Notes for Claim Writing Success 1. Comments on Titles: Sample #1: chose strong language to show writer’s claim; first part grabs attention, second part gets focused Sample #2: Please Help! Grabs the reader on an emotional level—got attention—the beginning part wasn’t as strong!! Too fake! Not specific enough—(turned attention away) too blunt! Gives away too much!— Sample #3: attention grabbing—polarizing language, strong words—can see both sides— Critique: include “Formation” or not? Too much? Too litte? Is it too exaggerated? Overly done? Not serious enough? 2. What goes in the first paragraph? b. what worked? Introduces the issue Using some data? Used a quote? Create a sense of urgency or importance=gives justification, gives context How is this different than Sec 3 (background)? In claim—give a quick glimpse of the issue— Sample 3—clear description of problem- Quote? Expert echoes your statement so it doesn’t sound like you are making it up Why not use it? Summarize Sample 1 quote –early? Suspicious In Sec 3 dig into the details more c. what didn’t? what didn’t work MLA incorrect Sample #2—too general---too broad! 3. What goes in the second paragraph? MAP: All major points of the paper (introduce or touch on every required section) --Section 2—Suvin and short story Map out the required sections of this paper (all your big moves!) --solution (section 6) Taking a stand –say what you argue and why it matters! Last two sentence of paragraph 2 Use first person? To use or not to use? Feel more comfortable –easy to use commanding words Sounding confident Assert yourself into your argument—easier to sound confident Map—chronological—follow the order of the paper!! b. what worked? c. what didn’t? this is not project proposal writing Is it specific? Controversial? Map? What does that mean?? Stakes? Final Research PAper Final Research Paper: What’s the New Cognition? Estrangement in Octavia’s Brood For your final paper, please select a novum you find cognitively estranging in one short story. Using outside research, write a 6-8 page, double spaced, 1 inch margins, 12pt font, Times New Roman research paper that investigates the new cognition the estrangement leads you to explore. The page requirement does NOT include the Works Cited. Final version due to Canvas 3/20 before 11:59 pm. Your bibliography should have at least 10 sources to support your argument and to detail what the new cognition is for you on this particular issue. Darko Suvin’s “Estrangement and Cognition” and the short story of your choice count as two of the ten sources. At least three of your sources must be from academic, peer-reviewed journals. The other five (min.) can be from popular sources. You need one quote in every paragraph, Sections 3-6. Organization, Section I 2 paragraphs that outline the claim, complete with stakes. Recall, strong claims are specific, take a stand on something controversial, and they matter. Your claim should provide a ma.

1. Notes for Claim Writing Success
1. Comments on Titles:
Sample #1: chose strong language to show writer’s claim; first
part grabs attention, second part gets focused
Sample #2: Please Help! Grabs the reader on an emotional
level—got attention—the beginning part wasn’t as strong!!
Too fake! Not specific enough—(turned attention away) too
blunt! Gives away too much!—
Sample #3: attention grabbing—polarizing language, strong
words—can see both sides—
Critique: include “Formation” or not? Too much? Too litte?
Is it too exaggerated? Overly done? Not serious enough?
2. What goes in the first paragraph?
b. what worked?
Introduces the issue
Using some data? Used a quote? Create a sense of urgency or
importance=gives justification, gives context
How is this different than Sec 3 (background)?
In claim—give a quick glimpse of the issue—
Sample 3—clear description of problem-
Quote? Expert echoes your statement so it doesn’t sound like
you are making it up
Why not use it? Summarize
Sample 1 quote –early? Suspicious
In Sec 3 dig into the details more
c. what didn’t?
what didn’t work
MLA incorrect
Sample #2—too general---too broad!
3. What goes in the second paragraph?
MAP:
All major points of the paper (introduce or touch on every

2. required section)
--Section 2—Suvin and short story
Map out the required sections of this paper (all your big
moves!)
--solution (section 6)
Taking a stand –say what you argue and why it matters! Last
two sentence of paragraph 2
Use first person? To use or not to use?
Feel more comfortable –easy to use commanding words
Sounding confident
Assert yourself into your argument—easier to sound confident
Map—chronological—follow the order of the paper!!
b. what worked?
c. what didn’t?
this is not project proposal writing
Is it specific? Controversial?
Map? What does that mean??
Stakes?
Final Research PAper
Final Research Paper: What’s the New Cognition?
Estrangement in Octavia’s Brood
For your final paper, please select a novum you find cognitively
estranging in one short story. Using outside research, write a 6-
8 page, double spaced, 1 inch margins, 12pt font, Times New
Roman research paper that investigates the new cognition the
estrangement leads you to explore. The page requirement does
NOT include the Works Cited.

3. Final version due to Canvas 3/20 before 11:59 pm.
Your bibliography should have at least 10 sources to support
your argument and to detail what the new cognition is for you
on this particular issue. Darko Suvin’s “Estrangement and
Cognition” and the short story of your choice count as two of
the ten sources.
At least three of your sources must be from academic, peer-
reviewed journals. The other five (min.) can be from popular
sources.
You need one quote in every paragraph, Sections 3-6.
Organization, Section I
2 paragraphs that outline the claim, complete with stakes.
Recall, strong claims are specific, take a stand on something
controversial, and they matter. Your claim should provide a map
for the paper.
This part you will constantly be revising
Most important part of paper
Functions as a map, all the important points are mapped in
claim, then expanded in the other sections (Think Suvin
Summary, Paragraph 1)
section 2
2 paragraphs that introduce the short story, name a specific
novum, discuss why it’s estranging for you (first person), what
assumption it interrupts for you, and what new cognition you

4. have reached because of this estrangement. This section must
have:
A definition of cognitive estrangement (borrow from Summary
Papers) which includes a proper introduction of the essay and
the author Darko Suvin. Include an explanation of why reading
science fiction is good for current political struggles. I suggest
beginning this section with Suvin.
A proper introduction of the short story and author
One specific novum
A quote describing the novum, properly cited from the short
story
A description of why it is estranging for you (no one else)
Name the assumption/social norm it interrupts
Describe the new thinking this estrangement generates/BRIDGE
to research focus
The short story is just a springboard, a place to launch the rest
of your paper from. It is the inspiration behind the exploration
of whatever social issue you chose. Here is one way to
transition in Section 2:
In “Estrangement and Cognition,” Darko Suvin argues SF
can lead to social change because it has the potential to change
how readers understand themselves and their worlds. The
novum, or new thing, in an otherwise recognizable environment,
creates a distance between the reader and what she thinks she
already knows. This distance engenders a critical vantage on a
norm or assumption which allows new thinking, or a new
cognition, on an otherwise unquestioned subject.
In Vagabond’s “Kafka’s Last Laugh” the lack of voting
was a novum that estranged me. [insert quote describing the
lack of voting]. This is estranging to me because I grew up
being told that my vote matters. My alienation […] led me to
question my assumption about […]. My estrangement in the

5. short story leads me to consider the current debates about
activism, art and social change. More specifically, I am
interested in how […] and I argue […]
Section III:
Two or Three paragraphs describing the problem. Persuasively
paint a picture of the context you are writing within. Use your
research strategically, and in a focused manner, to set up the
social issue you choose. (Who, what, where, when, etc.)
How you describe the problem should be carefully considered.
Remember, this is an argument paper, so you want to
intentionally portray the problem in a way that sets you up to
make a powerful claim.
Use (and explain) specialized terms particular to your topic
Quote experts to help frame the problem (1 quote per paragraph,
using Quote Method)
Show the complexity of your issue
Make your reader care
Section IV
Use your research to write a few paragraphs describing the
differing sides of the debate. Remember, most issues have more
than two sides. This section should strategically describe who is
saying what about your social issue. You can’t summarize
everyone, so pick strategically. Who/or what perspective do you
see yourself arguing with??? You must narrow in on who you
are debating with and summarize the pieces of their claim
relevant to your claim.
There should be a lot of “According to So and So, the
leading expert on blahblah […]” and “However, policy expert
So and So suggests the opposite in her article “Blah blah blah”

6. where she argues for blah.” Use: Conversely, On the other hand,
Similarly, Interestingly…
Section v
Write at least TWO Paragraphs inserting what you are arguing
about the issue—what are you contributing to these debates?
What are they missing, misreading, or ignoring (for example)?
What are you arguing? Take a stand. This is YOU talking to the
experts in Section 4, about the problem described in Section 3.
Time to interject your claim within the context you created thus
far. Three Strategies:
1) Agreeing but with a difference
2) Disagreeing with Reasons
3) Okay, but…
See “They Say, I Say”: Entering Academic Conversations
section vi
Demand a solution. Make a suggestion about what you think
should happen. Considering everything you have read and
thought about, what do you think needs to happen to make
things better? Recall the spirit of the short stories, what kind of
change do you want to see, even if it is “risky business”?
Think BIG! What should happen? What needs to change?
You don’t have to fix everything but you do need to educate
yourself on what other people are saying should be done.
You can use other people’s ideas and point the reader in that
direction.
Is there an organization with a plan you like? A particular law
you think will help? An area that should be funded/defunded?
Formula for Paragraphs with Quotes
Remember, paragraphs develop ONE main argument.
Structure:

7. Topic Sentence argument (top bun)
Develop your argument
Set up the Quote (Step One)
Insert the Quote Properly (use correct citation)
Explain the Quote (Step Three)
State the Implications of your Quote (Step FOUR)—MAKE IT
WORK FOR YOU!
Restate your topic sentence (bottom bun)
Section VII
Conclusion Paragraph: One paragraphs where you restate your
claim in a more nuanced way. Make sure to end of the stakes,
or why your argument matters.
Grading Rubric for the Final Research Paper
35% of Overall Grade
A Complex, Persuasive Claim Complete with Stakes 8
points
Research Requirements & Proper Bibliography 5
points
Fulfill Required Sections 9
points
Paragraph Structure/Incorporation of Evidence 9 points
Length, Overall Grammar and Attention to Detail 4
points

8. Reminders
6-8 pages of written material (does not include Works Cited). 6
full pages (not one line shorter) is the minimum.
Using Noodle Tools, a Works Cited page with 10 sources, min.
of 3 must be academic. Must be properly cited according to
MLA (alphabetical order, etc.)
“I” statements are okay for this paper. You must use “I” when
discussing why it is estranging for you. You can then choose
strategically to convert to third person.
No second person unless you qualify it and get my ok.
Use an argumentative, confident tone (not opinion, even if it is
your opinion). “This essay argues for” “I demonstrate,” etc.
REminders
Cite your sources, make them work for you! Leverage them
strategically to make your argument more powerful and
convincing. Situate yourself in conversation with other scholars.
“According to Kate Boyd in “blah blah,” small dogs make
people happier” and therefore, there is a direct correlation
between small dogs, happy people and long lives.”
Periods and commas go INSIDE quotations:
This: “In Kate Boyd’s paper, she argues blah.”
Not This: “In Kate Boyd’s paper, she argues blah”.
Conclusion: A paragraph that restates your claim in a different
way. Stakes should be clear, its always a powerful writing
strategy to end on the stakes of your argument.
REminders
You can and should come to office hours

9. You can and should go to the Writing Center
You must use MLA. If you do not know how, look it up!
Please review the rubric
You will not get written feedback, but if you want comments
come visit me next quarter.
Participation grades will be finalized on March 20th.
Final Research Paper: What’s the New Cognition?
Estrangement in Octavia’s Brood
For your final paper, please select a novum you find cognitively
estranging in one short story. Using outside research, write a 6-
8 page, double spaced, 1 inch margins, 12pt font, Times New
Roman research paper that investigates the new cognition the
estrangement leads you to explore. The page requirement does
NOT include the Works Cited.
Organization, Section I
2 paragraphs that outline the claim, complete with stakes.
Recall, strong claims are specific, take a stand on something
controversial, and they matter. Your claim should provide a map
for the paper.
· This part you will constantly be revising
· Most important part of paper
· Functions as a map, all the important points are mapped in
claim, then expanded in the other sections (Think Suvin
Summary, Paragraph 1)
section 2
2 paragraphs that introduce the short story, name a specific
novum, discuss why it’s estranging for you (first person), what
assumption it interrupts for you, and what new cognition you
have reached because of this estrangement. This section must
have:
· A definition of cognitive estrangement (borrow from Summary

10. Papers) which includes a proper introduction of the essay and
the author Darko Suvin. Include an explanation of why reading
science fiction is good for current political struggles. I suggest
beginning this section with Suvin.
· A proper introduction of the short story and author
· One specific novum
· A quote describing the novum, properly cited from the short
story
· A description of why it is estranging for you (no one else)
Name the assumption/social norm it interrupts
· Describe the new thinking this estrangement
generates/BRIDGE to research focus
· The short story is just a springboard, a place to launch the rest
of your paper from. It is the inspiration behind the exploration
of whatever social issue you chose. Here is one way to
transition in Section 2:
· In “Estrangement and Cognition,” Darko Suvin argues SF
can lead to social change because it has the potential to change
how readers understand themselves and their worlds. The
novum, or new thing, in an otherwise recognizable environment,
creates a distance between the reader and what she thinks she
already knows. This distance engenders a critical vantage on a
norm or assumption which allows new thinking, or a new
cognition, on an otherwise unquestioned subject.
In Vagabond’s “Kafka’s Last Laugh” the lack of voting
was a novum that estranged me. [insert quote describing the
lack of voting]. This is estranging to me because I grew up
being told that my vote matters. My alienation […] led me to
question my assumption about […]. My estrangement in the
short story leads me to consider the current debates about
activism, art and social change. More specifically, I am
interested in how […] and I argue […]
Section III:

11. Two or Three paragraphs describing the problem. Persuasively
paint a picture of the context you are writing within. Use your
research strategically, and in a focused manner, to set up the
social issue you choose. (Who, what, where, when, etc.)
· How you describe the problem should be carefully considered.
Remember, this is an argument paper, so you want to
intentionally portray the problem in a way that sets you up to
make a powerful claim.
· Use (and explain) specialized terms particular to your topic
· Quote experts to help frame the problem (1 quote per
paragraph, using Quote Method)
· Show the complexity of your issue
· Make your reader care
Section IV
Use your research to write a few paragraphs describing the
differing sides of the debate. Remember, most issues have more
than two sides. This section should strategically describe who is
saying what about your social issue. You can’t summarize
everyone, so pick strategically. Who/or what perspective do you
see yourself arguing with??? You must narrow in on who you
are debating with and summarize the pieces of their claim
relevant to your claim.
There should be a lot of “According to So and So, the leading
expert on blahblah […]” and “However, policy expert So and So
suggests the opposite in her article “Blah blah blah” where she
argues for blah.” Use: Conversely, On the other hand, Similarly,
Interestingly…
Section v
Write at least TWO Paragraphs inserting what you are arguing

12. about the issue—what are you contributing to these debates?
What are they missing, misreading, or ignoring (for example)?
What are you arguing? Take a stand. This is YOU talking to the
experts in Section 4, about the problem described in Section 3.
Time to interject your claim within the context you created thus
far. Three Strategies:
1) Agreeing but with a difference
2) Disagreeing with Reasons
3) Okay, but…
See “They Say, I Say”: Entering Academic Conversations