Critical Essay Planning Template

Please enter your name (Last, First), your E-Mail Address,and the title of your essay:

Name:

E-Mail:

Essay Title:

This template is not intended as an organizational outline for your essay but rather as a guide to the elements which your essay should ideally include. Basically, it is a planning tool to help you develop the content of your essay. The more of these elements your essay includes the higher the grade it will receive. A completed elements template must be submitted prior to the submission of your essay. Guidance in organizing the contents of your essay is available at "Critical Essay Organization Template", and general writing assistance is available at "Where to get help with your Writing".

Fill in the requested information to the best of your ability. Write in complete sentences, but be as concise as possible. See example for help in filling out this template.

Author's Name:

Source of Argument:

Topic:

Issue:

Part One: Author's Argument

Author's position on the issue:

Author's reasons in support of position (list by number):

Evidence offered by author in support of the truth of reasons ( indicate reason numbers):

Factual assumptions operative in author's argument ( list by number):

Value assumptions operative in author's argument (list by number):

Part Two: Evaluation of Author's Argument

Assess the logical strength of the author's argument:

Assess the evidential strength of the author's argument:

Assess the overall soundness of the author's argument: