"A book, too, can be a star, 'explosive material, capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly,' a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." - from Madeleine L'Engle's Newberry Medal Acceptance Speech

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Argument Essay Checklist

Should your text be banned from our middle school library?

For your argument essay, include:

  • Introduction: 
    • start with engaging /lead
    • introduce the title and author of inquiry book that you are writing about 
    • state thesis statement (assertion) at the end of the paragraph
    • Examples: Even though some parents want to ban the book, it should not be banned because...
  • Body paragraphs:
    • organize them purposefully; each paragraph should include topic sentence, context, quotation, and elaboration
    • include at least 2 quotations from your book and at least 1 from an outside source
    • include a counterclaim and refute it
  • Conclusion:
    • do not restate the thesis; emphasize what you want the reader to think and feel; make connections 
    • provide solutions or suggestions to the reader

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