English 1121Project 5: Drafting the Researched Argument

Goals:

1. Use a planning map as a guide to organize data and compose a working draft of a researched argument.
2. Represent sources in your argument through accurate summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations.
3. Use a style manual to cite and document sources correctly.
4. Use P.L.A.C.E. or the Toulmin model to examine the elements of the argument and assess the overall effectiveness of the draft.

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Main Assignment :

Complete your research and compose a working draft ( 5 to 6 pages) of your researched argument.

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Plan for Completing this Project

Step 1. Discovery Draft

Begin with some more free-writing or prewriting.  In your own words, without referring to any of your sources, free-write the story of this project so far. 

• Begin with the introduction from your proposal that explains why you chose this topic and how it is relevant to you. 
• Then go on to describe how the topic is relevant to your readers. 
• In your own words, describe the problem you have chosen to research. 
• Freewrite the story of your search process and your thoughts along the way.  What have you learned?  What possible solutions have you found for your problem?  Summarize what you have learned from your sources.
• Have you changed your hypothesis or claim? What is your claim now? Has your target audience changed? What is your purpose?
• Which solution appears to the the best?  How can your readers help you implement this solution or how can they apply what you've learned in their own lives?

Step 2. Planning: Mapping

At this point, your growing file of data may seem overwhelming. One way to guide your organization of the data is by drafting an outline. Another way is to create a map.
· In the center of a blank page, write your claim.
· Now create branches for your map by using one of the following strategies described in the PowerPoint presentation "Using Maps to Compose Researched Arguments:"

• Map your argument with your search questions as the branches
• Map your argument using the reasons for the claim (the elements of the Toulmin model) as branches
• Map your argument using the readers' counterarguments as the branches
• Map your argument as a problem-solution paper
• Map your argument as a chronological account of your search process.

Choose the map that best suits your project and use it as a guide to draft your paper.

Step 3. Drafting from a map

Reading about writing.

In the New Century Handbook, read:
Chapter 4, "Composing."
Chapter 12, "Writing the Research Paper."

Writing

Now you can use your map as a guide for drafting. Write what you want to say about each branch on your map.
· Be sure to use a separate page for each branch and write on only one side of the page. If you are composing on a computer, insert a page break after each branch of writing and print when you are finished.
· After you have drafted all the branches of your map, spread your pages out on your desk, table, or the floor.
· Review your P.L.A.C.E. Review your claim. Do you want to revise or qualify your claim based on the evidence before you?
· With claim, audience, and purpose in mind, play with a variety of patterns of organization of the branches you have written. Arrange and rearrange the pages until you feel you are presenting the main points of your argument in the best possible order. You may choose to leave out some of these pieces, and you may see you need to add others.
· Draft an introduction on another page.  You may want to use the free writing you did in step 1 as notes for this introduction.
· Draft a conclusion.
· Use the title exercise at the Writers' PLACE and draft a list of titles; choose the one you like best.
· From this loose arrangement of pieces, you may want to draft an informal outline of your paper. Another strategy is to simply pile up the pages in the order you have chosen or use glue or tape to literally paste up a working draft. You can also use the cut and paste features and "insert file" applications on your word processor to assemble your draft. In the revision process you can rethink the organization of your paper and improve the flow by adding effective transitions.

Step 4. Integrate sources through summary, paraphrase, and direct quotation.

In the New Century Handbook, read chpater 11, "Using Sources." Be careful to accurately cite your sources in the body of your paper. See chapter 13 for "Documentation Formats."

Step 5. Document your sources

Use the Handbook as a reference for documenting your sources. (See chapter 13 for "Documentation Formats.")  Make sure that you have correctly used parenthetical citations in the body of your paper and included a list of "Works Cited" at the end of your paper.  You draft should be formatted exactly as the sample research paper is presented in MLA format  in The Brief New Century Handbook, Chapter 12.

Step 6. Collaboration

Share your working draft with your writing group. Together with them, use P.L.A.C.E. or the Toulmin model to examine the elements of your argument and assess it's overall effectiveness. Are your classmates representative of your target audience? If not, how are they different? In what ways would your target audience respond differently to your draft?

Step 7. Revision

Based on the feedback from your group, revise your draft.

Step 8. Assemble your search file.

Your search file should include the following materials:

___ research plan and proposal (including your search questions and list of keywords)
___ PALS printouts
___ notes from books
___ copies/notes of periodical sources
___ copies/notes of on-line sources
___ notes from an interview, survey, or observation

Step 10. Write your process memo.

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Process Memo

In a one-to -two page memo, use P.L.A.C.E. or the Toulmin model to examine the elements of your argument and assess the overall effectiveness of the draft.

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Project Requirements:

To receive credit for this project, you must turn in the following:

___ your map and planning notes
___ your search file

___ research plan and proposal (including your search questions and list of keywords)
___ planning map or outline of your paper
___ PALS printouts
___ notes from books
___ copies/notes of periodical sources
___ copies/notes of on-line sources
___ notes from an interview, survey, or observation

___ complete working draft with correct documentation of sources
___ process memo

Readings

Caron, Rose.
"Fitzgerald and His Work: Making the Connection." (Student paper). Anoka-Ramsey Community College, June 1998.
Dorough, Donna K. and James A. Rye.
"Mapping for Understanding:Using Concept Maps as Windows to Students' Minds." The Science Teacher 64 (Jan 1997): 36.
Elbow, Peter and Pat Belanoff.
"Loop Writing."A Community of Writers. New York: McGRaw-Hill, Inc. 1995, 66-97.

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