support@essaywritingexpert.org1/2/24, 6:32 PM Graded Project: Argumentative Writing Skills
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Graded Project: Argumentative Writing Skills
Introduction
Now you’ll put all the writing skills you’ve studied to the test. You’ll be provided with a prompt that you’ll respond to
while using all the writing skills you’ve learned throughout this course: What’s the best option for you after high
school—are you headed for college, or will you take a different path?
Prompt and Writing Guidelines
Read the prompt and the following rubric that will be used to grade your assignment. Make sure you understand
every part of the prompt and what it’s asking you to write. You’ll have a chance to practice before you submit your
final paper.
You learned about argumentative essays and practiced some writing throughout. Remember, an argumentative
essay requires you to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and finally, establish a position
on the topic.
For this graded project, your prompt has been chosen for you. You must choose one position:
Argue for going to college after high school.
Argue for starting a career after high school.
Argue for going to trade school after high school.
For an assigned prompt, pay attention to signs that it’s asking you to take a position. You’re being asked for your
opinion, so you must pick a position on what should happen and make an argument for it. This prompt requires a
multi-paragraph essay response that should include the following:
Your position
A main claim
The provided sources to gather evidence to support your claim
Your argumentative essay should include the following:
An introduction paragraph
Five to seven body paragraphs with provided resources
A conclusion paragraph
For this argumentative essay, you must use the provided resources as your information. Here’s all the information
you need to create both in-text and Works Cited page citations. Remember that you must use at least three of
these sources in your paper. You can use more than three if you like, but only include in your Works Cited page the
sources that you reference in the text of the paper.
Source 1: After decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, U.S. needs more tradespeople (Article)
Source 2: College or Career? (Article)
Argumentative Essay Prompt and Rubric
Write an argumentative essay about one of the following options (choose one to make an argument for):
Attending college after high school
Entering a career immediately
Continuing to trade school
Reference the rubric for your assignment as you work on it.
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Source 3: Do You Really Need a College Degree to Have a Successful Career? (Video)
Source 4: Is a College Education Worth It? (Article)
Your rubric for this portion of the project contains specific criteria you should follow for each of these elements of
your argumentative essay. In your writing exercises, you’ve drafted your argumentative essay by writing an outline
of what you’re planning on writing about.
Recall, outlines help writers organize ideas into a logical flow. Remember that your outline can be as simple or
detailed as you want it to be, but it’s usually a good idea to review your source notes as you fill it in.
As you’re writing, consider the typical elements of an argumentative essay:
Choose a position on that topic and write a strong thesis statement.
The thesis statement appears in your introduction. Your introduction should do the following:
Catch the reader’s attention.
Give some background information on your topic.
End by letting the reader know exactly where you stand on your topic.
Develop your supporting points and evidence.
The body paragraphs of your essay are where you’ll develop your argument and support it with
evidence from your sources. Make sure your evidence is logical, relevant, and credible.
Here’s a sample outline you can customize to fit your essay:
1. Introductory Paragraph
a. Introduce the overall topic (setting up an overview to give readers context).
b. Introduce one side of the argument.
c. Introduce the opposing side of the argument.
d. Create a thesis statement that reflects your opinion on the topic.
2. Paragraph 1: Supporting Point #1
a. Introduce the strongest evidence that supports your point.
b. Note the source this information came from (preparing for an in-text citation).
c. Give two supporting details.
d. Explain how this evidence supports your point.
3. Paragraphs 2 through 5: Supporting Points #2 through 5
a. Introduce the other evidence that supports your point.
b. Note the source this information came from.
c. Give two supporting details.
d. Explain how this evidence supports your point.
4. Paragraph 6 and 7: Refuting Counterclaims
a. Introduce one or two possible counterarguments that an opponent might have.
b. Note the source this information came from.
c. Explain why this counterargument isn’t valid using two supporting details.
5. Conclusion Paragraph
a. Restated thesis statement
b. Summary of your argument
c. Significance of your argument
Sample Outline
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Address counterclaims and refute them with evidence.
It’s extremely important to refute any counterclaims you bring up. If you mention a counterargument
without showing how it’s wrong, it will make your argument weaker.
Write a Conclusion
The last paragraph of your essay will paraphrase your main claim (thesis statement), briefly
summarize your supporting points, and show the significance of your topic. The conclusion is the
last paragraph of your essay. It shouldn’t introduce new information such as claims or
counterclaims different from those presented in the body paragraphs. It should make your reader
understand why your argument matters.
This video explains some details of your argumentative essay assignment.
Download transcript
Grading Criteria
Consult the rubric provided. This is how your project will be graded. You may want to make a checklist for yourself
of all the items you’ll be graded on, so you can keep them in mind while you’re writing. Make sure your first draft
checks off all the items on your checklist. Compare it to your final project before submitting it as well.
Introduction: Choose one argument to develop. You need to hook the reader, set context, and give a clear thesis
statement that provides a defined position on the argument.
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1/2/24, 6:32 PM Graded Project: Argumentative Writing Skills
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Expectations Distingu ished Basic
Below
Expe ctations
NonPerformanc e
Introduction (10 points):
Ther e are four to seven welldeveloped sentences that hook the
reader, give context, and give a clear
thesis statement that provides a clear
position on the argument.
Meets and
surpasses
expectations
(10 -9)
Meets all
expectations
but is missing
an element of
clarity
(8 -7)
Begins to meet
expectations
but missing an
element
(6 -5)
Attempts
to meet
expectations but
is unfocused
(4-2)
Has no t met
expectations
(1)
Development and Clarity
(20 points):
bo dy paragraphs, detailed exam ples
to support the thesis, on e claim per
paragraph, and a well-developed
counterclaim paragraph.
Meets and
surpasses
expectations
(20 -17)
Meets all
expectations
but is missing
an element of
clarity
(16 -12)
Begins to meet
expectations
but missing an
element
(11-6)
Attempts
to meet
expectations but
is unfocused
(5 -2)
Has no t met
expectations
(1)
Support w ith In-Text Citations
(20 points):
Claims are supported with quo tes
or paraphrases from the sources,
followed by MLA in-text citations.
Meets
expectations
(20 -17)
Meets
expectations
but missing an
element (i.e.,
Quo tes, proper
form, or does
no t accurately
Begins to meet
expectations
(11-6)
Attempts
to meet
expectations but
missing m any
elements (5 -2)
Does no t meet
expectations.
(1)
Click to expand full table.
Proofread and Revise
Use your work from your first draft to create the final version of your project before submitting it. You can copy and
paste your writing into the word processing document of your choice, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Open
Office, or Pages.
Note: Whatever word processor you use, make sure you’re able to save as an .rtf file.
Compare your draft to the rubric provided. When you’re revising, ask yourself:
Do you take a clear stance on the writing prompt? (“Write an argumentative essay about one of the
following options (choose one to make an argument for): attending college after high school, entering a
career immediately, or continuing to trade school.”)
Does your thesis statement make it clear what your position is?
Does your essay have at least seven to nine paragraphs?
Does your writing include an introduction, five to seven body paragraphs, and a conclusion?
Does your essay include a heading and Works Cited page?
Do you use at least three of the sources given with the assignment?
Source 1: After decades of pushing bachelor’s degrees, U.S. needs more tradespeople (Article)
Source 2: College or Career? (Article)
Source 3: Do You Really Need a College Degree to Have a Successful Career? (Video)
Source 4: Is a College Education Worth It? (Article)
Do you include in-text citations and a Works Cited page?
If you answered no to any of these questions, please go back and make the needed changes before submitting
your work. Should you choose to submit without checking the questions, please be aware that your essay may be
returned to you for revision.
If you answered yes to all the questions, you’re ready to submit your work for grading!
Be sure to review your writing for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Use the instructions provided to submit
your work to the school.
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Submission Instructions
Your exam for this lesson is a project, which we will individually grade when you submit it. This takes time, and it
could be up to a week before you see results or feedback.
Download transcript
The final draft of your project must be submitted as a word processing document. Common word processing apps
include Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Open Office, or any application that can save a rich-text format (.rtf) file.
The first page of your project should include these items:
Your name
Your student ID number
The exam number (70066500)
Your email address
Follow these steps to submit your graded project:
1. On the next page, select the Open in a new window button.
2. Choose Add a File.
3. Find the file you want to submit.
4. Choose the file and select Open. The file should then appear in the Uploaded Files section of the page.
5. After your file is uploaded, choose Submit for Grading.
Student Response Examples
As your proofreading and revising your project, it may help you to see examples of how some papers are graded. The non-performance
example shows the incorrect way to write the paper. Compare your project to these examples and evaluate if there’s anything you need
to improve upon in your own writing before submitting to the school for grading.
Distinguished Example
Basic Example
Non-Performance Example
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Be sure to keep a backup copy of any files you submit to the school.