In the last lesson, you researched an explorer after watching a video on exploration. In this part, you will begin crafting an argument about exploration.

First, you need to review the elements of an effective argument.

An argumentative essay is a short work in which a writer presents a position and supports it with reasons and evidence. The purpose is to persuade readers to think a certain way about the topic. An effective argumentative essay contains these elements:

claim, or statement of a position
clear, convincing reasons that relate to the claim
evidence, or facts and examples that support the claim
a clear organization, including an introduction, a body, and a conclusion
transitional words and phrases that make the relationships among claims and reasons clear
a concluding statement or section that follows from the ideas presented earlier in the essay
a formal style that takes the subject and reader seriously
error-free grammar, including accurate use of verbs
The assignment is worth 20 points in all.