Readings for Unit Six

Readings

This unit will ask you to write the first draft of your thesis statement for the Researched Argument Essay.

Remember, for the Synthesis Essay, your thesis (should have) identified the similarities and differences between the selected articles.

In contrast, for the Researched Argument, your thesis will state your debatable claim, allude to your call for action, and identify the main reasons supporting your claim (which the rest of the essay will explain and support, from your research sources).

For your Works Cited pages and Annotated Bibliography, please check the actual academic journal’s website for the specific article’s DOI address and use that. If there is no DOI address, it may not be peer-reviewed research published in an academic journal.

Some General Guidelines

In brief, organized paragraphs — with very clear topic sentences in each — please offer a clear thesis of what you’re trying to prove. The thesis ideally would be deeper than something obvious. Offer brief quotations, alongside focused summaries and explanations, to prove your points.

Remember that good writing uses specific details. Your writing needs to say what it means, outright. Or, in other words, don’t vaguely offer a quote, and assume that proves your point, without any further context. The essay needs to explain what is proven by those points — using specific details. Ask yourself, can I focus this with more specific phrasing, without losing any meaning? If so, rewrite it.

Offer a clear summary in a concluding paragraph. Try to end with a zinger — a fresh thought, a bit of wordplay, or something that ties back to the introduction, if appropriate.

Use MLA formatting in your headings.

Do a line-by-line proofreading for minor errors and clarity, checking it in Grammarly before submitting.

Avoid informal phrasing in formal writing. Also, avoid first- or second-person phrasing, such as, “we,” “I,” or “you.”

In contemporary writing, try to avoid unnecessarily introducing what you’re about to say. Just say it.

Complete these readings as you work through Unit Six:

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