Review the Strategy Questions for Organizing Your Argument Essay in the “Creating an Informal Outline” section of Chapter 4, and then write a 1000-word response to the following question: What are the dangers of being judgmental?.

In to write a 1000-word response to such a short question, you’ll need to include a variety of sources and perspectives.  Incorporate the following into your paper:

• your first-hand experiences
• evidence gathered from stories in this module, particularly drawn from characters in the Hawthorne and O’Connor texts
• researched scholarly insight into why people are quick to judge
• our Core Values of Excellence and/or Integrity

4.2.3 Designing an Argument Strategy

An outline provides you with a blueprint for writing a first draft of an argument essay. Jotting down responses to the strategy questions in Take Note 4.2 can further prepare you for the drafting process.

Take Note 4.2

Strategy Questions for Organizing Your Argument Essay

1. How can you “hook” your readers from the start—for instance, with an opening example, anecdote, scenario, startling statistic, or provocative question?

2. How much background information and rhetorical context should you include to acquaint readers with the issue?

3. Will you present your claim early in your essay (at the end of your introduction is the conventional placement) or delay it until your conclusion?

4. What are your main supporting points (subclaims)?

5. Do you have sufficient evidence for each of these points? Have you located authoritative (expert) sources that add credibility to your argument?

6. How will you address opposing viewpoints? Have you identified the key points in the counterarguments? Are you prepared to make some concessions and to build strong refutations?

7. Have you considered aspects of tone (for example, serious, comical, inquisitive, humble, thoughtful, or assertive) that would suit the issue and would lead your audience to respect and trust you?

8. How will you conclude in a meaningful way? Will you call upon readers to take action? Will you explain why the issue is important? Will you offer a compromise that benefits all sides?

After creating an outline and jotting down strategy notes, you should have a steady dialogue running through your mind; most definitely, you will have generated plenty of words on the subject. Reviewing your pages of notes, you may choose to first revise and expand your outline and then write a draft—or you may be ready to crank out that first draft.