Argumentative Writing

Argumentative Writing

Pre-AP English 2023

What is argumentative writing?

• It's pretty much what you think it is! Argumentative writing is about picking one side of a controversial topic, and using evidence and reasoning to support your side of the argument.

What are claims?

• In argumentative writing, your claim states your stance on the topic, and summarizes your reasons for taking that stance.

• The claim should be very clear about which side of the topic you are arguing.

What makes a good claim?

• Good claims are arguable: You could argue for or against it. No fence-sitting (taking both sides)!

• Good claims are reasonable: You aren't arguing for something extreme or over-the-top that most people would not support.

• Good claims are supportable: Your claim can be supported with evidence. You aren't making wild claims with no basis in fact, and you aren't just pulling your argument out of nowhere.

Example of a good claim:

"Students should be allowed to use phones in class for educational purposes and to stay in touch with their loved ones."

• It's arguable because you could just as easily argue that students shouldn't be allowed to have phones in class.

• It's reasonable because it doesn't argue that students should be on their phones all the time, but that they do have a use in the classroom.

• It's supportable because you can find lots of evidence to support the use of all kinds of technology, phones included, to benefit learning.

And now, some bad claims.

I will show you three claims that are related to the same topic as the example before (using phones in class). You will need to tell me if the claim is: not arguable, not reasonable, or not supportable.

Multiple Choice

Claim 1: Phones have both good and bad sides, and can be used for productive and unproductive activities.

• Not arguable

• Not reasonable

• Not supportable

Multiple Choice

Claim 2: Phones should be allowed because most kids I know can use them and still pay attention in class.

• Not arguable

• Not reasonable

• Not supportable

Multiple Choice

Claim 3: Phones should be banned from all schools permanently because they are a distraction and have no use in education.

• Not arguable

• Not reasonable

• Not supportable

What are counterclaims?

• While claims state which side of the issue you are arguing for, a counterclaim states how others might argue against you.

• Counterclaims require you to see a different side of the argument than the one you're taking.

• They are a form of concession--You are conceding that your argument is not the only possible argument on this topic.

How to write counterclaims

Let's return to the claim we were working with earlier:

• Students should be allowed to use phones in class for educational purposes and to stay in touch with their loved ones.

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​Think about reasons why someone might disagree with this claim.

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Open Ended

What are some reasons why someone might disagree with this claim?

"Students should be allowed to use phones in class for educational purposes and to stay in touch with their loved ones."

How to write counterclaims, continued

Once you have identified some reasons others might argue against your claim, you incorporate those into a statement much like your claim.

• Start with a lead-in that will signal to readers this is not your argument, but how others might argue against you.

• Examples could include "Some may say..." or "Others argue..."

• Examples: ​

  • Some may say students shouldn't use phones in class because there's too much potential for distraction.

  • Others argue phones aren't intended for educational use and are merely for entertainment and communication.

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Final Quiz!

Let's see if you remember what you learned!

Multiple Choice

Good claims are...

• Arguable, serious, lengthy

• Debatable, creatable, relatable

• Arguable, reasonable, supportable

• Supportable, questionable, adaptable

Multiple Choice

Why is "Taco Bell is the best fast food restaurant because everyone thinks their food is really good" a bad claim?

• It's not a bad claim

• Not reasonable

• Not supportable

• Not arguable

Multiple Choice

Counterclaims should state what ___ believe about your topic.

• You, the author

• Others who might argue against you

• Experts whose research you've read

• People with experience on your topic

This month, we are going to create our own arguments.

Our major objective is to create a well-formatted argumentative essay and to enhance our speaking skills in a debate.

The First Step...

Topic Assignments! Everyone, get into groups.

Next Step... Research

Research Websites to Use

Always use an academic database to research unless you are using a book!

googlescholar.com

https://www.base-search.net

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://doaj.org

https://core.ac.uk

Narrowing down your Topic

Poll

Which meme represents your mood coming into class today?

Writing Process:

5 Steps

Writing Wheel

Come up with your 3 points

​This will be useful for your thesis!

Example: Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

Let's dissect this!

To organize our research as evidence, we need to create an annotated bibliography.

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All topics must have evidence

What is an annotated bibliography?

​An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents.

Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words they can be more but must be AT LEAST 150) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation.

The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Multiple Choice

An annotated bibliography is a.....

• works cited page

• a works cited page with a summary/evaluation of the information

• a research paper with credible sources

• 150 word summary

Annotated Bibliography

Summarize: A summary of the information- you summarize what you used and the main idea of the information

​Evaluate: Was the article useful? Is the article credible? What makes them credible?

​Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

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Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is included in the three things needed to write an annotated bibliography?

• Tell the plot of a book related to the topic

• A summary of information from you source

• Give three citations that summarize the main idea of your source

• Give a short bibliography about your source

Multiple Choice

The purpose of an annotated bibliography is

• Summarize sources

• Summarize an article or sources

• Summarize and evaluate sources

• evaluate sources from a library

Why an annotated bibliography?

Because it's better than writing a paper, jk.

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​Because it organizes your research and forces you to critically think about the information that you are selecting.

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It's easy to find information, like the article from Actively Learn said, but it's more difficult to actually USE the information especially in an essay. ​

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It proves you've done research not just answered questions with the first thing that came up.​

Structure

• Humanities and English courses use MLA.

  • MLA citations are alphabetical

  • ​Use Citation Machine or OWL Purdue (click on the link) to make your citation

• The citation goes ON TOP of the annotation. ​

• Citations should always be in alphabetical order!

Multiple Choice

In what order do you list your annotated bibliography entries?

• Chronological Order

• Alphabetical Order

• However I please

• Order I accessed the documents

Draw

Circle the citation. Draw a square around the annotation.

Notice....

The hanging indent

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The space between everything. You should have space between each paragraph and citation.

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12 point, Times New Roman​

​Annotated Bibliography

• Alphabetically organized

• 12 point, Times​ New Roman

• Space between each citation/annotation

• ​Annotations are a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection on how the information is relevant to your research.

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Links to Help

​Annotated OWL Website

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Cornell University Annotated Bibliography ​

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OWL MLA Guidelines ​

Independent Work

It's your turn! Start an annotated bibliography using three sources you found to support your argument!

Formal Outlines

Purpose of Outlines

• It maps out the development of your essay.

• It shows you the organization / structure of your essay, so you know what to do and when to do it when you sit down to actually write your paper. For instance, your first main idea in your outline will be your first main idea in your essay.

Getting Started

• Title your outline

• Write your thesis/claim

Editing Your Central Claim:

Your Central Claim should begin in one of two ways...

• El Segundo High School should return to in person instruction because...

• El Segundo High School should not return to in person instruction because...

The second half of your central claim should complete the sentence and BRIEFLY state your two/three main points of support. For example...

• ...because in person schooling benefits students mental and physical health.

• ...because the risk of infection at school endangers both students and their families.

How to Write a Thesis Statement

Even though it's not required, some students and writing teachers like to write the thesis statements for persuasive essays in a "should...because" format. This method lets you clearly state your position and explain why you have that position.

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Example:

Students writing an essay should follow a strict timeline because it allows time for editing the final product, which will result in a better grade.​

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The Thesis Statement

Assessing Your Thesis

There are a few things that a thesis statement should accomplish. Your thesis will be the central point of your essay; everything else that you write in your paper should revolve around and directly support your thesis. Here are two key points to remember:

1. Don't make any points in your thesis that won't be in the rest of your paper.

2. Don't make your thesis so vague that it doesn't really communicate anything of substance.

3. Don't use "you" or any 2nd person point of view pronouns.

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The Thesis Statement

Open Ended

Finish the following statement and make it a three-part thesis:

There are some times you should lie like when.....

Pro Tip

The thesis represents the introduction paragraph.
The outline itself represents the body paragraphs.

Next, Choose a Formal Outline Type

• Topic Outline: every item in the outline is written in short phrases OR

• Sentence Outline: every item in the outline is written in complete sentences

• It is your preference, but it can't be both. 

Format

Thesis:
I. Main Idea One
      A. Supporting detail
      B. Supporting detail
II. Main Idea Two
      A. Supporting detail
               1. Specific elaboration of this detail
               2. Specific elaboration of this detail     
      B. Supporting detail
III. Main Idea Three
      A. Supporting detail
      B. Supporting detail

Sample Outline

Thesis: Pies, cakes, and ice cream are the best desserts to eat.

I. Pies
      A. Apple
      B. Cherry
II. Cakes
      A. Vanilla
      B. Chocolate
III. Ice cream
      A. Cookie dough
      B. Mint chocolate chip
               1. Green 
               2. White
      C. Strawberry

Multiple Choice

Based on the sample outline, what will body paragraph 2 be about?

• pies

• cakes

• ice cream

INDEPENDENT WORK:

CREATE AN OUTLINE

Use the outline we should went over!

Writing the Introduction

Let's start your argumentative essay!

Argumentative Introduction

The 4 steps

3 things that must be in your introduction paragraph

• Hook (gets the reader's attention)

• Background information (defines the topic for the reader)

• Thesis (outlines your 3 reasons/topics for the reader)

1) Hook

• This is what grabs the reader's attention and makes them want to read your paper.

• Create a rhetorical question (if you ask a question, though, you need to answer it)

• You can reword the topic question to form a sentence

2) Background information

• Tells the reader about the topic (defines it)

• Helps the reader understand where the argument is coming from

• Needs to break it down like the reader has never heard of your topic before

3) Thesis

• Tells the reader what your side of the argument is

• Gives the 3 reasons that will become your three body paragraphs

• Last sentence of the introduction

Example of an Introduction

"With recent studies showing that, on average, dog owners live up to 24% longer than those without canine companions, there's no doubt that a dog can have a range of physical and mental health benefits for its owner. These include a more active lifestyle, a social network of other pet owners, companionship, and a sense of purpose." (Use surprising facts

Essay 101: Redundancy

When we write, we want to avoid being repetitive

To make our writing clear and to the point, we must take redundant phrases and make them concise!

BODY PARAGRAPHS

This is where your reasons and evidence will go!

Body

_{This part may include several bodies in presenting your points. The following are requirements needed in your Body:}

• Topic Sentence with 1 reason and transition

• Evidence #1

• Explanation/Elaboration

• Evidence #2

• Explanation/Elaboration

• Evidence #3

• Explanation/Elaboration (then closing sentence to conclude)

Multiple Choice

Which sentence in this paragraph is the topic sentence?

First of all, students should not wear uniforms because they take away a student’s sense of individuality (6).This idea is supported by testimony from a 17-year-old student forced to wear uniforms (7). Her story was reported in National Catholic Reporter of March, 2002, and she said, "Everyone hated it (8). It completely killed any sense of individuality any one of us had. Everyone looked the same (9). It was sad to watch" (10) . Clearly, students with experience in wearing uniforms feel that they take away a sense of individuality (11).

• 6

• 7

• 8

• 9

• 11

REASONS: Statement that supports your claim

• This should be your topic sentence in each paragraph

• It explains why the claim is true

• Please use a counter-claim and rebuttal for your last reason

EVIDENCE: Statement that supports your reason

• Statistics

• Quotes

• Expert Advice

• Stories

• You need at least two pieces of evidence for each paragraph: One quoted and one paraphrased

COUNTERCLAIM

AND REBUTTAL

COUNTERCLAIM: a statement that challenges those that don't agree with you.

SENTENCE STARTER IDEAS:

• Some may claim/argue that...

• Others believe that...

• It is often thought...

• A common argument against this position is...

REBUTTAL: evidence used to weaken the the opposing view. All counterclaims should be followed by a rebuttal that strengthens your position and explains why you're correct:

SENTENCE STARTER IDEAS:

-However...

-But...

-Yet...

-Nevertheless...

-The evidence shows..

-Still, overall...

-In reality...

Example of Body Paragraph #1 with rebuttal

(Sponge, 2014)

 Let's face it, going to college is socially prestigious. Most people go to college only for the title of being called a college student. For some young people, it is a graceful way to get away from home and become independent without losing the financial support of their parents. They do not want to be looked down upon so they do what would look best in the eyes of society. It is practically beat into our heads that in order to be a productive citizen of society, you should have some sort of college education. Being a college student is perhaps a more respectable role than being, for example, a janitor or a garbage man because of the negative connotations such jobs receive, but we need them to make the world go around.

Example of Body Paragraph #2

  The main reason why people go to college is not because they want to but because they have to. Most high school seniors are pressured by their guidance counselors and parents to go to college because it is "the right thing to do.” Students go to college because their mother wanted them to go, or some other reason entirely irrelevant to the course of studies for which college is supposedly organized. The student may have different ideas about what he or she wants to do in life, but because they think that these "mentors" know what is best for them, they probably end up doing something they do not want to do, resulting in being miserable and resentful for the rest of their lives. 

Argumentative Conclusions

CONCLUSION

• Restate the Claim/Thesis

• Connect Back to the Hook (Why should we care?)

• Make sure to stay consistent with Third Person

Restate the thesis statement

• Should not be the same thesis statement

• Change the wording

• Examples:

• By using genetic engineering the world can become a healthier, safer place for people to live.

• Genetic engineering creates more problems than it solves because scientists don't know everything about genetics.

1. ​Restate the thesis (use different words)

2. Summarize claims from essay

3. ​Wrap Up (relate topic to larger ideas)

​Conclusion Paragraph

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