Page 506 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

personal use. You are preparing a speech to argue for or against this
proposal. In your argument, you may also want to compare or contrast

marijuana with alcohol, a legal substance with similar effects. You may

also wish to discuss the effects that legalizing marijuana may have on

the people of your state.

Organize your paper as a speech, with an introduction mentioning the
proposal to legalize marijuana and stating your position for or against

the legalization of marijuana. The body of your speech will contain

your arguments for or against the proposal. You should provide at

least three strong arguments. Conclude by strongly urging your fellow

senators to vote for or against the proposed law.

Adversity Appraisal: Comparison-

Contrast, Cause-Effect, and

Argument

Is it harder to be poor as a child or to be poor as an adult? In this
essay, you will answer the question with an argument—that is, your

thesis will state that it is harder to be poor as a child or that it is harder

to be poor as an adult. Although the larger structure of the essay will

be one of argument, you will also explore the effects of poverty on

children and adults and contrast them to see which group would

probably find poverty more difficult, thus bringing cause-effect and
comparison-contrast techniques into your essay.