choose to respond to one of the major issues going on in American society today. Be sure to choose a topic that is both interesting to you and complex enough to develop into a full five-page research essay with a minimum of four outside sources. Furthermore, you will be required to use the Toulmin model of argumentation as a framework for your argument in this paper.
Specifics: Respond to the issue of your choice and argue for your perspective using the Toulmin model method – Claim (What is your response to the general argument being presented regarding the issue? Do you agree, disagree, maybe a bit of both?), Qualifiers (What are your argument’s limits? Use language like “In most cases” or “Generally, it’s true that” to acknowledge other viewpoints and stay logically strong), Grounds (reasons/evidence) (Be sure to provide reliable information to argue your point), Warrant (Fully explain how your evidence supports your claim and what you are assuming as the rhetor; i.e., if you’re arguing in favor of prison reform, it’s because prisoners are people too!), Backing (Why should the reader agree with you on that warrant and your evidence?), as well as a Counterargument and Rebuttal (Include a counterargument/rebuttal paragraph and spend time refuting that counterargument to strengthen your original thesis;