Overview: Evidence-Based Research & Argumentation
Kimberly Stelly
This unit is designed to support instructors as they guide students through the complex analytical, rhetorical, and research skills required to write advanced argumentative essays in a class setting similar to English 1302. Students will need these skills to succeed in most college courses, no matter what their major field of study may be. Content-wise, this unit first focuses on foundational research skills. Students will develop an open-ended, researchable question that guides them through a research proposal and an annotated bibliography, all while attending to source credibility. Building on this research, the unit then moves through the three core forms of argument: the Classical Argument, the Toulmin Argument, and the Rogerian Argument. Lesson presentations, assignments, and other instructional resources are included for each argument type. By the end of this unit, students will be able to
- demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative research processes.
- develop ideas and synthesize primary and secondary sources within focused academic arguments, including one or more research-based essays.
- write in a style that clearly communicates meaning, builds credibility, and inspires belief or action.
- analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of texts for the ethical and logical uses of evidence.
- apply the conventions of style manuals for specific academic disciplines (e.g., APA, CMS, MLA, etc.).
Table of Contents
- Research Proposal [Assignment/Rubric] by Kimberly Stelly
- Evaluating Sources [Activity] by Kimberly Stelly
- Annotated Bibliography [Assignment/Rubric] by Kimberly Stelly
- Classical Argument Essay [Lesson/Rubric] by Kimberly Stelly
- Toulmin Argument [Lesson/Rubric] by Kimberly Stelly
- Rogerian Argument [Lesson] by Kimberly Stelly
Possible Scope and Sequence
- Introduction and discussion of three types of arguments (Classical, Toulmin, and Rogerian)
- Introduce Research Proposal assignment
- Find a research topic
- Determine source reliability
- Review APA formatting guidelines
- Begin researching topic
- Research and draft the proposal
- Create a References page based on at least two different sources
- Peer discussion of topic
- Introduction and discussion of logical fallacies
- Turn in proposal for approval
- Introduction and discussion of annotated bibliography over approved topic
- Students find at least five sources “for” their stance and five sources “against” their stance.
- Compose an “against” annotated bibliography
- Due at the beginning of class
- Compose a “for” annotated bibliography
- Due at the beginning of class
- Introduce Classical Argument assignment and review the Classical Argument
- Discussion of integrating sources with lead-ins and in-text citations. Work on creating a References page.
- Discussion of plagiarism and how to cite sources correctly
- Compose thesis
- Compose outline of Classical Argument
- Write rough draft
- Submit copy for peer review
- Peer Edit
- Revise
- Submit final draft
- Introduce Toulmin Argument assignment and review the argument structure
- Compose thesis
- Compose an outline
- Write rough draft
- Peer Edit
- Revise and edit
- Submit final draft
- Introduce Rogerian Argument assignment and review the Rogerian Argument
- Compose thesis
- Construct an outline
- Write rough draft
- Peer Edit
- Revise and edit
- Submit final draft
Possible Pacing Calendar
Week 1
- Day 1
- Introduce students to argumentation and its various forms. Review lesson presentations for each form of argument (Classical, Toulmin, Rogerian).
- Introduce the Research Proposal assignment.
- Instruct students to find a topic and get approval from the professor.
- Day 2
- Instruct students on how to find a source and determine whether it is reliable.
- Guide students through the Evaluating Sources activity.
- Day 3
- Students should begin researching their approved topic and composing the research proposal.
- Days 4-5
- Students should continue looking for sources and composing the research proposal.
Week 2
- Day 6
- Students turn in the research proposal.
- Introduce students to the Annotated Bibliography assignment and guide them to begin the “against” half of the work.
- Day 7
- Students should find five sources for the “against” half of their annotated bibliography.
- Days 8-10
- Students should continue developing the “against” half of their annotated bibliography.
Week 3
- Day 11
- Students turn in the “against” half of their annotated bibliography.
- Students begin looking for five sources for the “for” half of their annotated bibliography.
- Days 12-15
- Students continue developing the “for” half of their annotated bibliography.
Week 4
- Day 16
- Students turn in the “for” half of their annotated bibliography.
- Introduce students to the Classical Argument assignment
- Days 17-19
- Students should construct an outline, thesis, and References page for their Classical Argument essay
- Day 20
- Students turn in their outline and References page.
- Students begin composing a rough draft of the Classical Argument essay.
Week 5
- Days 21-22
- Students continue composing a rough draft of their Classical Argument essay.
- Day 23
- Students should turn in their rough drafts at the beginning of class for peer review.
- Guide students through the Peer Editing Questions activity for the Classical Argument.
- Day 24
- Students should finish their peer editing by the end of class.
- Students should begin revising their Classical Argument essay.
- Day 25
- Students should continue revising their Classical Argument essay.
Week 6
- Day 26
- Students turn in their final Classical Argument essay at the beginning of class.
- Introduce students to the Toulmin essay assignment.
- Days 27-28
- Students construct an outline and a Works Cited page for their Toulmin essay.
- Day 29
- Students turn in their outline and Works Cited page at the beginning of class.
- Students should begin composing a rough draft of their Toulmin essay.
- Day 30
- Students continue composing a rough draft of their Toulmin essay.
Week 7
- Day 31
- Students turn in their rough drafts at the beginning of class for peer review.
- Students begin peer editing.
- Day 32
- Students should finish their peer editing by the end of class.
- Students should begin revising their Toulmin essay.
- Day 33
- Students should continue revising their Toulmin essay.
- Day 34
- Students turn in their final Toulmin essay at the beginning of class.
- Introduce students to the Rogerian Argument assignment.
- Day 35
- Students should construct an outline and a References page for their Rogerian essay.
Week 8
- Day 36
- Students continue developing an outline and a References page for their Rogerian essay.
- Day 37
- Students turn in their outline and References page at the beginning of class.
- Students should begin composing a rough draft of their Rogerian essay.
- Day 38
- Students continue composing a rough draft of their Rogerian essay.
- Day 39
- Students turn in their rough drafts at the beginning of class for peer review.
- Students begin peer editing.
- Day 40
- Students should finish their peer editing by the end of class.
- Students should begin revising their Rogerian essay.
Week 9
- Day 41
- Students should continue revising their Rogerian essay.
- Day 42
- Students should turn in their final Rogerian essay at the beginning of class.
Downloadable Resources (Scope & Sequence, Pacing Calendar)
Click here to download a Word doc version of the Scope and Sequence:
Click here to download a Word doc version of the Pacing Calendar:
Attribution:
Stelly, Kimberly. “Overview: Evidence-Based Research & Argumentation.” Strategies, Skills and Models for Student Success in Writing and Reading Comprehension. College Station: Texas A&M University, 2024. This work is licensed with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).