INI103 Argumentative Research Essay

The final paper for this course will be a research argumentative essay that asks you to select a topic and argue in favour of a certain position in relation to a particular issue. Following the guidelines from the Longman textbook and our in-class models, you will organize your ideas as three or four arguments that support your position against opposing arguments.

Research Requirements for this Assignment 

You will also select a minimum of 3 journalistic, popular, or scholarly sources that help you substantiate your assertions: 

• newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, or essays in books
• Look for resources that identify where they get their information
  • Scholarly publications (research articles in academic journals, books, or book chapters/essays) 
    • Look for in-text citations and bibliographies for the ideas and data in the article. 
  • Newspapers and magazines 
    • Look for articles that highlight where they got their information within the article (e.g., interviews, reports or documents, events) and investigate those sources (e.g., look up the experts, organizations, and documents that are included in the article). 
  • Still unsure? Ask a librarian or your instructor. 

Think about the different types of information these sources 

• Immediate response
• First person accounts
• Commentary from experts, organizations, or general public
• In-depth research (overview or very specific aspects)
• Brief overview of a topic 
• Images, Figures or Tables of Data

• UofT Libraries Research Guides
  • Search the guides by key word or subject to find resources on your topic
  • Canadian Studies, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Science, Government Information, Public Policy
• Across UofT Libraries
  • Robarts Library: Government docs, Urban Studies (social sciences, humanities and arts) 
  • Map & Data Library (5th floor, Robarts Library) 
  • First Nations House Library
  • Thomas Fisher Rare Books Library (Fisher Library's digital collections) 
  • New College Library: African Studies, Caribbean Studies, Equity Studies, Women & Gender Studies
  • Graham Library (Trinity College): International Relations
• Across Toronto: 
  • City of Toronto Archives - Online collections (maps, records, photos)
  • Toronto Public Library - Digital Collections