National affairs.

--Introductory Paragraph
grabs the audience’s attention, then sets the stage or the context for the position of which you are arguing.
This introduction should begin with an attention-grabber, provide background for your target audience, and
end with a thesis statement/claim that provides your claim (what you are arguing for) and the
reasons/rationale for your position on an issue.
--Your claim: States what your position on an issue usually appears at the end of the introduction in a short
essay. Should be clearly stated and often contains emphatic language (should, ought, must)
Reasons or Evidence to Support your Claim. All evidence you present in this section should support your
position. This is the heart of your essay. Generally, you begin with a specific statement that you back up
with specific details or examples. Depending on how long your argument is, you will need to devote one to
two well-developed paragraphs to each reason/claim or type of evidence.
Addressing the Opposite Side: Refutation. Pointing out what your opposition is likely to say in response to
your argument shows that you have thought critically about your topic. Addressing the opposite side
actually makes your argument stronger!
Conclusion: The conclusion should bring the essay to a logical end. It should explain what the importance of
your issue is in a larger context. Your conclusion should also reiterate why your topic is worth caring about.
Argue for or against Stevenson’s assumption that we must all (in Mrs. Jennings’ words) “expect more from
each other, hope better for one another, or we are surely doomed” (126). In other words, this viewpoint
asserts that we must raise our standards for justice up higher, have much more empathy for those caught in
an unequal system, and generally lookout for the communal common good rather than our own
individualistic needs. This humanistic approach is the overarching theme throughout Just Mercy. Do you
agree?