The Defining Decade - Essay #2 (Argument) ENG 88 S.

Wiley

Our "thirty-is-the-new-twenty" culture tells us the twentysomething years don't matter. Some
say they are a second adolescence. Others call them an emerging adulthood. Meg Jay's
twentysomething clients are well-educated, yet they lack focus and resist making decisions about
love, work, family, and the future. Jay blames popular culture, the media, other researchers, and
parents for spreading the idea that the twenties are a time for free exploration, not settling down.
Dr. Meg Jay, a clinical psychologist, argues that twentysomethings have been caught in a
swirl of hype and misinformation, much of which has trivialized what is actually the most
defining decade of adulthood.

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Write an essay in which you take a position on Jay’s argument; you can agree and/or disagree
with Jay. The purpose of this essay is to make a case for where you stand on this topic.

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NOTE:

The essay must address the thoughts of the author from the following research:

1. Transcript from “The Defining Decade” - TED Talk by Meg Jay

2. Your researched article, which supports your position (SBCC library database)

Optional sources from class reader: Not required but useful to support your claim.

3. “The Unthought Known” - from The Defining Decade by Meg Jay.

4. “The Odyssey Years” by David Brooks

2. Thoroughly read, 4/T, and view your chosen sources.

3. Identify the main argument in the articles. These can turn into Golden Lines, which can
turn into your evidence.

4. State your position on the argument.

Introduction: Beside the pertinent information about the author and title, the introduction
should also give a brief summary of what the article contains (about 2 – 3 sentences). Your
introduction is where you lay the foundation for your solid argument. It’s made up of a hook (a
sentence that grabs your reader’s attention), background information, and a thesis statement.
Remember to use “should, need, ought, or must” in your thesis.
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Who is my audience? How will I appeal to my audience? (It’s important to identify your
audience no matter what type of writing essay. Doing so will help you select a message that
speaks to them.)
2. What is the issue at hand? Who cares? Why is this issue important?

Body of essay: The body paragraphs should offer some detailed background information on
your topic and support for your thesis. Each paragraph should contain one major piece of
information. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that supports your thesis. Start with
your strongest claim.

1. What is a claim? A claim is a statement you make to support your argument.

The exact number of claims you choose to include doesn’t matter, but in this assignment you
should have three or more strongly developed claims. (Great! So I’ve made my claim. But
who’s going to believe me? This is where evidence comes into play.)

2. What is evidence? For each claim you make, you need to provide supporting evidence.
Evidence is factual information from reliable sources. Evidence must come from your sources.
(examples, statistics, facts, studies, testimony, data, etc.): It is not personal knowledge or
anecdotal.
For each piece of evidence, you need to include analysis.

3. Opposing side of the argument: Refuting Opponents’ Arguments - Add at least one
opposition.
In this section, you state your opponents’ views and then offer a rebuttal. You do not have to do
additional research. Just acknowledge that there are people who might not agree with Jay’s
premise.

Conclusion: In your conclusion, you are going to accomplish two important tasks.
1. Restate the importance of your argument.
This paragraph should be a restatement of your argument. It can be the future of your topic and
possible directions your topic can take or it can be a call to action. Restate your opinion focusing
on your main claims. No new information is given in the conclusion.
Remember:
1. Your paragraphs should include transitions and signal phrases.
2. Avoid emotional language. Avoid “you” “your” use. Avoid overuse of pronouns.
3. Font is Times New Roman, 12 point, 1” margins
4. The essay length is titled and is 3.5 - 4 pages typed double-spaced.
5. Your name, class, and date are doubled spaced on the left side of the paper.

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR OVERUSED WORDS: Find at least 10 words that are overused or
boring. Use your thesaurus to substitute meaningful interesting words for the overused words.
Hint: Look for boring verbs and turn them into vibrant verbs!

Checklist:
___ Have I written a focused thesis?
___ Does each paragraph begin with a strong topic sentence?
___ Do all the claims support my thesis?
___ Have I used E/A and sandwich quote format?
___ Have I used interesting vocabulary to keep my readers interested (thesaurus)?
___ Are my margins 1 inch?
___ Is my MLA citation included?
___ Is my final essay double-spaced, 12 font, and Times New Roman?