course material

1. The Persuasive Argument Paper #2 is an integrative assignment that
The Persuasive Argument Paper #2 is an integrative assignment that supports synthesis
and the three course learning outcomes: apply knowledge of cultural and historical
influences, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings on conceptions of gender,
gender roles, and gender similarities and differences to make informed decisions regarding
human behavior effectively communicate information about gender, gender roles, and
gender similarities and differences to individuals, communities, and organizations value
diversity and different perspectives on gender, gender roles, and gender similarities and
differences; tolerate ambiguity; and act ethically to interact appropriately with various
sociocultural and international populations Objective: Write a well-developed
argumentative essay on a topic of your choosing. The topic must specifically relate to
concepts, theories, and issues introduced in this course. Submit a 3- to 5-page, APA style
persuasive argument essay, that communicates how specific topics, theories, and research
findings discussed in this course: 1) shaped your opinion on the topic and 2) support an
argument designed to persuade others to share that opinion. What an Argumentative
Essay? The argumentative essay is a specific type of writing in which the author chooses
one side of an argument and supports the claim with evidence. The evidence is collected
through research and used to reinforce the author’s opinion and to develop arguments
designed to persuade others to accept or adopt the author’s position. Instructions
Summary: The principal steps for the assignment are… Select an issue or dilemma of
interest, inspired by the content of this course. Review the pertinent literature. Decide on
your perception; take a stance. Write and submit for grading a well composed, 3- to 5-page
APA style formatted persuasive argument paper that … Presents your perception in the
form of a thesis statement. Summarizes the issues; demonstrates an understanding of the
controversy. Defends/argues in favor of your perception using scholarly, peer-reviewed
journal articles along with other credible resources available. Finishes with a strong
summary statement that reinforces your thesis. Proofread your work; use
grammar/spellcheck functions. Revise; submit final publish. Constructing the Paper: Your
selected topic can revisit a psychology of gender question, issue or dilemma discussed in
class, found within the empirical literature, or be one you have developed. Each approach
will afford you the opportunity to synthesize information from the course Within the
document… a. Introduce. Concisely introduced the reader to the topic. Hook: Open the first
paragraph with a “hook” statement. This is a brief introduction to a generally topic that
grabs the reader’s attention. (Usually 1-2 sentences in length.) Anchor the introduction

2. discussion with a clear, concise, and defensible thesis statement. The thesis statement
should be a persuasive statement that introduces the reader to the topic, the position you
will take, and how you will support that position within the essay. That is, your thesis
should be specific, accurate, and arguable (i.e., seen from at least two points of view). The
thesis statement is often positioned as the last sentence in the paper’s opening paragraph.
The order of points made within the thesis should match the order of the arguments in the
paper. b. Present your arguments. Within the body of the paper construct paragraphs that
are dedicated to each argument. A useful (but not necessarily required) rhythm for building
a paragraph in support of an argument is: Topic sentence: Open with a persuasive
statement that clearly explains a reason from your thesis that you intend to defend. *
Example: Provide a concrete example that will show/prove your topic sentence. This is
where evidence pulled from the literature will be valuable. Explain: Do not assume the
audience understands how the example connects to the topic sentence. Explain what
examples prove within the context of your argument. Closing sentence: provide a statement
that demonstrates why the topic discussed in the paragraph is so important. c. Conclusions.
In your conclusion review the points made. Do not just reword or repeat your thesis.
Readdress it within the context of the provided evidence. Incorporate the “so what.” That is,
close with a statement that calls your audience to do, change, or believe something. You can
also close with a thoughtful statement on why the information discussed is important on a
larger scale. * Construct logical transitions between paragraphs. d. Connect. Throughout the
paper support assertions made using peer-reviewed resources. Express inter ideas
coherently and logically. Anticipate your audience’s counter arguments or objections and
address them. This is necessary for the essay to be truly persuasive. Responding to counter
arguments and pointing out why they are not valid can be as important as presenting your
own. e. Include sources. Incorporate information for the pertinent literature. The paper
should include references from the text or one outside reading assigned by your instructor
or both. The paper may also include credible, academic material from other sources. f. Use
Authorial Voice. Discuss materials in your own words and your own writing style and
structure. Avoid excessive use of direct quotes. Doing so may incur a point penalty for each
occurrence or not be accepted as content towards the page count. g. Apply APA Style**.
Neatly and concisely present an APA formatted 3-5 page document containing Title Page
(not included in the page count) Introduction Body Conclusions References (not included in
the page count) Properly formatted in-text citations and references **Use APA style
headings, double-spacing, an appropriate serif or sans serif font (e.g., Times Roman 12-
point; Arial 11-point; Calibri 11-point), 1-inch margins (left, right, top, and bottom), page
numbering, and logical flow from topic to topic. Write with clarity, paying attention to
spelling, grammar, and syntax. Consult the UMGC Citing and Writing Guide, for proper form
of APA Style in-text citations and references. You can also take advantage of the UMGC
Effective Writing Center to gain early feedback and assistance with APA compliance.
UMGC’s Effective Writing Center: https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-
resources/writing-center/index.cfm *Check the Course Schedule in this syllabus for the due
date. * Look closely at the associated rubric for point allocations. EVALUATION CRITERIA:
The following criteria will be considered in the evaluation of the observation paper:

3. Accuracy—Are your stated facts or ideas, correct? Clarity—Is the paper clear and easy to
follow? You may want to read your paper out loud to yourself. This will help you catch
incomplete sentences or lapses in logic. Depth—Are the issues and implications well
thought out and explored? Originality—What is your thesis (the main point of your paper)?
Have you stated your own views and articulated them well? Use your own words.
Supporting evidence—Are your ideas supported with empirical evidence? This is a crucial
part of any well-written research paper. You may support your ideas with theories,
previously conducted research, or other information you encounter in the text and other
sources (journal articles, books, etc.). References—Did you use appropriate references to
support the main points of your paper? Be sure you have these references—that is, that you
have the articles on hand if you used them, and make sure that your references relate to the
point you are making or support your inferences. Writing mechanics (form, composition,
spelling, grammar)—Is your paper neat and error-free? It helps to run spellcheck before
submitting your work and to have a colleague or friend read over your work. APA style—
Did you follow the formatting rules of the American Psychological Association (APA)? You
may want to visit the APA Web site, the APA Tutorial in the PSYC Learning Tools in the
Course Content Area of your classroom, the UMGC Guide to Writing and Research, and/or
UMGC’s library Web page.