Final
Paper
Subtitle (Example: Keeping Schools Closed During a
Pandemic)
This is where you will fully develop the ideas you have
been building throughout the course. Below shows an easy and effective way to
organize your essay. You should delete these highlighted words before you
submit your paper. If you prefer to delete the subtitles as well, check
with your instructor first to see what he/she prefers.
Tip: Do not be afraid of the word count requirement. If
you write between 150-167 words per section, you will be in the desired range.
Introduction
Introduce
your topic. Lead up to your claim. Try to include the words “should” or “should
not” in your claim to ensure that it is argumentative. Underlining your claim
is helpful. Example: In
the event of any pandemic, such as the recent COVID crisis, K-12 schools should
be conducted virtually until the pandemic is over and a vaccination is
available to all.
Background
Provide a brief history of your
topic. This is a good place to answer some of the questions listed in the
instructions. What is the
problem being addressed (explain, describe, and “prove” that it exists)? Who is
affected by this problem? Why does this problem exist (identify the root
causes)? Why does the problem persist? (Identify the major factors that
contribute to the problem’s ongoing presence.)
Side A
This is where you will present
YOUR side of the argument (in third person). Example topic
sentence: Due to the many safety and health concerns caused by face-to-face
instruction, virtual learning is the obvious solution during a pandemic. INCLUDE RESEARCH AND CITATIONS.
This might be a good place to answer, “what is at stake if the problem is not solved?”
Side B
This
is where you will present THE OTHER side of the argument, the counterargument
(in third person). Example
topic sentence: Despite the dangers of schools meeting face-to-face, some
insist that virtual education is not the solution. INCLUDE RESEARCH AND CITATIONS.
Possible Solutions
In this paragraph, you could answer: Who can take
action? What should they do, exactly? Why would this help? What are the
positive and negative aspects of your solution(s)? How do the positives
outweigh the negatives and “win” in the end? INCLUDE RESEARCH AND CITATIONS.
Conclusion
Restate
your claim in slightly different way. Summarize and bring your essay to a
satisfying finish. Write a full paragraph, no less than one hundred words.
Works Cited
Example:
Carty, Thomas J. “JOHN KENNEDY, RELIGION, AND FOREIGN
POLICY.” The Review of
Faith &
International Affairs, vol. 9, no. 4,
Routledge, 2011, pp. 51–59,
doi:10.1080/15570274.2011.630203.