Course: ENG 1302 — Fall 2012
Instructor: Garret D. Johnson
Assignment: Argumentative Synthesis
Due: Monday, October 29th (at beginning of class)

Assignment: The main purpose of this assignment is to show your ability to “synthesize” information from multiple sources to support a single argument. Pick one of the four topics listed in Chapter 4 of your Cullick text: “Religion in Public Issues” (see Table of Contents). Then write an “argumentative synthesis” essay that takes a clear stance on that issue and uses at least five sources total to support that stance (one or both sources from the Cullick text, and at least 3 that you will find through research in databases). You must use all of these sources to support the thesis of your argument, by quoting and paraphrasing them, and by including a Works Cited page in MLA format.

Hint: Try to find sources of either radically different kinds or views.

• Kinds = academic essays, statistics, personal writing, philosophical works, journalism, etc • Views = sources that both agree and disagree with your thesis (and with each other)

*** Note: Using a variety of sources (both in type and perspective) to support the same claim greatly enhances the ethos of an argument in the eyes of an audience.

Specifications: 5-7 fully-typed pages, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, no justified margins, 1 inch margins on all sides. Staple this assignment sheet to the back of your final draft.

*****Note: see SAW (161-169) for a good sample Argumentative Synthesis. Also helpful are pages (169-173) where the SAW book explains why it’s a good sample.

Purpose/Content: • Thesis is apparent, shows a clear stance, and states all your main points • Main points are apparent and follow thesis closely (are forecasted by thesis) •