English 5 Spring 2011: Argument 2

The essay is due for a peer review Tuesday, May 10, 2011. Final draft due May 12.

Write a Toulmin-based argument in which you defend or challenge the view that the American judicial system is just or fair to all citizens tried. Use Robert Hilary King’s life as exemplified in From the Bottom of the Heap: Black Panther Robert Hillary King to prove this claim.

I gave students a copy of a Toulmin essay by Virginia Woolf as an example.

This is the second argument with as its theme: Morality vs. Legality. When is what is legal moral and when is the same system immoral? What about ethical?
Include a preliminary synopsis of your argument. Divided into five sections:

1. Your claim

2. A qualifier

3. Your data subdivided into hard facts and reason-based evidence. Both objective and subjective

4. Your warrant, which renders your data trustworthy

5. Your backing, which enforces and legitimizes the warrant

Outline
1. What issue am I going to investigate?

2. What is my claim?

3. What grounds (data) can I produce that would authenticate my claim [Testimonials from psychologists, convicted juveniles, law enforcement, parents, advocates; statistic, laws]

4. What backing can I give to my warrant?

5. In light of challenging views, how will I need to qualify my claim, if at all

6. What concluding reflections can I give to my argument?, runaways—who is most vulnerable to participating in illegal activities or is no one immune?]

7. Using the above information, what can I say in my opening paragraph that would best introduce my argument and engage my reader’s attentions?