For an A your writing assignment is to convince the President that one particular environmental concern should have the highest priority using the following format.

Some general guidelines are available. Specific guidelines are given below. This is an argumentative paper and the logic must be readily apparent. For our class you will be required to use one specific form of argumentation and to organize the paper in a very specific format.

The first paragraph of the paper should contain the argument stated in such a way that if the premises are true, then the conclusion must be true. The required form for the argument given below will ensure that is the case. The body of the paper should show that the premises are true. In the second paragraph there should be support for the first premise (the conditional premise). The next paragraph (or paragraphs) should support the second premise. The last paragraph of the paper should repeat the argument given in the first paragraph and say that since the premises are true and since the logic is good, the conclusion must be true.

The required form for the argument is:

• If [my choice] has A, B, and C then [my choice] should be the highest priority.
• [My choice] has A, B, and C.
• [My choice] should be the highest priority.

You must decide what "my choice" is and you must spell out the criteria A, B, and C.

A specific example of the form is: If acid rain is the only environmental concern that threatens life, then acid rain should be the number one environmental concern. Acid rain is the only environmental concern that threatens life. Therefore, acid rain should be the number one environmental concern. Notice that this would be a difficult argument to support since acid rain is clearly not the only environmental concern that treatens life.

Specific Guidelines:

1. Required Argument Format

• The main argument of the paper is to be a conditional argument in the general form:
  
  P1   If A, then B.
  P2   Affirm A.
  C    Conclude B.

  The premises (P1 and P2) in an argument of this form will always lead to the conclusion (C). This will be the case even when the premises are not true. This results in a valid or deductive argument. Since the first premise is conditional, this kind of argument is called a conditional argument. More information.

• This required argument is part of the first paragraph.

• The conclusion of this argument is the thesis of the paper.

• The conclusion of this argument is also the title of the paper.

2. Required Paper Format

• The first paragraph contains the main argument. The conclusion of this argument is the thesis of the paper. The conclusion of this argument is also the title of the paper.

• The second paragraph supports the first premise. This will connect the "A" to the "B" and provide evidence that the "then" part of the conditional premise is really connected to the "If" part of the conditional premise.

• The third paragraph supports the second premise. This will give evidence that the "If" part of the conditional premise is really true.

• The last paragraph summarizes what has been done and restates the main argument.

  I once again remind you that there are two formats to keep track of.

  One is the format of the main argument. The main argument should be a conditional argument of the "If A, then B. Affirm A. Conclude B." variety. The first paragraph should have an argument in that format included in it.

  The second format is the format of the whole paper. That consists of a simple conditional argument in the first paragraph. Support for the first (conditional) premise in the second paragraph, support for the second premise in the next paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph that restates the original simple conditional argument that is in the first paragraph. Also, keep in mind that the support for the first premise is to establish connections between the parts of the conditional argument, while the support for the second premise generally is concerned with providing data or establishing that something is really true.

  Here is a sample paper.

3. There is no length requirement. Keep it simple and to the point. Follow the example of the sample paper.

General Guidelines:

1. This is an argumentative paper and the structure of the argument should be obvious. I do, however, expect the paper to be in normal sentence and paragraph form. Don't use outlines or write P1, P2, etc. in an attempt to make the argument more explicit.

2. This is not a persuasive paper. Opinions and emotional pleas should not appear in this paper.

3. Make sure all premises for the main argument and the conclusion are in the first paragraph. Don't introduce new premises that directly bear on the conclusion after the first paragraph.

4. All the premises of the main argument must be explicitly stated in the first paragraph. That is, there will be no implicit premises in the main argument.

Other ways to form an argument are given below for information purposes only.

• Ozone causes A, B, C.
• Acid rain causes A, D, E.
• Air pollution causes D, E, F.
• Etc.
• A, B, and C endanger life as we know it.
• The environmental issue that endangers life as we know it should be the highest priority.
• Only ozone causes A, B, and C.
• Therefore, ozone should be the highest priority environmental issue.

• Ozone has the greatest impact on life.
• The problem that has the greatest impact on life should be the highest priority.
• Therefore, ozone should be the highest priority.

• Chemistry is required to understand the ozone problem.
• Chemistry is required to understand the acid rain problem.
• Chemistry is required to understand the air pollution problem.
• Etc.
• Ozone, acid rain, air pollution, etc. are the environmental issues.
• Therefore, chemistry is required to understand the environmental issues.

• Ozone, acid rain, air pollution, etc. are the environmental issues.
• If chemistry is required to understand ozone, acid rain, air pollution, etc., then chemistry is required to understand the environmental issues.
• Chemistry is required to understand ozone, acid rain, air pollution, etc.
• Therefore, chemistry is required to understand the environmental issues.