Should puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender reassignment surgery be available to minors?

 Final Paper

Assignment

Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 13 

  Bassham, G., Irwin, W., Nardone, H., & Wallace, J. (2023). Critical thinking (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. 

• Lesson
• Your “Argumentative Paper Checklist”

Instructions

Week 7 Assignment

This week, all the hard work you have done in researching your topic and issue will come to fruition in your argumentative paper. Address the requirements below to complete your paper:

1. Follow the directions in the assigned textbook reading on how to write an argumentative essay on the issue you chose in Week 1.
2. Write a 4–6 page argumentative essay on your chosen topic.
3. Be sure your essay contains the following: 

• • An opening paragraph that states a clear thesis that is focused, plausible, and arguable and that gives direction and purpose to the paper 
  • A fair-minded, balanced, and objective development of the pros and cons of the issue in a well-organized sequence of ideas, free of mechanical errors 
  • Credible, reliable, and authoritative evidence in support of the points made 
  • A minimum of five authoritative sources that support your claim
  • A strong conclusion that summarizes your views, reminds the audience of the issue and its importance, and shows in brief that you have successfully defended your thesis

1. Once you feel you have got the final draft, try to put the paper aside, even for a few hours, and then read it again.
2. Consider these questions when you review your paper:

• • Did you address at least three aspects of the issue you chose? 
  • Does each aspect have relevant and authoritative evidence in support of your point? 
  • Have you included a view that is in opposition to your viewpoint, and have you answered that opposing view, pointing out its flaws in such a way as to refute it?

1. Edit your paper

• • Look for wordiness, repetition, vagueness, and ambiguity.
  • Check the organization of the paper as a whole; make sure each paragraph maintains focus.
  • After you are satisfied that the content of your paper is good, carefully proofread it and correct mechanical errors. 

Writing Requirements

• Length: 4–6 pages (not including title page or references page) 
• 1-inch margins 
• Double spaced 
• 12-point Times New Roman font 
• Title page 
• References page 

G

Outcomes

• CO 4: Evaluate arguments by applying standard tests. 
• CO 5: Evaluate the role of cognitive bias and fallacies of relevance in critical reasoning and decision-making. 
• CO 6: Apply principles of critical reasoning to political, educational, economic, and/or social issues. 
• CO 7: Create a fallacy-free argument that incorporates principles of ethical decision-making.