Purpose: The argumentative essay helps students develop critical thinking and research skills, as well as the ability to develop and logically defend a position. An argument is a stand on an issue that offers reasons and evidence in support of the writer’s stand.

Task: You will write a well-researched argumentative essay on a social and economic justice issue of your choice that is related to the focal areas covered in the course. Use everything you have learned this semester including lectures, discussions, and readings to demonstrate your understanding of course concepts. Keep in mind that this paper is a final exam because your learning will be assessed thru your writing.

Audience: Policymakers, stakeholders, and community members with interests and concerns in a debatable issue. Because this is an argumentative essay and you are writing for a general audience, do not use first-person (e.g., “I” or “me”), you can write “This essay argues that” instead. Additionally, do not write contractions (e.g., can’t, won’t), you should write out all words.

Research requirements: You are required to use at least 5 peer-reviewed, scholarly articlespublished within the last 10 years. Scholarly articles serve as the evidence necessary tosupport your argument and establish credibility with the reader. Without this evidence,your essay is not an argumentative essay, it is solely an opinion paper.You may use other sources such as websites, films, and newspapers in your paper in addition to the required 5 scholarly articles. Review the difference between scholarly and popular articles here:

Part One [40 points]: A draft of the 1) introduction including a thesis, and 2) the section on the Nature of the Issue, and 3) 5 potential references (peer-reviewed articles). Insert at least 2 comment bubbles about anything you would like feedback on.