Persuasive Essay about "Organ Donation"
ZahwahAbdullahWOODBURY UNIVERSITY
WRIT 100 Bridge to Academic Writing
Prof. Laurel DiGangi
[email protected] (best way to contact)
Formal Essay #5– Persuasive Essay (examining a problem and offering a solution)
FOUR full double-spaced typed pages MINIMUM (NOT 3-1/2 or 3-3/4). The fourth page must be a full page. Short papers will be downgraded. (Your APA “References” list is a separate, fifth page.)
Learning objectives:
· How to write a persuasive essay.
· How to organize a persuasive essay.
· How to support your ideas with evidence from reliable sources.
· How to document your sources with APA style and credit other writers by using signal phrases, in-text citations and a References list.
· How to paraphrase without plagiarizing, and how to use quotes appropriately.
Sources:
The following essays posted on Moodle under “Four Readings on Organ Donation for Essay #5”
· "The Meat Market"
· "The Case for Mandatory Organ Donations"
· "Yes, Let's Pay for Organs"
· "The Surgery Was Simple; the Process Is Another Story"
· You are also allowed to use the video we viewed in class, “Giving the Gift of Life through Organ Donation: Chris Barry at TEDxFlourCity.” This video is posted on Moodle under
“In-Class Exercises.”
I want you to use at least two and no more than three of the above sources You may use one additional source that you research yourself, but most of your essay should rely on the above sources provided on Moodle.
Your Assignment:
For this essay, I want you to explain a specific problem (lack of organ donors) to your readers so that they understand why this issue is important. Your thesis will then offer a solution to this problem, based on one or more of the sources above. Basically, you are using the sources as evidence to support your own claim. Your solution can relate to “opt out” programs, mandatory donations, compensation (financial or otherwise), or various educational/promotional programs (be specific).
Your essay will explain why organ donation is important, but that should not be its thesis. Your thesis must argue for a specific solution (or solutions) to the problem of too few organ donors. (Note: “everyone should donate” is too general and doesn’t offer a real solution. A real solution proposes how we can encourage/force more people to donate.) Your solution has to utilize some of the ideas suggested in the readings above, as well as any of your own original ideas. Your body paragraphs must support your thesis by explaining your solution in detail. You will use your own ideas and evidence from two or three of the sources above to support your thesis.
Additional Requirements:
Aim for a balance of paraphrasing and quotes. You should have no more than two quotes per page, and your quotes should not be more than two lines long. Most of your essay will be paraphrasing the sources and expressing your own ideas.
Use APA style for in-text citations and your References list. The title and copyright pages of the book the Moodle readings originally came from are also posted on Moodle. Please cite these readings as if you were working from the actual book. Additional instructions about APA style will be provided in class.
This essay assignment is worth a total of 225 points. DUE DATES for each step are listed on your syllabus.
Final essay 200 pts. maximum (graded on syllabus rubric)
Prewrite 10 pts. maximum
In-class peer review 10 pts. maximum (student must be in class with 3 copies; must have total required pages to earn full points.
Writing Center visit 5 points, required!
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Total 225 pts. maximum
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Persuasive Essay Outline (examining a problem and providing a solution) Note: ¶= Paragraph
My Interesting Title
¶ 1 Introduce topic and stimulate reader interest
Give your audience enough background information to understand your topic.
CLEARLY STATED THESIS that offers a solution to the problem.
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¶2 Transition word or phrase
Topic sentence (my main point, or argument)
Supporting details (evidence) that proves or backs up my point
¶3 Transition word or phrase
Topic sentence (my main point, or argument)
Supporting details (evidence) that proves or backs up my point
¶4 Transition word or phrase
Topic sentence (my main point, or argument)
Supporting details (evidence) that proves or backs up my point
(Note: 3 main points, or arguments, is generally a good number for an essay of this length. You may have 2 main points if your have more supporting details for each, or 4 main points, if you like.)
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( Note: Adding a counterargument and refutation to your persuasive essay is optional. However, if you do add them, you have to add both! )¶5 Transition word or phrase
Counterargument (the opposing view)
¶6 Transition word or phrase
Refutation (also called “rebuttal.” This is your response to the opposing view.)
(Note: paragraphs 5 and 6 can be combined.)
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¶7 Conclusion that brings reader full circle and emphasizes thesis.