Argument - Point & Counterpoint - Articles

Argument Essay - Two Articles - read these articles

PRO and CON arguments of America as the Land of Opportunity.

Important: You must use one article for your counterpoint.

Read both these articles and get a sense of their points and supporting details on whether America is a land of opportunity.

PRO - ARGUMENT by Tom Jawetz

Benefits of Immigration Links to an external site. 

CON- ARGUMENT by Freya Petersen

America - Land of the (not so) Free.....  Links to an external site.

 

HOW TO QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE ABOVE ARTICLES

Your final exam essay will require one quote as counterargument from one of these articles - Pro or Con.

Again, see GW5 text, page 150, par.#5 on how counterargument and refute were written about studying abroad.

Follow these in-text citation examples for your own paper:

NOTE: There are no pages numbers to these online articles, so just end with period and end quotation marks.

A.  Quote Example One (Pro Essay) - par. #3 - after Topic Sentence

As Tom Jawetz stated in his positive outlook of U.S. immigrants, "Immigrants continue to be nearly twice as likely as native-born people to start businesses."

Then you Refute this point with your own point(s) in this same par. #3

For example (your refutation to the above could be this)

Although Tom Jawetz makes a good point about creating new businesses, I personally found it difficult to start my hair salon shop two years ago. I needed a small loan, and because I've only been here two years, I didn't have enough equity and I didn't have any business partners. More than one bank would not give me a loan. In my own country of Armenia, I knew many people who would back me for a loan. Another experience in America was when.................(more examples)

B.  Quote Example Two (Con Essay) - par. #3 - after Topic Sentence

As Freya Petersen noted in her statement about uncaring people in the U.S.,  "In America, I usually felt that if I fell, the crowd would march over the top of me, with barely a glance back over its shoulder."

Then you Refute this point with your own point(s) in this same par. #3

For example (your refutation to the above)

I disagree with Freya Petersen because since I've been in America for the past six years, I have found Americans to be some of the kindest and most open people I've ever met, and I've lived in three different countries. For example, my American neighbors helped my daughter with her schoolwork all last year. Also, strangers helped me at a shopping mall last month when I got lost. They.....(continue with supporting examples)

You may continue on with your point after this, giving more supporting details and examples. It's that simple! 

NEXT, is your Argument Essay Assignment.