The Supreme Court holds the power to interpret the laws that change the fabric of our daily lives. The practices of the federal government are called into question when the highest court in our country rules on the cases presented before them. Past rulings have struck down the practice of racial segregation in public schools, defined free speech, and upheld child labor laws. The Court's decisions impact our rights as citizens and cover topics concerning abortion, free speech, racial quotas, reading material, and illegal searches. The Supreme Court's interpretation of federal laws leads to the practical application and enforcement of those laws.
Every case heard by the Supreme Court is an argument. In the end, the Supreme Court decides which side of the argument is correct. Their claim is called the Opinion of the Court. However, a minority of Supreme Court justices might disagree with the opinion of the court or its impact on federal law. Their counter claim is called the Dissenting Opinion. Not every split ruling will result in a published Dissenting Opinion, but many do. Although only some cases will publish a Dissenting Opinion, all cases will result in an Opinion of the Court.
Researching and summarizing can help clarify complicated topics like the oral arguments presented to the Supreme Court. Writing a summary paper can organize data and educate you as well as your reader. Because every citizen is ultimately impacted by the Opinions of the Court, summary papers are powerful tools that make complicated arguments easier to comprehend.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Examine the Prompt
Before you begin any writing assignment, look closely at the prompt and determine what information you have been asked to find. You may want to make a checklist that includes the subject, a list of requirements, and any open-ended questions the prompt expects you to answer.
Take Notes
Plan plenty of time for your research.
When you start your investigation, relax and jot down all the sources you find along the way. You never know which source you may need more information from when you start writing.
Write down interesting information and facts that support your answers to the prompt questions. Remember, every bit of evidence in your notes may not make it into your research paper. However, when writing your first draft, too much information is better than too little in your notes.
Notes do not need to be perfect, but they need to withstand the test of time. Would you still be able to read and understand your notes if you had to stop researching for a few days? Could you relocate the original source if you needed extra information for your final draft? If not, slow down, write neatly, and add more details to your notes.
Make sure your notes are in your own words. This will help you to avoid plagiarism when you begin writing. If you do like a quote, make sure you include quotation marks in your notes, or else you might accidentally use those words as your own.
Claim: The Opinion of the Court
Since you are writing a summary about an argument, you must gather information about both sides. Every argument has at least two sides. These sides are called claim and counter claim. Summaries of arguments require at least one paragraph summarizing the primary source's claim. For this essay, the summary paragraph about claim should not hold your personal opinion.
Counter Claim: The Dissenting Opinion
The summary of the counter claim will offer several details contesting the original claim. This paragraph should offer facts in the same straightforward fashion as in the summary of the claim. The counter claim paragraph will point out mistaken assumptions that the other side might hold or may have missed. By the end of your summary paragraphs, you should have an unbiased account of each side of the argument.
THE DRAFTING PROCESS
Craft a Thesis
After you have a clear understanding of the prompt and have completed the majority of your research, you are ready to formulate a thesis. Your thesis will be the central idea or reason for your research. It should be one sentence that states your point of view. Make sure your thesis directly answers the questions asked within the prompt and presents the subject of your body paragraphs.
Write with Your Audience in Mind
All writers must consider the reason they are writing and the audience for whom they are writing. Each time you write for school, your audience is ultimately your instructor; so, make sure you address the entire prompt.
Sometimes the prompt will ask you to focus on a certain audience. For example, today's prompt suggests that you write for other students. This means that some of the information you offer will be basic. Because of your assigned audience, you may choose to explain the number of justices or give a numerical breakdown of how a vote spilt. However, let's imagine you were writing to a Supreme Court Justice. In the latter scenario, you would not have to clarify the split because you could assume your audience would already know the information. As you plan your essay, remember your purpose and audience; both can change the type of information you include.
Begin Your Outline
When you understand your prompt, it's time to begin an outline of your essay. An outline helps you organize your ideas into a logical flow.
Start by writing short answers to all the questions within the prompt. You may combine answers that go together into one sentence. Each sentence should be addressed in a separate body paragraph. Each body paragraph must support your sentence with details from your research. Use your notes and pick at least 4 pieces of information that will support your answer in the most logical way. Remember, transitions and linking phrases will help.
The last paragraph of every essay is called the conclusion. This is the place to include your thesis, personal insights gained from your research, and to suggest the reader take action on the new information. This paragraph can also recap the bits of information your paper contained. For this project, the conclusion should contain a fairly strong personal opinion on the ruling of the Court.
Although it sounds odd, your introduction might be the last paragraph you organize. Remember, the introduction must be entertaining. You need to encourage your reader to read your paper. Try tempting them with the best facts, or create a scenario that will cause them to think. For this project, you might want to include some of the background information from your chosen case. At the end of your introduction paragraph, you must include your thesis statement.
DIRECTIONS
Today, you will use research and summary to inform a reader. Use details from your investigation to support a central idea. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
You will need to follow the rules of grammar by using correct punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. For example, when you write about the United States Supreme Court or the Justices, you must always use capitals.
Before uploading your final draft, make sure you have included several transitions, which are words or phrases that will link sections of the text one to another.
Before completing your final draft, please look at the informative research rubric.
Prompt
Write a four-paragraph summary essay analyzing a Supreme Court Ruling that includes a Dissenting Opinion. You may choose to create a slide show, or include other pieces of media or graphics to accompany your paper. Imagine you are writing to other high school students. For your research, you can utilize the internet, library, or newspapers. A good place to start is the government's Supreme Court website: http://www.supremecourt.gov. You will need to make use of both primary and secondary sources for this assignment.
For your research, check to make sure you include:
An introduction paragraph that includes appropriate background information.
The name of the Justice who wrote the Opinion of the Court.
A summary of the Opinion of the Court.
The name of the Justice who wrote the Dissenting Opinion.
A summary of the Dissenting Opinion.
A concluding paragraph that offers your personal opinion of the topic.
QUESTIONS
1.Which of the following is a counter claim to a decision made by the Supreme Court?
dissenting opinion
ruling
opinion of the court
oral Argument
2.Prepare for your research. List the all current Supreme Court Justices and one interesting fact about each. You can use the internet, local library, or contact the news media in your area for the answer.
Sample Solution