldn't be allowed to read certain books?
Yes or no?
Now that you have decided what you are going to write your academic argument essay about (or at least have some idea) it's time to start your research.
Here are some websites for you:
BOOKS
Banned and Challenged Books: American Library Association
Banned Books Infoplease
Roundtable: How to Ban a Book in America--audio stream
COLLEGE ATHLETES
21 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Are Employees and Should Be Allowed to Unionize Forbes
Paying College Athletes Pros and Cons Asia-Pacific Economics Blog
Privilege, not job: College athletes shouldn't be paid The Pendulum
The object of your research is to gather facts and evidence to support your position.
Simply reading (or listening to) the facts, evidence, and expert opinions on these websites is not enough.
WRITE DOWN FACTS, EVIDENCE and EXPERT OPINIONS you find that you'll want to use in your argument essay that support your position (yes or no).
The worksheet for the lesson does not provide a space for you to write down the information you've researched.
I highly suggest writing down at least three pieces of support (a fact, evidence or an expert's quote) for your essay. You won't turn them in for this lesson, but you'll need them when you write your essay.
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE: I have done TONS and TONS of research because I have written TONS and TONS of essays. When I find a source I like, I PRINT the source out. THE WHOLE SCREEN. The text, the url, everything. That way I can highlight the facts and evidence I want to use in my essay, and I have all the information to cite my source. I never have to look it up on the internet again. It saves me time. You don't have to, but it works for me.
Now that you have filled out the table on the Research Guide Worksheet, let's look at number two on the worksheet.
Before you find sources, you have to know what position you are going to argue:
Do you think collage athletes should be paid to play?
Yes or no?
Do you think people shouldn't be allowed to read certain books?
Yes or no?
Now that you have decided what you are going to write your academic argument essay about (or at least have some idea) it's time to start your research.
Here are some websites for you:
BOOKS
Banned and Challenged Books: American Library Association
Banned Books Infoplease
Roundtable: How to Ban a Book in America--audio stream
COLLEGE ATHLETES
21 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Are Employees and Should Be Allowed to Unionize Forbes
Paying College Athletes Pros and Cons Asia-Pacific Economics Blog
Privilege, not job: College athletes shouldn't be paid The Pendulum
The object of your research is to gather facts and evidence to support your position.
Simply reading (or listening to) the facts, evidence, and expert opinions on these websites is not enough.
WRITE DOWN FACTS, EVIDENCE and EXPERT OPINIONS you find that you'll want to use in your argument essay that support your position (yes or no).
The worksheet for the lesson does not provide a space for you to write down the information you've researched.
I highly suggest writing down at least three pieces of support (a fact, evidence or an expert's quote) for your essay. You won't turn them in for this lesson, but you'll need them when you write your essay.
VOICE OF EXPERIENCE: I have done TONS and TONS of research because I have written TONS and TONS of essays. When I find a source I like, I PRINT the source out. THE WHOLE SCREEN. The text, the url, everything. That way I can highlight the facts and evidence I want to use in my essay, and I have all the information to cite my source. I never have to look it up on the internet again. It saves me time. You don't have to, but it works for me.
Now that you have filled out the table on the Research Guide Worksheet, let's look at number two on the worksheet.
two
Write a paragraph using one direct quote from one of your sources.
Make sure you cite the source correctly.
To review internal citations, click here.
Make sure you cite the source correctly.
To review internal citations, click here.
three
Double check your written paragraph to make sure you did the internal citation in your paragraph correctly.
To review how to do internal citations, click here.
To review how to do internal citations, click here.
Four
Create an MLA Works Cited page with the one source you cited in your paragraph.
How do you create an MLA Works cited page? You can use the websites provided on slide 7 of the lesson and you can
Click here.
How do you create an MLA Works cited page? You can use the websites provided on slide 7 of the lesson and you can
Click here.
Assessment: portfolio
Now that you have completed the 'Research Guide Worksheet' please upload it to the lesson's drop box.
Remember, we are writing an argument essay step-by-step throughout the rest of the unit's lessons.
Today you did your research to find support for your claim, and you practiced direct quoting, doing internal citation and creating a Works Cited page.
In the next lesson, we will
Remember, we are writing an argument essay step-by-step throughout the rest of the unit's lessons.
Today you did your research to find support for your claim, and you practiced direct quoting, doing internal citation and creating a Works Cited page.
In the next lesson, we will