Wr2/Eng 301 Counter-Argument Paper

Counter-Argument Paper

Now that you have explored your particular topic and argued a particular position concerning your topic, you now turn to addressing the opposing views to the particular issue. For this paper, you will want to give consideration to the major points that stand against your original position. You can refute those points, acknowledge those points, or a combination of both.

When writing essays, including a counter-argument is a great way to strengthen your whole piece. Instead of skirting what could potentially water down your position, you face it head on with your stance coming out unscathed. The result is an essay that is better thought-out and contains a more complete coverage of the surrounding issues. Though counter-arguments are not always required in college essays, adding them often leads to better results, as it shows diligence and a willingness to consider other facets of the subject.

Good counter-arguments offer a reasonable disagreement with the main idea you are pushing, which you’ll then resolve within the body of the piece. The result is an opinion that gets attacked, yet is able to keep itself intact.

Requirements:

Create a main claim that shows the counter-arguments to your original claim and address them by acknowledging them or asserting that they are faulty or unsupported.
Provide several counter-arguments in focused paragraphs and address them.
Utilize at least four different proofs to support those claims.—Remember you have access to many logical and emotional proofs to support your sub-claims. Though you will probably find yourself using some more than others, it is important to use a variety to make your paper more interesting and readable.
Include at least six outside sources (no more than two internet sources) in support of your assertions. Keep in mind that you need to cite your sources, evaluate them for credibility, relevance, and timeliness, and that you should not let them stand on their own. In other words, you need to either explain them, comment on them, or both.
6-8 pages (not including a works cited page)

Structure:

The introduction (which in this length of paper could be more than one paragraph) should clearly present your subject and purpose, provide background into the issue so that your audience understands the reason (exigence) for the issue and necessary components for understanding, and assert a clear, focused claim.

The body will be composed of any number of paragraphs that provide support for the claim. You may need to use definitions, cause and effect analysis, facts, figures, analogies, narrative features, problem-solution patterns, deductive/inductive reasoning, etc.

The conclusion will summarize your main points, reestablish your claim, and possibly provide us with some significance, call to action, or solution to the issue. The key is to leave your reading thinking after finishing your paper. Feel free to be creative, however, whatever you utilize to keep your reader invested in your paper, make sure it pertains to your issue.

Invention Worksheet:

Begin to develop your claim by using some of the following invention strategies. If you cannot generate information and ideas, do some background reading, and then come back to these.

Freewrite for five minutes.
Brainstorm additional ideas and details in brief phrases for another five minutes.
Make an outline, list, or flow chart that shows the parts of your paper.
Mentally visualize and write a description of a scene related to your claim.
Make a research plan. Write your claim plus 5-6 reasons. Add ideas for research and a draft plan.
Think about possible organization patterns to shape your paper. What might work best—a claim with reasons, problem solution, cause and effect, chronology or narrative, comparison and contrast, or a combination of multiple patterns?
Think through the rhetorical situation. Remember your TRACE acronym.
Use the Toulmin model to identify the key parts of your paper. Consider your claim, support, warrants, backing for the warrants, rebuttal, and qualifiers.
Decide on some appropriate proofs for your paper. Remember your SICDADS and VAM acronyms.
Apply critical thinking prompts. Start with your claim, but then make these recursive; that is, apply them at any point and more than once during the process.

Associate it. Think about it as it is now. Evaluate it.

Describe it. Think about it over time. Elaborate on it.

Compare it. Decide what it is a part of. Project and predict.

Apply it. Analyze its parts. Ask why.

Divide it. Synthesize it.

Make a more complete outline, set of notes, or list to guide your writing.

Create a main claim that shows the counter-arguments to your original claim and address them by acknowledging them or asserting that they are faulty or unsupported.

Provide several counter-arguments in focused paragraphs and address them.

Freewrite for five minutes.

Brainstorm additional ideas and details in brief phrases for another five minutes.

Make an outline, list, or flow chart that shows the parts of your paper.

Mentally visualize and write a description of a scene related to your claim.

Make a research plan. Write your claim plus 5-6 reasons. Add ideas for research and a draft plan.

Think about possible organization patterns to shape your paper. What might work best—a claim with reasons, problem solution, cause and effect, chronology or narrative, comparison and contrast, or a combination of multiple patterns?

Think through the rhetorical situation. Remember your TRACE acronym.

Use the Toulmin model to identify the key parts of your paper. Consider your claim, support, warrants, backing for the warrants, rebuttal, and qualifiers.

Decide on some appropriate proofs for your paper. Remember your SICDADS and VAM acronyms.

Make a more complete outline, set of notes, or list to guide your writing.