In English 3, we have begun the deep dive into argumentative writing, beginning the semester with what constitutes a good argument using in-class agree/disagree discussions. Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle has served as a foundational piece when discussing what makes our arguments stronger. We then moved into research and invited Mrs. Buck, our librarian, into class to discuss how to access our library-supplied databases, such as EBSCO and Gale Opposing Viewpoints. Students then began hunting for probable arguments for their argumentative research paper.

            Once a topic was designated, students then wrote their research question and thesis statement, which asked them to implement the use of either THAMOs or FANBOYS grammar concepts. This helped students to frame what they were looking for as they read through peer-reviewed journals and credible online websites. Students used the website Noodle Tools to keep track of their sources in MLA 9 format. This website aided students in organizing their research, as well as providing them with an active link back to their findings if needed.

Students navigated EBSCO, GALE, and the world-wide web to sleuth out the best supporting evidence for their argument. Students also were prompted to hunt for counterclaim evidence, research that gave a look into an opposing perspective. Once completed with this process, students moved into highlighting specific supporting evidence and outlining their writing. Students are currently in the process of hand-writing their first draft of their papers; later next week they will be moving into the revision and editing processes while formatting and typing their final drafts using Google Docs.