Should Marijuana be Legalized
What’s an Argumentative Synthesis?
To learn and to grow intellectually, one must not only assert an opinion or viewpoint, but one must do so in the context of others who are also interested in the topic under discussion. The final essay in ENG 100 is an argumentative synthesis essay that uses various sources in order to illustrate a conversation surrounding a the debatable or controversial topic before joining the conversation by delivering your own argument based on those credible sources. This essay provides a space for students to show their culmination of writing skills learned over the entire semester because it asks students to summarize, connect, respond, and provide rebuttals and/or concessions, which encapsulates skills practiced in both of the prior two essays.
PROMPT: For this assignment, you are asked to complete an argumentative synthesis based on a topic we have chosen in class. The assignment is worth 25% of your final grade in the course.
In your essay, you must first identify an issue related to our topic and explain why it is a problem or controversial issue and identify some of the arguments involved with the issue. Then, in the remainder of the essay, you must build an argument in support of a position on the issue that is clearly stated in a thesis statement located in the beginning of the essay. Of course, your thesis must be arguable—if everyone would agree with you, you are not arguing. To help make your essay arguable, you must include possible counter-arguments or concessions.
Be sure to make your paper argumentative, rather than just bombarding your audience with hordes of quotes from your source. This essay is a thesis-driven argumentative essay, not a dump of outside information. The most frequent problem that students have with this assignment is allowing the sources to take over the essay and failing to explain the information from the sources and how it relates to other sources and especially to your thesis and argument.
You should use quotes and paraphrases from your sources to show the various positions, illuminate the layers of your ideas, and to defend your thesis. Remember, you must choose your quotes, summaries, and paraphrases wisely, interpret them to your audience (what does the source information mean), and relate this interpretation to your argument. You are required to use at least three sources.
Generally, you should avoid using long quotations—remember, choose wisely. Important longer passages should be summarized or paraphrased to keep your ideas as the focus of the essay. Be careful to properly credit and cite all ideas, words, and facts that come from outside sources. Accidental plagiarism is another frequent problem that students have with this assignment. For more information of handling sources responsibly, refer to the chapters in our textbook.
Evaluation:
From your work on the previous assignments in this course, you should have noted the following elements of an essay that must be apparent in your essay:
Introduction/Statement of the purpose of the essay
A clear and arguable thesis that controls the essay
Summary of your argument
Clearly identifiable main points of discussion
Supporting evidence of your argument to illustrate your points
Clear, developed, & balanced discussion of the references to your various sources including your interpretations and relating your info back to your thesis/argument
Counter-arguments and concessions along with your rebuttals, compromises, or acknowledgements of acceptance
Logical organization (remember the pattern of general to specific)
Effective transitions
Conclusion(s)
A Note on Audience: While you should consider your audience to be an academic audience, please remember that your audience may not be familiar either with your argument or your sources. Therefore, you should be as clear and concise as possible while you make ALL the necessary connections between ideas for your audience.
Essay Submission Guidelines:
The finished submitted draft should be five to six pages (at least 1500 words).
The finished submitted draft must be typed, double‐spaced, with one‐inch (1″) margins on all sides.
Follow MLA format for in-text citations and the works cited page.
Use a standard font and type size, for example 12‐point Times New Roman.
Possible Points:
Annotated Bibliography* 25 points
Outline 5 points
First Draft 15 points
Peer Review Workshop with First Draft 10 points
Self-Editing Workshop with First Draft 10 points
Presentation* 25 points
Revision Statement 10 Points
Final Draft 100 Points
———————————————————————————————————————
Total possible points for the assignment: 200 Points
*Note: Further instructions will be given regarding the Annotated Bibliography and Presentation.
Getting to Know the Argumentative Synthesis…
Defining our terms: Argument and Synthesis
“In composition courses, ‘synthesis’ commonly refers to writing about multiple texts, drawing together particular themes or traits that you observe in those texts, and organizing the material from each text according to those themes or traits,” while Argument is commonly understood as the asserting, supporting, and defending of informed opinions on a relevant and debatable topic (Jameison par. 1). Argument is connected to synthesis in that the full consideration of various other opinions on a subject (synthesis) helps a writer assert his or her most informed opinions. Another way to think of it is to illustrate the conversation surrounding the topic before using those voices to support you own opinion.
What are the features of argument?
Argument is not simply the loud, assertive, unwavering statement of your opinion in the hopes of conquering the opposition. Argument is the careful consideration of numerous positions, and the careful development of logically sound, carefully constructed assertions that, when combined, offer a worthwhile perspective in an ongoing debate. You want to imagine yourself arguing with someone—and certainly you want to believe your opinion has superior qualities to theirs—but the purpose of argument is not to solve a practical problem or shut down a conversation. Rather it’s to illuminate, expand, and further inform a debate happening on a worthwhile subject between reasonable, intelligent people. In other words, calling the opposition stupid is not good argument. And anyway, that’s an ad hominem attack.
Most of the tools of argument you already have in your possession; they are the strategies you evaluated when considering the arguments of others in the Rhetorical Analysis Essay. The tables are turned now, and the spotlight is on you. Therefore, you must carefully use the following strategies to your own advantage:
Logos The use of reasonable logic, data/evidence, and support to establish the practicality and rationality of your ideas. The types of logical structures at your disposal include:
Debatable and Supportable Claims
Logical Reasoning
Noticeable Examples
Reasonable Projections
Concessions & Rebuttals
The Avoidance of Logical Fallacies
Pathos The use of examples and language that evokes an appropriate emotional response in your reader—that gets them to care about your topic.
Structure The optimal planned/organized/fluid building of ideas and arguments onto one another for the most persuasive impact or effect on the reader; the consideration of how ideas connect with each other and their placement within the essay; the use of concessions and rebuttals strategically placed; the clear use of transitional language to facilitate reading comprehension.
Style The use of formal language appropriate for the audience and occasion; the use of the precise, engaging language that avoids idiom and cliché, and dull or simple word choices; the use, where appropriate, of poetic or figurative language, or the language that evokes the senses.
Ethos The an ethical and well-balanced use of all of the strategies above to present yourself as trustworthy and intelligent in your consideration of the topic and in the development of your argument.
What are the features of synthesis?
Synthesis is a flexible skill involving the use of other sources that either support your own view or assert an opposing point of view. Good writers always consider the opinions of people with whom they disagree then use those opinions to further defend their own. Therefore, in this essay, synthesis means comparing and contrasting your views with those of others. You may also compare and contrast the views of your sources, noting places where they seem to support each other’s ideas, and places where they might disagree or conflict.
Here are examples of sentence structures that demonstrate synthesis:
Synthesis that indicates agreement/support:
· Source A asserts that… Source B agrees when he or she states…
· According to both A & B…
· The combined conclusions of sources B & C seem to indicate that…
· The evidence shows that…
· Source B is correct that…
· Source C makes a convincing case when she argues…
· I agree with Source A’s conclusion that…
Synthesis that indicates disagreement/conflict:
· Source A asserts that…Yet Source B offers a different perspective by…
· Source C & B would likely disagree regarding…
· My view, however, contrary to what Source A has argued, is…
· I argue that X & Y are the best solution, though Source B offers a different option.
· In contrast, I would like to offer some objections to the opinions expressed by source C…
· While source A makes an intriguing argument, I would disagree…
What the above examples indicate is that synthesis is the careful weaving in of outside opinions in order to show your reader the many ideas and arguments on your topic and further assert your own. Notice, too, that the above examples are also signal phrases: language that introduces outside source material to be either quoted or paraphrased.
SAMPLE OUTLINE
Introduction Paragraph
· Creative hook
· Explanation of the topic
· Relevance of the topic
· Thesis statement
Background Section
· Somewhere in the essay you will need to provide background/context for your topic; it may be in the introduction paragraph or it may be in a separate background paragraph following the introduction.
Synthesis Section (multiple paragraphs)
· Brief summaries of the sources your are using to establish the scholarly discussion/debate around your topic
· Explanation of the similarities and differences between these sources
Argument Section (multiple paragraphs)
· Establish your position in the scholarly discussion you just presented in the synthesis section. What are you arguing?
· This section should provide evidence from your sources to support your argument. The evidence should be properly cited and integrated.
Counter-Claim Paragraph
· Include one counter-claim to your argument that you either refute (disprove completely) or concede (agree to a point).
Conclusion Paragraph
· Sums up the main ideas
· Restates the thesis
· A “so what” that explains why your essay is important more broadly. Does society need to take some type of action? Can individuals respond in some beneficial way?
What’s an Argumentative Synthesis?
To learn and to grow intellectually, one must not only assert an opinion or viewpoint, but one must do so in the context of others who are also interested in the topic under discussion. The final essay in ENG 100 is an argumentative synthesis essay that uses various sources in order to illustrate a conversation surrounding a debatable or controversial topic before joining the conversation by delivering your own argument based on those credible sources. This essay provides a space for students to show their culmination of writing skills learned over the entire semester because it asks students to summarize, connect, respond, and provide rebuttals and/or concessions, which encapsulates skills practiced in both of the prior two essays.
PROMPT: For this assignment, you are asked to complete an argumentative synthesis based on a topic we have chosen in class. The assignment is worth 25% of your final grade in the course.
In your essay, you must first identify an issue related to our topic and explain why it is a problem or controversial issue and identify some of the arguments involved with the issue. Then, in the remainder of the essay, you must build an argument in support of a position on the issue that is clearly stated in a thesis statement located in the beginning of the essay. Of course, your thesis must be arguable—if everyone would agree with you, you are not arguing. To help make your essay arguable, you must include possible counter-arguments or concessions.
Be sure to make your paper argumentative, rather than just bombarding your audience with hordes of quotes from your source. This essay is a thesis-driven argumentative essay, not a dump of outside information. The most frequent problem that students have with this assignment is allowing the sources to take over the essay and failing to explain the information from the sources and how it relates to other sources and especially to your thesis and argument.
You should use quotes and paraphrases from your sources to show the various positions, illuminate the layers of your ideas, and to defend your thesis. Remember, you must choose your quotes, summaries, and paraphrases wisely, interpret them to your audience (what does the source information mean), and relate this interpretation to your argument. You are required to use at least three sources.
Generally, you should avoid using long quotations—remember, choose wisely. Important longer passages should be summarized or paraphrased to keep your ideas as the focus of the essay. Be careful to properly credit and cite all ideas, words, and facts that come from outside sources. Accidental plagiarism is another frequent problem that students have with this assignment. For more information of handling sources responsibly, refer to the chapters in our textbook.
Evaluation:
From your work on the previous assignments in this course, you should have noted the following elements of an essay that must be apparent in your essay:
Introduction/Statement of the purpose of the essay
A clear and arguable thesis that controls the essay
Summary of your argument
Clearly identifiable main points of discussion
Supporting evidence of your argument to illustrate your points
Clear, developed, & balanced discussion of the references to your various sources including your interpretations and relating your info back to your thesis/argument
Counter-arguments and concessions along with your rebuttals, compromises, or acknowledgements of acceptance
Logical organization (remember the pattern of general to specific)
Effective transitions
Conclusion(s)
A Note on Audience: While you should consider your audience to be an academic audience, please remember that your audience may not be familiar either with your argument or your sources. Therefore, you should be as clear and concise as possible while you make ALL the necessary connections between ideas for your audience.
Essay Submission Guidelines:
The finished submitted draft should be five to six pages (at least 1500 words).
The finished submitted draft must be typed, double‐spaced, with one‐inch (1″) margins on all sides.
Follow MLA format for in-text citations and the works cited page.
Use a standard font and type size, for example 12‐point Times New Roman.
Possible Points:
Annotated Bibliography* 25 points
Outline 5 points
First Draft 15 points
Peer Review Workshop with First Draft 10 points
Self-Editing Workshop with First Draft 10 points
Presentation* 25 points
Revision Statement 10 Points
Final Draft 100 Points
———————————————————————————————————————
Total possible points for the assignment: 200 Points
*Note: Further instructions will be given regarding the Annotated Bibliography and Presentation.
Getting to Know the Argumentative Synthesis…
Defining our terms: Argument and Synthesis
“In composition courses, ‘synthesis’ commonly refers to writing about multiple texts, drawing together particular themes or traits that you observe in those texts, and organizing the material from each text according to those themes or traits,” while Argument is commonly understood as the asserting, supporting, and defending of informed opinions on a relevant and debatable topic (Jameison par. 1). Argument is connected to synthesis in that the full consideration of various other opinions on a subject (synthesis) helps a writer assert his or her most informed opinions. Another way to think of it is to illustrate the conversation surrounding the topic before using those voices to support you own opinion.
What are the features of argument?
Argument is not simply the loud, assertive, unwavering statement of your opinion in the hopes of conquering the opposition. Argument is the careful consideration of numerous positions, and the careful development of logically sound, carefully constructed assertions that, when combined, offer a worthwhile perspective in an ongoing debate. You want to imagine yourself arguing with someone—and certainly you want to believe your opinion has superior qualities to theirs—but the purpose of argument is not to solve a practical problem or shut down a conversation. Rather it’s to illuminate, expand, and further inform a debate happening on a worthwhile subject between reasonable, intelligent people. In other words, calling the opposition stupid is not good argument. And anyway, that’s an ad hominem attack.
Most of the tools of argument you already have in your possession; they are the strategies you evaluated when considering the arguments of others in the Rhetorical Analysis Essay. The tables are turned now, and the spotlight is on you. Therefore, you must carefully use the following strategies to your own advantage:
Logos The use of reasonable logic, data/evidence, and support to establish the practicality and rationality of your ideas. The types of logical structures at your disposal include:
Debatable and Supportable Claims
Logical Reasoning
Noticeable Examples
Reasonable Projections
Concessions & Rebuttals
The Avoidance of Logical Fallacies
Pathos The use of examples and language that evokes an appropriate emotional response in your reader—that gets them to care about your topic.
Structure The optimal planned/organized/fluid building of ideas and arguments onto one another for the most persuasive impact or effect on the reader; the consideration of how ideas connect with each other and their placement within the essay; the use of concessions and rebuttals strategically placed; the clear use of transitional language to facilitate reader comprehension.
Style The use of formal language appropriate for the audience and occasion; the use of precise, engaging language that avoids idiom and cliché, and dull or simple word choices; the use, where appropriate, of poetic or figurative language, or language that evokes the senses.
Ethos The ethical and well-balanced use of all of the strategies above to present yourself as trustworthy and intelligent in your consideration of the topic and in the development of your argument.
What are the features of synthesis?
Synthesis is a flexible skill involving the use of other sources that either support your own view or assert an opposing point of view. Good writers always consider the opinions of people with whom they disagree then use those opinions to further defend their own. Therefore, in this essay, synthesis means comparing and contrasting your views with those of others. You may also compare and contrast the views of your sources, noting places where they seem to support each other’s ideas, and places where they might disagree or conflict.
Here are examples of sentence structures that demonstrate synthesis:
Synthesis that indicates agreement/support:
· Source A asserts that… Source B agrees when he or she states…
· According to both A & B…
· The combined conclusions of sources B & C seem to indicate that…
· The evidence shows that…
· Source B is correct that…
· Source C makes a convincing case when she argues…
· I agree with Source A’s conclusion that…
Synthesis that indicates disagreement/conflict:
· Source A asserts that…Yet Source B offers a different perspective by…
· Source C & B would likely disagree regarding…
· My view, however, contrary to what Source A has argued, is…
· I argue that X & Y are the best solution, though Source B offers a different option.
· In contrast, I would like to offer some objections to the opinions expressed by source C…
· While source A makes an intriguing argument, I would disagree…
What the above examples indicate is that synthesis is the careful weaving in of outside opinions in order to show your reader the many ideas and arguments on your topic and further assert your own. Notice, too, that the above examples are also signal phrases: language that introduces outside source material to be either quoted or paraphrased.
SAMPLE OUTLINE
Introduction Paragraph
· Creative hook
· Explanation of the topic
· Relevance of the topic
· Thesis statement
Background Section
· Somewhere in the essay you will need to provide background/context for your topic; it may be in the introduction paragraph or it may be in a separate background paragraph following the introduction.
Synthesis Section (multiple paragraphs)
· Brief summaries of the sources your are using to establish the scholarly discussion/debate around your topic
· Explanation of the similarities and differences between these sources
Argument Section (multiple paragraphs)
· Establish your position in the scholarly discussion you just presented in the synthesis section. What are you arguing?
· This section should provide evidence from your sources to support your argument. The evidence should be properly cited and integrated.
Counter-Claim Paragraph
· Include one counter-claim to your argument that you either refute (disprove completely) or concede (agree to a point).
Conclusion Paragraph
· Sums up the main ideas
· Restates the thesis
· A “so what” that explains why your essay is important more broadly. Does society need to take some type of action? Can individuals respond in some beneficial way?
Sources for essay:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179811/
https://prospect.org/health/must-legalize-marijuana/
